I really imagined that I would have (free) internet access during my stay in Philadelphia for the American Association of Museums annual conference. Because I despise the corporate Man, I decided to snub the $12-something fee at the hotel to use the internet. Just think, if everyone at the hotel paid for internet use, what percentage of profit would the hotel make?? The answer: a disgusting percentage.
So, the belated transportation highlights:
I'm so used to long travelling days (think Boston, New Hampshire, Scotland, Nashville...) that a trip to Philadelphia even via train felt like no trip at all. Typically, the one day I need to be at my destination On Time in the morning, the Metro fails. Perhaps I started a bit late, but even so, two trains were offloaded in front of me. One as I prepared to board. Pretty frantic, because I was running late and had less time than I'd thought to get to Union Station and board the train, I trekked back up to the surface to call for a Rescue. Managed to obtain a ride to the station, but with traffic and the already late time, nearly missed the train! From getting on at the last minute, it was a very relaxing and short ride to 30th Street in downtown Philadelphia.
Downtown Philly is not as attractive as I'd remembered it from the last time I was there, but that may be because we drove down the Franklin Parkway the first time, which is one of the prettier sections of the city. The historic district has some pretty parks and the memorial to the Unknown Soldier (did you know burials started in 1706? Not just a war memorial...) One of the most startling things about Philadelphia is the walkability of it.
One evening we went to Pat's King of Steaks, the origin of the Philly Cheesesteak. On Passyunk Ave, we took a taxi from downtown, thinking it would be a very long walk. Instead of trying to call a cab from there when we finished (the cheesesteaks were great, by the way - but I don't think I'd be going frequently even if I did live in Philly), we decided to walk North for a little while in hopes of coming to a more taxi-trafficked area. Much to our surprise, we walked all the way to the historic district in twenty minutes or so!
The rest of our stay definitely did not involve much walking at all, as our hotel was situated across the street from the Convention Center. Even avoided most of the rain by using the covered walkway! Hurray for covered walkways.
That about covers transportation in Philadelphia. Remember, trains are easy, spacious, and relatively cheaper than travelling by air! No checked luggage fees, for one thing...
So, the belated transportation highlights:
I'm so used to long travelling days (think Boston, New Hampshire, Scotland, Nashville...) that a trip to Philadelphia even via train felt like no trip at all. Typically, the one day I need to be at my destination On Time in the morning, the Metro fails. Perhaps I started a bit late, but even so, two trains were offloaded in front of me. One as I prepared to board. Pretty frantic, because I was running late and had less time than I'd thought to get to Union Station and board the train, I trekked back up to the surface to call for a Rescue. Managed to obtain a ride to the station, but with traffic and the already late time, nearly missed the train! From getting on at the last minute, it was a very relaxing and short ride to 30th Street in downtown Philadelphia.
Downtown Philly is not as attractive as I'd remembered it from the last time I was there, but that may be because we drove down the Franklin Parkway the first time, which is one of the prettier sections of the city. The historic district has some pretty parks and the memorial to the Unknown Soldier (did you know burials started in 1706? Not just a war memorial...) One of the most startling things about Philadelphia is the walkability of it.
One evening we went to Pat's King of Steaks, the origin of the Philly Cheesesteak. On Passyunk Ave, we took a taxi from downtown, thinking it would be a very long walk. Instead of trying to call a cab from there when we finished (the cheesesteaks were great, by the way - but I don't think I'd be going frequently even if I did live in Philly), we decided to walk North for a little while in hopes of coming to a more taxi-trafficked area. Much to our surprise, we walked all the way to the historic district in twenty minutes or so!
The rest of our stay definitely did not involve much walking at all, as our hotel was situated across the street from the Convention Center. Even avoided most of the rain by using the covered walkway! Hurray for covered walkways.
That about covers transportation in Philadelphia. Remember, trains are easy, spacious, and relatively cheaper than travelling by air! No checked luggage fees, for one thing...
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