Philadelphia, PA

I arrived in Philadelphia around 11pm. My couch surfing host, Tucker, wasn't home, but he left me a key to his place. He and his four other roommates live in a nice town home in Manayunk, a community of young college students and thirty-something professionals, just outside of downtown.

Tucker emphasized to make myself at home, utilize the laundry if I needed it, and enjoy myself to a few drinks in the fridge. This place was much more comforting than the hotels that I'd been staying at in Boston, and Ohio.

The next day, Darin, Tucker's roommate, and I went out for a bike ride for some coffee. From there, we went our separate ways. I rode my bike down Kelly Drive along side the river and took in the beautiful views. The Philadelphia area is filled with statues and old architecture. The bridges along the river were mostly masonry bridges with several arches.

It only took me a few minutes to make it to the downtown area. The first place I visited was the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Outside the museum are more statutes. To the side of the museum is the famous/infamous Rocky Balboa statue with plenty of people waiting to take a picture with it. I asked a lady to take a picture of me next to it. It's been the case lately where when I let other people take a picture for me they somehow don't get the right composition. Notice she cut off the top part of the statue.









The exhibits in the museum were the best I'd seen in a long time. It had collections of European and Asian art spanning from the Medieval to the present day. My favorite display was of the Medieval arms & armor. According to the Museum this is the second largest display of arms & armor in the United States. There were glass displays of muskets and old rifles, as well as displays of the different types of helmets and suites worn by Knights. I enjoyed it.


I spent most of the day in the Museum, but eventually road around the town to take in more statues. I found my favorite one of "The Thinker." For those of you who know me well, you can appreciate the humor in posing with this one.

Today I leave to Washington DC.