Art in Philadelphia

We were fortunate to have the chance to visit several places containing art. Within Philly it is varied and beautiful, along with historic and long-lasting.

The first place we found some amazing art was in the Curtis Center lobby. There stands the 100 year old Tiffany mural, Dream Garden, installed in 1916, and based off of a landscape painting by Maxfield Parrish. Using Tiffany glass the design covers a 15' by 49' wall in the back of the lobby, and is strikingly lit for maximum viewing.

Secondly, we visited the Magic Garden. Local artist Isaiah Zagar lived in the property next door and started collecting materials and creating his artwork all over the empty lot next to it. When the landowner wanted to sell the property and came to visit he discovered Isaiah's artwork and asked him to remove it all. Instead Isaiah was able to raise the money to buy the property (at an exorbitant price) in order to maintain and display his art.

Although we did not get a chance to explore the whole area due to rain, I would go back again and again to walk through the art!

Lastly, we attended music Friday at the Philadelphia Art Museum. For the regular price of entry there is a live band and catered food and drinks (for an extra cost), plus access to the galleries until 8:45pm. As a bonus, the ticket includes 2-day admission to the museum and others nearby.

We ate some dinner, listened to music, and drank a bit of wine. Afterwards, we spent about an hour wandering through just one part of the very large museum. Lucky me got to see Van Gogh's Sunflowers!

There are several other art museums that we did not have time to see, but based on what we could visit I would guess that there is a lot of great artwork abounding in this city.

Oh, I can not forget to mention the statue of Rocky Balboa outside the art museum: 

The Historical District of Philly

Throughout the week we could see Independence Hall and the building housing the Liberty Bell from our hotel window. On Tuesday we finally toured each.

The Liberty Bell is free to see and is held in a long building containing information on the history of the bell and uses throughout that time. Upon entering the building visitors are asked to walk through metal detectors, so in high times expect a wait, luckily winter is not a busy time, so we made it in the door within 5 minutes.

There is a volunteer historian standing around the bell to help answer questions and occasionally will start speaking to the crowd gathered to give some background on the bell. It was fascinating to learn that the bell really had no special beginnings, it was just a bell amongst many in the city. During the British occupation of 1777 it was hidden along with the other bells, outside the city so it was not melted down and used for musket balls. So, maybe that's the appeal of it all, humble beginnings to a great symbol of freedom and unity!

Through the back of the building one can view Independence Hall and if the lighting is right a nice picture of both can be captured.

After leaving the Liberty Bell we traveled across the street to view Independence Hall. It also provides a free tour, given by National Park rangers, and includes a walk through a metal detector.

Originally the hall was used as a courtroom and is still set up as such. Across from the small court room area is the hall where our Founding Fathers discussed, created, and signed the Declaration of Independence.

The infamous Sunrise chair is also located in this room. I posted a picture of myself sitting in the replica here.

There are other buildings on the premises as well, including the first rooms where the newly created Congress and House met. It is amazing to think that so many influential men walked those halls and built a country from the ground up.

Edgar Allan Poe's ties to Philadelphia

While planning our trip to Philadelphia I discovered that Edgar Allan Poe spent about 6 years in Philadelphia writing and editing magazines. He lived in 5 different places and one of those has been set aside to honor him.

Although nothing remains of Poe in the house itself it has been a way for Philadelphia to remember what he did while staying in the city. His wife and mother-in-law where also with him during this time.

The house is unrestored, but is stable enough to tour and get a feel for what each room was used for and who may have slept in each bedroom. The cellar is also a creepy place to visit as it inspired the short story, "The Black Cat."

Poe also wrote many other tales while living in Philadelphia (list courtesy of http://www.ushistory.org/tour/edgar-allan-poe-house.htm)

Monday Funday in the City of Brotherly Love

Our second full day in Philadelphia brought up to Reading Terminal Market and the Museum of the American Revolution.

Several people told us to head the Market with empty stomachs because there is so much to eat, so we figured that would be our first stop after a late morning at the hotel.

Walking the three-quarter mile to the Reading Terminal Market (pronounced Redding) we built up even more of an appetite. Our first goal was walk the market and scope out possible locations for the best food. Shortly we realized there is no "Best" food because it all looked amazing. Why not start with some Stromboli, then head over to find some other snacks, homemade Amish pickles to be exact!

One pretzel deli sells the elusive Surge soda

Toss in a few donuts, a whoopee pie, and a handful of chocolates from Mueller's (for the folks back home, of course!) and that seemed to round out our trip in the market. It only took 3 hours to consume it all and feel satisfied to leave for the day. Knowing we could come back later in the week as our hotel will be only a block away.

