Philadelphia - the City of Brotherly Love

Philadelphia is a much nicer placer than New York. The city is busy but not the crammed feeling that you get in New York and there are more green spaces especially around the more historic areas. In the historic parts there are a lot of buildings associated with the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution (some are reconstructions of the original buildings). It also has some of the work of Benjamin Franklin and the part he played in setting up services in the US. He seems to have had some good ideas like setting up the first Colonial Postal Service but the guide seemed to ignore that these services also existed in Europe and where not new ideas. Overall the area is really nice and when the weather hit 90 it was pleasant place to sit and read in a shady spot. There are a few unusual things about Pennsylvania which include,

All alcohol supplies have to be made from the State Government so it is one of the largest alcohol purchasers in the world. It also takes about three months to order something that they don't stock.

Cars don't have front number (licence) plates so I keep thinking they are new.

A lot of the streets are named after trees usually the species that grew there which is incongruous now that it is all buildings.

Off to Washington DC today staying at the Morrison Clark Hotel, hopefully it will live up to Philadelphia. Not sure what the Internet availability will be like but having a free Internet connection in the room has been very useful .