Philadelphia Walkabout 2006
Completely unexpectedly, I find myself back in the Philadelphia area again. I hadn't expected to be back there this year, so this was quite a pleasant surprise. Just for a week, staying at the Hilton in King of Prussia. Not too shabby and everything goes on the tab ;-)
There were no direct flights to Philly, so it was back into Newark Liberty and yet another search of my baggage for fruits and vegetables. They're bloody obsessed at that airport! The weather was pleasantly warm and having got settled in at the hotel, had a shower and changed, I met up with my colleagues for dinner. Just across the road (the US 202 becomes an urban dual carriageway at King of Prussia) is a strip mall: Tower Records, an ACME supermarket, the usual suspects and a couple of restaurants. We decided to go for Mexican and, being such a pleasant evening with temperatures still in the high 70s, we sat outside eating our Burritos and drinking a few cold ones. Very civilised.
About 7:30, having finished our food, we decided to mosey on down to the local Hooters. As you do.
There were no direct flights to Philly, so it was back into Newark Liberty and yet another search of my baggage for fruits and vegetables. They're bloody obsessed at that airport! The weather was pleasantly warm and having got settled in at the hotel, had a shower and changed, I met up with my colleagues for dinner. Just across the road (the US 202 becomes an urban dual carriageway at King of Prussia) is a strip mall: Tower Records, an ACME supermarket, the usual suspects and a couple of restaurants. We decided to go for Mexican and, being such a pleasant evening with temperatures still in the high 70s, we sat outside eating our Burritos and drinking a few cold ones. Very civilised.
About 7:30, having finished our food, we decided to mosey on down to the local Hooters. As you do.
Hooters
Well, whaddya know, there just happened to be a bikini contest on that very evening. So, a pitcher of beer, some curly fries and a bunch of barely-clad girlies later, the time difference started to take effect and we headed back to the hotel and a nice fresh bed.
You gotta love Hooters...
It doesn't pretend to be anything it's not and revels in its own delightful tackiness.
If you like your food, battered, fried, and hot, your beer cold, and your ladies in tight orange shorts made of a material that no-one would ever voluntarily consider placing anywhere near their skin, then it's the only place to go!
You gotta love Hooters...
It doesn't pretend to be anything it's not and revels in its own delightful tackiness.
If you like your food, battered, fried, and hot, your beer cold, and your ladies in tight orange shorts made of a material that no-one would ever voluntarily consider placing anywhere near their skin, then it's the only place to go!
Chinese
Imagine my surprise when I awoke the next morning to find snow on the ground, sub-zero temperatures and a howling gale blowing, fit to freeze anything that was wrapped in seven layers of thermal clothing?!
Yep. That's the beauty of the right coast. The weather can change quickly and go from blisteringly hot to brass monkey in no time at all.
That evening we decided to eat Chinese, mainly because of the proximity of a Chinese restaurant to our place of work and the fact that we couldn't be bothered driving anywhere. I settled on a very tasty Kung Pao chicken, a few more beers, and another few more beers at the hotel bar. Funnily enough, I slept really well that night. Must have been the change of air...
Over the next couple of evenings we tried a couple of the chain eateries, more for convenience than anything else. I had wanted to go back to a micro brewery place at the Gateway strip mall in Wayne PA, as I knew from previous experience that they did a wicked Jambalaya, but when we got there it had closed down. Bugger!
The food pretty much tastes the same at most of the 'big sign' joints. This is good and it is also bad. Whilst it is rarely inedible, it's also a known quantity and rarely surprises the taste buds. No matter where you go, the food will taste the same and it will always be good. Americans like their food that way I have discovered.
Yep. That's the beauty of the right coast. The weather can change quickly and go from blisteringly hot to brass monkey in no time at all.
That evening we decided to eat Chinese, mainly because of the proximity of a Chinese restaurant to our place of work and the fact that we couldn't be bothered driving anywhere. I settled on a very tasty Kung Pao chicken, a few more beers, and another few more beers at the hotel bar. Funnily enough, I slept really well that night. Must have been the change of air...
Over the next couple of evenings we tried a couple of the chain eateries, more for convenience than anything else. I had wanted to go back to a micro brewery place at the Gateway strip mall in Wayne PA, as I knew from previous experience that they did a wicked Jambalaya, but when we got there it had closed down. Bugger!
The food pretty much tastes the same at most of the 'big sign' joints. This is good and it is also bad. Whilst it is rarely inedible, it's also a known quantity and rarely surprises the taste buds. No matter where you go, the food will taste the same and it will always be good. Americans like their food that way I have discovered.
Public Transport
Saturday was the last full day in the US, as we were flying back Sunday evening. I always look for something interesting to do at the weekends, otherwise it just seems like a waste of a trip to somewhere new. Philadelphia is always a good place to find something and, on previous occasions, had provided me with the Titanic exhibit, Dali, Rodin, and cheese steaks. This time, however, there was something that I was definitely going to check out: Body Worlds. That's right. That crazy German fella, Gunther von Hagens, who cuts open dead bodies, all the time wearing a Fedora. How cool is that. I wonder if he takes the hat off for anything? Anyhoo, come Saturday morning, I caught an early R6 from Norristown (thanks to a lift from the hotel shuttle bus) into Philadelphia's Suburban Station.
IMAX
On the Friday, we had decided to go a catch a movie at the KoP IMAX theatre, just because we could. V for Vendetta had just come out, so we went for that, not expecting much more than a few explosions and a little bit of gratuitous violence. I was floored by this movie. It was much more than I had expected and it was one of the most pleasant cinema-going experiences I have ever had. Coupled with the fact that we watched it in IMAX, it was truly spectacular.
