I found Philly to be bleached and stark as the chill in the spring air. It had a working class mentality, take no bull attitude. Like it or hate, the city didn’t care. I liked it.
As we walked around the former temporary capital of our country (while Washington DC was being constructed from 1780-1800), you could feel the freedom in its streets, in the voices of its people, in the architecture of its buildings. To stand next to the great symbol of liberty that so many have stood by, sobered those in its presence.
The beauty of the LOVE statue with its crooked O, symbolizing that love is indeed not perfect. The East State Penitentiary that now resides amid homes and businesses, but once housed the criminal and the insane in hopes to make them penitent for their crimes.
To the kitschy (to some) Rocky statue outside the great Museum of Art, where all who pass by raise their arms in the infamous boxing pose. Screams of ” Yo Adrien, I did it!” can be heard through the rustling leaves and bare tree branches.
The infamous seventy two steps can be ran just as the fighter did, and when one does, you can feel as he did, as though anything can be possible….
…on the streets of Philadelphia.
The 2nd photo down is fantastic.