From Jersey City to Hagerstown, MD

After leaving the madhouse of Jersey City where we had ventured in the car back up to Bedford Falls, NY to visit Stepping Stones, we were not sad to leave. We made it to Philadelphia and took a day to visit the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall (where the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were created), the Old City Hall (Supreme Court Chambers from 1791-1800), The National Constitution Center (where there were many exhibits, along with 2 live performances. One, "Freedom Rising" was produced to help understand the values behind the constitution.) The Old Christ Episcopal Church Founded in 1695 with the original chandelier from 1740, and the 1300 Baptismal font where William Penn was baptized. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross and many other famous people worshipped here.
This is the oldest bell in Philadelphia, here in the Christ church.
Then, we went through the US Mint building which has a museum of coins....they weren't giving out any samples! Learned that they bag up the coins after minted: 200,000 Quarters or 400,000 pennies to a bag would weigh a ton.

Not sure which building this was. Some church. Imight have snapped a photo just cuz it was so ornate.

Then we followed suggestion and went to the "City Tavern" for dinner. It was proclaimed by John Adams in 1774 to be the most genteel tavern in America, and was the site of business transcactions, patriot gatherings and musical performances. The wait staff all dressed in period costumes, and the menu offered things like pepperpot soup, Turkey pot pie, etc. We chose the lobster-pot-pie, which each individual pie contained a whole lobster and several large prawns. The sauce was very rich, and the top crust was light and flaky, but the bottom quite doughy. We both woke in the middle of the night with upset tummies from all the rich food. To top it off, Al had left his credit card at the table, and we had to call then go back and retrieve it. Luckily, we had just gotten to the parking garage when we discovered it!

We've been on the "Wal-Mart Tour" lately, staying in a park-n-ride near New Hope, PA from where we drove to Philadelphia, then Walmarts in Morgantown, PA, York (caught this sunset while driving to York). PA (We had to move out just after we we went to bed when security knocked on our bedroom window...he told us of a vacant lot nearby where we moved and joined several truckers), and tonight at Hagerstown, MD. Tomorrow, we will move to Hagerstown Elks Club and do laundry in town before exploring under guidance of our friends Jack and Ann this week.

Getting a kick out of town names here....from Toddy Drive (where we visited Shady Maple Smorgasborg, market and RV Center...where we got water, propane and dumped tanks), to Blue Ball, Intercourse, Bird in a Hand, Bareville, and then Paradise. Also, just about every country we have been through...Scotland, France, Mexico, Spain, etc...all towns along our travels. Another thing we noticed is the varying fines for littering....$100 to $10,000, depending on what state you are in!

Another noticeable thing are all the huge cemetaries. These are OLD states, and Many people have lived and died here over the years.

Also, in New Jersey we encountered a lot of underpasses we could not maneuver. In talking with a local, we learned that any road with a name "parkway" was engineered by a man who was a bigot. He did not want "those people" to come into the area, so, thinking they could only afford to come by bus, he designed all his "Parkways" to go under bridges, roads, etc., witih some overpasses as low as 8'.....definitely too low for us at 12' high!!! Quite frustrating when you don't know the system!

Well, I am rambling, so will stop for now. Belated thanks to all our Veterans!

Al & Sylvia