Gering / Johnson 2015 Road Trip - Day 6 - Philadelphia, PA

The view outside our hotel window was of Independence Hall.  

This was taken early in the morning when only the work commuters were out and about, later in the day this scene would be full of tourists. 

We grabbed a quick breakfast at the food court in the building next door to the hotel and bought tickets for the double decker tour bus.  It was a chilly ride on top of the bus but it took us by all of the highlights of Philadelphia.  So much to see, we could have spent several days touring everything.

Our tour bus guide was quite entertaining as well as knowledgeable and we learned that the inventor of Monopoly was from Philadelphia.  He pointed out the Reading and Pennsylvania Railroad buildings as well as Water Works.

The Pope, on his historic first trip to the US, had visited Philadelphia just a few weeks prior to our trip and had given mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.

This old prison where Al Capone was imprisoned had central heat, running water, and flush toilets before the White House had them!

The famous stairs from the first Rocky movie.

After we finished the bus tour we toured the Liberty Bell museum and Independence Hall.

The room where the Declaration of Independence was signed.

Courtroom.

Congress Hall.

Once the day was done we stopped into the hotel bar next door and had pre-dinner drinks.  The night before we had post-dinner drinks in the same bar and watched the end of the Royals game.  It was a small quiet bar with couches, coffee tables, and comfy side chairs, a nice play to spend some time relaxing.  

After our drinks we walked a few doors down for what ended up being one of the best meals of the trip at Buddakan an upscale Asian fusion establishment. We started the meal with dumplings and spring rolls.  Next, the entrees were served family style so we shared all of our choices which included cashew chicken, pork tenderloin, black pepper beef, edamame, curried cauliflower.  The desserts were spectacular and the birthday celebration continued when they served my dessert with a sparkler!

Check out the menu:

http://www.buddakan.com

Bobby and I thought having a hotel room directly across the street from Independence Hall was pretty cool so the second night we slept with the window shades and curtains open.  Quite a view, day or night!