Whoopee Pie

Our next stop was the Museum of the American Revolution. What drew me in would be the prospect of seeing George Washington's actual tent used towards the end of the war. Then, what did I do? Spent too much time in the rest of the museum and ended up missing the whole presentation! My fault, but overall we really enjoyed the information and artifacts presented in the museum.

A sign at the Museum showing Eagles pride

Tearing down King George III's statue

The infamous sunrise chair (replica) sat in by Thomas Jefferson

Salem, MA

I do not even know where to start with Salem! Really I would have liked more time to explore and see more of the museums, maybe even take in a second ghost tour, but alas time was not on our side. We had about 5 hours in Salem, so we planned a visit to the Salem Witch Museum, shopping, and a ghost tour.

The Salem Witch Museum was surprisingly disappointing. You sit in a large room and watch the story unfold about how the Salem witch trials began and what happened to the poor souls who lost their lives during that time. Then you move into a room with some more stories about witches throughout the last few centuries since the witch trials (late 1600s) and that's it, now go shop. Overall, I would not really recommend this museum and that could contribute to why I wish we had more time in Salem.

Patrick Dougherty - Stickwork

Samantha from Bewitched

We had planned a ghost tour for the evening (of which I highly recommend!), but did not really plan the in-between time, so we wandered the town a bit. There is a lot of shopping to be had, and of course plenty of witch themed souvenirs. Keep in mind that real witches still inhabit the town of Salem, so you can find actual books, and supplies for those that practice Wicca. If you are interested, this is definitely the place to find out!

If you find yourself with some time in Salem or are not sure what to do, make your way toward the cemetery, a bit east of the main town. There you will find the Salem Witch Memorial.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's House of the Seven Gables is in Salem too, so be sure to save time to discover that gem!

Penscola Lighthouse

Penscola was just our entry and exit point for Alabama and the Gulf Shores, but it contains some shopping, some beautiful beaches, and a fantastic lighthouse placed right next to a naval base. There is plenty to do on the base, like a aviation museum and Blue Angel viewings, but we did not have much time before our flight and opted for the lighthouse.

The lighthouse was lit for the first time in 1859. It replaced a less bright lighthouse that was built half a mile away. The US government had recognized the importance of protecting this entry point and had built forts in the area surrounding the lighthouse.

A view of the beach from the top

A view of the grounds around the lighthouse

During the Civil War the lighthouse changed hands between Union and Confederate troops, and even went dark for a few months during transitions.

Blue Angels in the nearby naval base

The lighthouse lens

The bottom third of the lighthouse is painted white to contrast with the trees, while the top two-thirds is black to contrast with the sky. It is officially on the National Registry for Historic Places and many of the out buildings have been restored.

Going down the stairs

Going up the stairs (yep, that's me, Sassafrass, coming down and freaking out!)

Dauphin Island, Alabama

A visit to Dauphin Island can happen in one of two ways. Firstly, there is a road/bridge connecting the island to the mainland, just south of Mobile, Alabama. The second way to visit is to take the car ferry across from Gulf Shores.

Yahoo! Inc. map, 2017

The 14 mile long island contains a fort and an estuarium, along with housing, shops, restaurants, a light house, a bird sanctuary, plenty of beaches, and more. We were staying in Gulf Shores, on the map above you can see the edge of the land and Fort Morgan, so we drove the round-a-bout way to the tip of land and caught the car ferry. Along for the ride was my niece and her friend, none of us had been on a car ferry before so that is where the excitement began!

Ferry boarding rules: Load left to right; Lanes one thru four; Approximate load is 28 vehicles.

While waiting for the ferry to arrive we watched lightning storm come across the bay. It was beautiful but we were told that if the storm was too fierce the ferry might be delayed. Lucky for us, it was not! The 30 minute ride across the opening of Mobile Bay was mostly filled with sites of oil and natural gas rigs, but it was still nice to be on the water.

Upon landing on the island we disembarked and headed toward the estuarium. Here is the definition as estuary from the National Ocean Service website:
"Estuaries and their surrounding wetlands are bodies of water usually found where rivers meet the sea. Estuaries are home to unique plant and animal communities that have adapted to brackish water—a mixture of fresh water draining from the land and salty seawater"

Petting the sting rays

We were able to pet sting rays and horseshoe crabs along with learning more about the types of animals living in and around the estuary near Dauphin Island. My niece and her friend loved it (and they are teenagers!).

Turtles at the estuarium

 Afterwards, we took the half-block jaunt up the road to Fort Gaines.One of two forts built to protect Mobile Bay, construction began in 1819, but was not finished until 1853 and was used during the Civil War.

Central yard of the fort.

In August 1864, after a fierce battle, the men of the fort surrendered to the Union. The fort stayed under Union control for the remainder of the war. Although the fort never came under fire again, it did play an important role through the Spanish American War through World War II.

Canon looking out towards Mobile Bay

Standing atop the fort wall facing north