Philadelphia has an attractive skyline, even if it is only seen through the windshield from one of the high points on I-95 as you approach the city.
And the several bridges are equally nice to view. This one is the Benjamin Franklin over the Delaware as we reached downtown.
We were headed for Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. $16 bought a nice parking spot in the garage under the visitors center. We emerged topside to find our destination.
To manage the crowds, free entry tickets for scheduled tour times are required. We had a bit over an hour to wait, so we got in the line for the Liberty Bell. The line moved pretty quickly and it was interesting to see so many international tourists in line for this World Heritage Sight.
Inside, people were pretty good about giving the children a good chance for a picture of the bell.
I took what I thought was a nice picture of the bell using the natural light coming in through the windows. Then Linda gently reminded me that the reason everyone was photographing the other side was because of the crack in it!
Back at Independence Hall, we soon were admitted for an interesting live presentation on the hall and events that took place there. The presentation starts out in front of a four-foot by six-foot painting of George Washington presiding over the signing of the Constitution.
It appears that this event had never been represented in a painting until Louis S. Glanzman did so for a commission by the Daughters of the American Revolution for the 1976 bicentennial celebration. Perhaps we should take a closer look.
There is quite a bit of history buried in the painting. Go here for "the rest of the story."
The National Park Service is fortunate to have enthusiastic "rangers" with a good history background available for this duty.
The tour concludes in the signing room and it is interesting to imagine that you are there with George Washington and the other signers.
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