Around the City

Dear Coley,

  So, with no school work to do, yet.... I decided to use my Saturday to wander around the city. I had purchase three travel guides to Philadelphia as soon as I got accepted into UPenn, and I was finally going to use them. I figured I am still a “city baby” and need to explore this place before visitors come and want to see the sights. So, with map in hand (well, in bag, you know how I feel about looking like a tourist), I headed out. 

My journey started in Logan Square (about 7 blocks north of my place). The square had a lovely fountain that made me want to sit there for hours, but it also sported a lot of homeless people (which is fine, but it was the first time since I started city living that I detected the distinct smell of urine…. I am a nurse, we are trained).  So, I headed east, to City Hall. On my way I passed through “Your Move” courtyard, which you have to see for yourself (David will love it) and I went past the big red LOVE statue. After walking through City Hall, I found the gem of the city……. Reading Terminal Market. 

The market is probably my most favorite place in the city (my bank account and thighs are thankful that it is over 12 blocks away). It is a market with tons of different vendors with everything you could possibly want to eat! I could probably eat there every day for the next 16 months and not have the same thing twice. It was there, that I also saw my first Amish (they were vendors), and I finally felt like I was in Pennsylvania, haha. 

After peeling myself from the market and cursing myself for not having cash (or a job that supports my addiction to yummy food) I walked down to Independence Square, where the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall are on display. I decided to forgo actually standing in line to see the Liberty Bell, since I am sure that someone will want to see it during a weekend visit, so I will see it then. I read for a while in Washington Square, another park with a fountain and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (from the Revolutionary War). Then I started the 15 block walk home. (side note, I definitely walked through the “gay-borhood” of Philadelphia…. where I saw Jay, season 1 winner of Project Runway…. it was exciting).

A couple blocks from my apartment I also ran into “chain lady” again.  [Now, I originally met “chain lady,” CL for short, the other day. I was a little lost, when she came walking out of a random alley. CL is a very thin, probably 40ish year old lady, who has a buzzed head, wears a white tank top, no bra,  jean shorts, no shoes,  a chain around her neck (with a pad-lock), and a chain around her waist....hence the name. When I say chain, I don’t mean a little gold piece…. I mean a chain that Tommy Russ would use to hold a cow inside a trailer…. we’re talking at least one inch links]. She freaked me out a little the first time I ran into her (enough to make me cross the street), however, today when I walked past her, it was like, hey…. I know her, haha.

 All in all, I walked 52 blocks! That may not seem like a lot to city people, but this girl was wore out and sore.  It started sprinkling at one point in my walk, but it was very comforting knowing that (even though I forgot my umbrella) I did know exactly which bus to hop on to get home (gave me a warm fuzzy feeling).  I hope to explore the city more when someone visits me…. hint hint.

How are things in Ruffin?

Courtney