Tracking down old Philadelphia

Last night to Vietnam Palace Restaurant, 222 N 11th Street, on the edge of Chinatown. Veggie Spring Rolls, Garlic Shrimp, Eggplant Tofu, Brown Rice, Green Tea plus one bottle of '33' Export Beer - $36.82 plus tip. Recommended. On the way there is a Mummers band playing outside a press reception, for the Winter Classic ice hockey, at the Reading Terminal Market.

Early breakfast and we hike off up the Parkway towards the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Waiting for the Free Library to open we stumble upon Matthias Baldwin Park and an old railroad trackbed running in a trench.

After visiting the art museum on the hill we trace the old railroad running back to town. The trench turns into an overhead railroad east of Broad Street. The librarian told us that they hope to turn it into an overhead park, similar to one in New York. The dereliction in this neighbourhood shows that Philly has some way to go with urban renewal.

Pics by Annette.

Footloose in Philly

Last night to the Down Home Diner, 51 N 12th Street, for soup and sandwich, in the old Reading Terminal Market, $26.42 for two with bottomless coffee. There are streetcar tracks outside but no streetcar has been seen in a long time.
This morning walk down Market Street to the Reading Terrminal, now converted into a Convention Centre. On to see Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell - repelled by crowds of grockles - so we carry on via the City Tavern (now an upscale eatery, but once home to plotting secessionists) to the Delaware River. Great view upstream to the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.

Return via South Street, the antique district on Pine and up Broad Street. Philadelphia has some bike culture, almost entirely derailleurs and fixie with hardly a hub gear in sight. The sign below was displayed outside the Masonic Temple - what have the Masons got against cyclists?

We find the statue of Matthias Baldwin (1795-1866), locomotive manufacturer, on the north side of City Hall. The inscription simply says "BALDWIN" which is both flattering and uninformative at the same time.
Lunch at Jake's Real Italian Pizza and Grill, 201 N Broad Street, Ziti with Olive Oil, Garlic and Basil with Garlic Bread, $6.95; Veggie Wrap, $6.50.
Pics by Annette.

I'd rather be in Philadelphia

To Pearson Airport for Air Canada 346 to Philadelphia. Took forever to get through Immigration and Customs. The whole place was a zoo - several hours wasted for a one-hour flight. Let us hope Porter start serving Philly from the Island Airport.
The 73-seat Embraer 175 was 40 minutes late departing - the substitute captain informed us that his colleague was stuck in customs, he was originally going to Newark but now taking us to Newark, er, Philadelphia. The inflight entertainment was hors de combat for most of the flight - "this feature is currently unavailable."
As it was getting towards midnight we took a taxi into town - $31.50 with tip. A quick pitstop at Dunkin' Donuts, some late-night TV (how tired the talk show format has gotten - who is writing this lame material?).

Up for scrambled eggs and out into chilly Philly, down JFK Boulevard. They have HSBC and TD Bank here which is a bonus when it comes to charges. We walk to 30th Street Station (via the Suburban Station) which was named by Trains magazine as the finest surviving station in the USA. Completed in 1934 it is a marvelous marble hall not to be missed. (See pic at top.)

We walk back up Market Street which is altogether seedier, including porn cinema and Sally Army thrift store. We have a kitchen in our room at the Marriott so, after a Pizza lunch in an authentic Italian diner (Zio's, 111, South 13th Street), we crash out with tea and pastries. So far so good.
I forgot to mention Air Canada are charging $25 per piece for checked baggage - we brought carry-ons - I have a folding bag for any shopping so we may check one bag going home.
Pics by Annette.

Canada Federal Debt Clock

For those of you who think that the Canadian Federal Government is immune from the bad behaviour of other countries clock this:


 Add in the worse behaviour of the provinces, notably Ontario, spraying dollars in all directions, and we are even further underwater. Not to mention household debt. See The Globe and Mail.

Happy Expat Christmas

We're getting ready for Christmas here in Little-Blighty-on-the-Great-Lakes. The big feature here is Christmas dinner (if you don't count family high tea on Boxing Day). I'm looking forward to Turkey, Stuffing, Bread Sauce, Roast Potatoes, Sprouts, Parsnips and Gravy (Aah Bisto!). Not forgetting mince pies.
We've been watching old episodes of Last of The Summer Wine on Youtube and Annette just had to have the squeezy tomato sauce bottle as used in Sid's Cafe, 'sourced' on ebay. Naf is the new kind.
Eat, drink and be merry as for 2012 I predict that governments will continue to spend money that they have borrowed; at least one country will leave the Euro but the resulting problems will turn out to be a blessing; the soon-to-be £10 billion plus Olympics will bring three weeks of 'sport' promoting hamburgers, fizzy pop and credit cards. Let us hope we see the back of some more dictators. Meanwhile have a Happy New Year!
Photograph by Annette.