PA: Part 2 - the Philly Stuff

Usually, I don't start with the quote piece but I think it sets up the second part of the vacation.
MJR laying down in his own bed upon arriving home: I've never seen so many public restrooms in my life.

We left Tuesday morning, the 4th for Philly - just our family. We said goodbye to Judy and Chris - appreciated their hospitality and tractor rides. Matt wanted to stop at the cemetery where his Grandmother is buried. G got out to take a look around too. 

G: What are you doing?
MJR: Talking to my grandma
G: Dad, are you going to die?
MJR: It will be a very long time before I die.
G: But you are going to die, right?
MJR (sighs): Let's not worry about that anymore, Grady.

After a public potty trip, we headed to Philly. We drove through the Lehigh Valley Tunnel, where they attempted to hold their breath - it didn't work. We also went past Allentown and decided to start Philly off with the Cheesesteak off. We've done this every time we've been to Philly - Geno vs Pat's. We got one whiz wit of each and sat down for lunch.

Video Spoiler: 3:2 - Matt wins with Geno's.

From there we went and got settled with our VRBO and then took on the history portion of the day. After a quick trip past Ben Franklin's grave - where we dumped quarters because we had no pennies, we took on Constitutional Center first - took in the President Portraits, the Hall of State Flags, the 19th Amendment display, and then the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. I don't think that we did a good job explaining the importance of the place and the trip - maybe E got it but those other two uncultured swine complained their way through that building as well as the Liberty Bell display. The whining subsided a bit when I bought Italian Ice... which I have to say the lemon was amazing. 

We took in a Ben Franklin story - as there were story tellers parked throughout Philly that day and then headed to Betsy Ross's house - where the heat and the walking (approximately 3.7 minutes) got to Grady. I unbeknownst to me, saved the day by buying our customary 2 water bottles (one for the backwashers and one for the nonbackwashers) - G chugged it to empty and seemed better. I won't disagree that it was hot - it was 90 degrees and the humidity was high but c'mon man.

We switched gears and went to Dilworth Park - where we had to convince those people to play in the fountains. We couldn't keep them out of the creeks in PA's country BUT apparently they need swimsuits for city fountains. After a bit - they figured it out. Also, Ains and I found our 3rd public bathroom of the day - which required a purchase again.

It started raining and we had the kids put on dry clothes before heading to my favorite Philly Restaurant - the Dandelion. It's so adult and British and it makes me smile - word play, good food, good drinks..... They had no kid menu and sharing a cheese board with the heathens was a bit unnerving as they poppped aged cheddar like it was skittles but it did make me proud to split mussles, fish and chips, risotto, and my unexpected favorite - their tandori chicken. 

We headed home for baths and downtime. I specifically found this VRBO because of the view it offered of Philly. Sure, it had a lovely downtown view but it was right in the center of multiple firework shows. They had cake pops and cookies with berries that they hustled from Aunt Liz and Uncle Dave on the roof while we watched side shows. The location was ideal as Ains tuckered out and wanted to go to bed, E did too - she thought listening to the booms while she went to sleep was fun. G took in one of the big ones with us but my favorite part of the entire trip - one that I will remember for my whole life was when all the kids gave up and I got to sit on that Philly roof with my person and watch the sky light up. I love my children and fight for them each day but it's times like that I love the simplicity and ease of the love of my husband. The day in Philly was the only thing I really pushed to do for the trip and the fireworks on the 4th in the city where it all started was easily for me a once in a lifetime experience.

The next morning, we headed to another place I love - Reading Terminal Market. First stop - donuts (m&m - Ains, caramel apple - G, bavarian - Matt, white sprinkle - E, and peanut butter).

ALR to G and Ains: Aren't these amazing?
G, mouth so full of donut, his cheeks look like a chipmunk (nods earnestly)

From there the graze was on - we had an Iberico Cone - which Manchego cheese, a salami and teeny breadstick. G and I devoured. Ains thought the cheese looked like dried pineapple and wasn't interested. We started the shop and walk.. the kids got hung up on the sweets and cotton candy but the cheese monger caught my eye. Matt loved the meat display cases. The kids saw a lobster tank and each took pics. I totally got sidelined by the famous mint lemonana - with rosewater splash. I had to share with gluggers before Ains decided she needed to add another public restroom notch on her list. They took in pickles and I split an Amish pretzel before we left for the Please Touch Museum. 

Ainsley's view of the lobster tank - no wonder she's angry, she can't see schit.

This was a beautiful concept because these children couldn't keep their hands on anything - bathroom walls, signs, fence posts, sidewalk glass - I'm not sure when they are going to understand filth and yuck but we are not there right now. There are all sorts of divisions in the museum - Alice in Wonderland, water tables, transportation, grocery store, bakery... but Matt's favorite was the money and currency section - of course it was. I got a kick out of the baseball exhibit that was up too. 

From there - we went to the airport. Took the rental back and caught the two flights back home getting in at approximately 1:15 ... AM. Not everyone was a good traveler that day. G probably was the best especially since he took a nap on the longer flight. But I will not forget the final leg into Bis where we had TV's and Ains just wanted to watch Paw Patrol but the announcements and safety briefings kept pausing her show. She lost her mind and I will always see this tiny hand coming up beside Matt gesturing emphatically, like an angry little Italian and wailing like an Irish wake that she didn't need the safety brief and wanted Paw Patrol. I sat across the aisle so maybe my humor in the situation is from not having to rationalize with that exhausted little body.