What
are the things that attract you to your destinations? When you travel for
leisure what activities are you looking for? As we have seen during this series,
food is always on my list. But I also enjoy history and visiting places that no
other city experience will give me.
I will
be discussing the many wonderful historic regions of Philadelphia in the next
post. For now I want to delve into all that draws me to this city and sometimes
back to the same attractions.
Let’s
begin with the LOVE Statute in J.F.K. Park
You
have probably seen a picture of this sign at least once in your life. I have
seen this particular sign in person more than once. Each time I am still
thrilled by the visual and want to keep clicking the buttons on my camera. I
have even seen it decorated for the holidays. Either way it is still impressive
and draws large crowds. I have just learned recently that many cities around
the world have a similar version. I would be so curious to see how many photos
of me in front of these signs I could collect (see the link below for more
details).
This
park was dedicated John F. Kennedy Plaza in 1967 after our beloved thirty-fifth
President of the United States. The main features of the plaza include curved
granite steps and a majestic fountain added in 1969. The nickname “LOVE Park”
comes from the statute that overlooks the plaza. You cannot miss it, it is
right in front next to the entrance of the park. There use to be a visitors
center but now it is a resource for tourists as well as a gift shop. Sadly it
was not one that contained anything that I “needed” but no worries I found
other stores that were up my alley.
Rocky
Steps
I have
never seen the entire Rocky movie let alone any of the million sequels that
came after it. That doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the part that it plays in
pop culture. I know a great photo opportunity when I see one. This is that and
a whole lot more.
I had
planned to run up the steps like Rocky did but when I saw how many steps there
were I decided there are some moments in art that do not need to be recreated
in my life. I have never even been in side the Philadelphia Museum of Art that
looms over Rocky and is at the end of those numerous steps. I am sure one day I
will make the effort so that it will be another quintessential Philadelphia
attraction to cross off my growing list.
City
Hall
City
Hall in Philadelphia is one of the most recognizable buildings in their city.
If you watched the TV show “Body of Proof” then you saw it constantly in their
opening and throughout the episodes. It is a beautiful building at the heart of
this city not too far from the LOVE statute in J.F.K. park.
Other
notable objects are the many giant sized board game pieces along the street
directly across from city hall. Officially called “Your Move” was created in
1997 and creates a dichotomy from the many city official buildings that
surround it. There are dominos, chess pieces, and my favorite monopoly pieces.
They create a fun atmosphere for photos and I think a great way to have artwork
in public. For me it was a pleasant surprise and I loved taking those pictures.
Eastern
State Penitentiary
Some
people love Disneyland. They go back year after year bringing their kids as
they grow up. I do not care for Disneyland but I understand the love you can
have for a particular destination for I have one too, Alcatraz. Yep the
infamous “Rock” is a beloved treasure of mine. It is the reason I planned a
trip to San Francisco in 2008 and the reason I hope to go back someday soon.
The history, the convicts, just the site of it, its all fascinating to me, I
walked out of their gift shop with two large shopping bags and a huge smile on
my face.
Besides
my love of that island the tour happens to be incredibly well run. Ex-cons who
were imprisoned there as well as the guards that worked there guide you through
each section as you listen to the audio tour.
When I
knew I was going to Philly and thus Eastern State Penn, I had high hopes. We
were off to a good start as our narrator for this audio tour was Steve Buscemi
of Sopranos fame. As a fellow Brooklynite I took that as a good sign.
The
penitentiary has a center base and eight rows that branch out which contained
the cells. Each cell was for one person only. Many were still in use in 1971. They all had a back door to
a tiny private space of the yard. This was all to enforce the seriousness and
isolation of the prison. The shape, history, and pretty much everything about
it is the opposite of Alcatraz but that was my only point of reference.
At
Alcatraz the tour went over two hours but the timing was perfect. You arrived
where they were talking about at the exact moment it came up. But because Eastern
State Penn is not set up in a similar manner the hour and a half audio tour
left me with a lot of time to stand in the hallways just listening not really
touring. It was well done but upon my return trip there it bothered me even
more. I had to skip through just to get moving.
The
showstopper is Al Capone’s cell. It is worth the visit for that alone. It
remains as he left it, furnishings and all. A coincidence is that he eventually
ended up at Alcatraz. Apparently I am following in his footprints of his
criminal past. To see his cell make sure you ask someone that works there
because this is not a part of the regular tour, I wish I knew why. This is only
a few blocks from the Philadelphia Museum of Art so after you see Rocky you can
go visit Al.
Mutter
Museum
Another
great find in Philly is the Mutter Museum also known as The College of
Physicians of Philadelphia. It contains some of the most notable medical
findings of our country’s past and present. It also serves as a real life
scientific resource for medical students. Student and tourist alike will see
things they have never imagined while walking through this two-floor exhibit.
There is no tour, not even audio, so you can look around at your own pace.
Everything is labeled and explained which helps out greatly. Some things are
mundane, comparatively speaking such as a collection of skulls. But then you
run into things like the secret tumor of President Grover Cleveland, the
world’s largest colon, a plaster cast of conjoined twins, and the thorax of
John Wilkes Booth. By the time you leave you will have seen things that
fascinate you and things that will haunt you. I am sure no two visitors have
the same lists. The aforementioned items were on the list I had to see.
Especially once the Travel Channel taught me that President Cleveland had that
tumor removed on a boat with an insanely small staff to keep it out of the
public eye. You know that means these are all true stories thus adding another
layer of interest for me.
Magic
Gardens
I had
never heard of the Magic Gardens before but I learned during a visit thanks to
a knowledgeable relative of mine. It sounded strange and being inside was a
wonderful weird new experience for me. The artist behind the glass created the
gardens, which are essentially a tremendous mosaic structure that exists
outside organically. It is an art gallery completely made up of materials the
artist found. The individual pieces of glass, bottles, etc., make for a
wonderland for visitors to explore. It is amazing and the most unique piece I
have seen. You wont find this just anywhere.
World
Café Live
As a
friend and fan of the most musically gifted person I know, one Levi Kreis, I
was in town to see him perform live here at the World Café Live. It was a nice
large space yet intimate enough for the crowd to focus on the entertainer.
There were no expensive tickets to buy and they had an array of beverages and
foods to order. I really enjoyed it there and wouldn’t hesitate to go back.
Now we
are off and running to the historical side of Philadelphia.
Up
next: For the City of Brotherly Love, Benjamin Franklin, and Betsy Ross's
House: Historical Activities.
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Great Blog. Forgot how nice the trip was.. You do know how to plan a trip. Keep up the good work. xoxo
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