Body Worlds
I'd been to Philly often enough to know that it is only a short walk up the Ben Franklin Parkway to the Franklin Institute where the Body Worlds exhibit was being held. My attempts to book tickets online had been hampered severely by the website being toss and not working. However, I'd found out that if I got there for opening time at 10AM, I would probably be able to get a ticket. Failing that, as at the Dali bash, I would ramp up the English accent and look pathetic... I have no pride, morals, or scruples.
As it turned out, I needn't have worried. My plans to get there early had been sound and I was near the front of the queue and, after only a short wait, managed to score a ticket for the 11AM session.
Obviously, I can't show any pictures on here, I couldn't use my camera in there, and rightly so. It is, however, an absolutely phenomenal exhibit and, should you get the chance to see it, go along. It is real dead bodies, skinned, peeled and variously arranged, but it is in no way tasteless, morbid, vomit-inducing, or sick. It is truly fascinating and wonderful. I got the audio tour and it was well worth it. There was a great deal of information that I would otherwise have missed out on; for a trivia junkie like me, it was worth the extra few dollars.
As it turned out, I needn't have worried. My plans to get there early had been sound and I was near the front of the queue and, after only a short wait, managed to score a ticket for the 11AM session.
Obviously, I can't show any pictures on here, I couldn't use my camera in there, and rightly so. It is, however, an absolutely phenomenal exhibit and, should you get the chance to see it, go along. It is real dead bodies, skinned, peeled and variously arranged, but it is in no way tasteless, morbid, vomit-inducing, or sick. It is truly fascinating and wonderful. I got the audio tour and it was well worth it. There was a great deal of information that I would otherwise have missed out on; for a trivia junkie like me, it was worth the extra few dollars.
It took me a good couple of hours to get around the exhibit and the timing was such that I had just enough time to grab a quick drink and have a chat with Andre Gardner (a DJ on Philadelphia's classic rock radio station 120.9 MGK) before heading into the IMAX theatre for an accompanying movie presentation. Never seen an IMAX movie before and here I am doing two on consecutive days! That's the good old US of A for you and that's why I love the place.
By the time I'd left the Franklin Institute, I was famished and I was hungry enough to start gnawing on one of Uncle Gunter's plastinated corpses. Instead, I decided to wander down to the HRC and get me some nosebag.
By the time I'd left the Franklin Institute, I was famished and I was hungry enough to start gnawing on one of Uncle Gunter's plastinated corpses. Instead, I decided to wander down to the HRC and get me some nosebag.
HRC
To me, the HRC's Pig Sandwich is proof of the fact that God does not exist. He/She couldn't possibly be a sentient being because that would mean he would have had to have knowingly created a group of people who couldn't eat this mouth-watering delicacy. That would make him/her cruel and heartless and spitefully vindictive, which of course, we know is not a Godish quality.
Seriously though, and I know that in some circles, 'pulled pork' has a notable other meaning, this pulled pork sandwich is divine; so soft, so tender, so try one! Swill a couple of pints of Sam Adams down your gullet and you're well away for the next few hours.
Given that the Philly HRC is on the corner of Market and 12th, and therefore in the middle of the shopping area, I had a wander around, picked up a couple of hard-to-find DVDs at some little shops I know in the area, and grabbed a Dunkaccino from one of the many DDs round there. Lovely.
What I didn't realise, however, was that the R6 train also stopped at Market East station which, as it happens is between 10th and 12th on Market. Score. Saved me a walk back up to Suburban Station! It's funny how things work out, innit.
Seriously though, and I know that in some circles, 'pulled pork' has a notable other meaning, this pulled pork sandwich is divine; so soft, so tender, so try one! Swill a couple of pints of Sam Adams down your gullet and you're well away for the next few hours.
Given that the Philly HRC is on the corner of Market and 12th, and therefore in the middle of the shopping area, I had a wander around, picked up a couple of hard-to-find DVDs at some little shops I know in the area, and grabbed a Dunkaccino from one of the many DDs round there. Lovely.
What I didn't realise, however, was that the R6 train also stopped at Market East station which, as it happens is between 10th and 12th on Market. Score. Saved me a walk back up to Suburban Station! It's funny how things work out, innit.
Over the last couple of years, I have been in the States for two important occasions: St Patrick's Day and football season opening day. Beer always flows on both of these, if you find yourself in the right bar ;-)
US Customs
Every time I travel back from the US through Newark Liberty, I find one of these in my baggage. This means that some nosey bastard jobsworth has been rummaging through my luggage, looking for God only knows what. I would love to know what they think they're seeing in there to cause them to open my bag and sniff my boxers. I used to have a padlock on my bag, so it couldn't be opened and stuff nicked whilst in transit. You know what? That is a guaranteed reason for them to break into your bags. What sort of world are we living in where the mere fact that you lock your bags is taken as a reason that you have something to hide? No, it's simply that there are a lot of light-fingered people in this world and I'd rather not have some goddamn baggage handler nicking my shit. So, anything valuable is in danger of never making it to your destination because. And will anyone be held responsible? Not a chance!
Normally, they also kindly leave the top off something that will soak everything in my bag. So thoughtful! Never had this problem when i have flown into Philadelphia. That's NJ for you. Go figure!
And, I didn't even get anywhere near getting arrested this trip.
Makes a change ;-) Better luck next time!
Normally, they also kindly leave the top off something that will soak everything in my bag. So thoughtful! Never had this problem when i have flown into Philadelphia. That's NJ for you. Go figure!
And, I didn't even get anywhere near getting arrested this trip.
Makes a change ;-) Better luck next time!