Philadelphia

Philadelphia, in a cracked nutshell

After arriving in the City of Brotherly Love, following a memorable first trip on a Chinatown bus, I set off to soak up the history of Freedom's birthplace. When wandering the streets of Philly's newly renovated historical district, a keen observer will notice something rather quickly. The entirety of Philadelphia's economic foundation rests upon people dressing up in Colonial era clothing. Dressing up the part, but acting--living--the part as well. I suppose that you should respect those actors who are so dedicated to preserving the spirit of colonial America that they refuse to break character, but it sometimes got to be a bit weird. Such as the replying of my "Hey, whats up man?" to a friendly, cane wielding wig wearer with a "Ahhh, hah hah HAH! And a Good Day unto YOU, my good Sir!" Seriously? This has got to be an exhausting job.

I majored in History back in the day, and there are parts of the past that are more incredible to read about than a Dan Brown Harry Potter sequel (The lightning bolt is a cross, Muggles are the heathens, Harry Potter=Isiah 64:8!!), but there are some things that will forever seem as dull to me as an Al Gore joke. For example, I could really give a tea party's Faux Indian headdress about the Betsy Ross house. But hey, if you like seeing older men wearing too revealing clothes playing dress up with small boys in front of a house that may have been at one time rented by a woman who may or may not have created a garment that lasted almost fifteen years before being outdated, then I wholeheartedly recommend the Betsy Ross House. You know, if that's your thing and all.