Philadelphia/Valley Forge

 We took a quick trip to Valley Forge and Philadelphia last weekend and were overwhelmed by all of the history that oozes out of these amazing places. Valley Forge is where General George Washington and his troops camped through the winter during the revolutionary war. I admitted to Adam when we arrived that I honestly couldn't even tell you the significance of Vally Forge and if you asked me before our tour I probably would have told you some important battle happened there. Lucky for me we had a great tour guide corrected any wrong idea (or no idea, for that matter) I had in my head about Valley Forge. The things that happened at Valley Forge could be described as tragic. So many men were lost not to gunfire but to illness, disease, hypothermia etc. The tour guide told us stories that I almost couldn't believe, the sacrifice that those early Americans made amazes me. I caught myself constantly thinking that if I would have been one of those soldiers I wouldn't have lasted, I would have given up early on and probably headed back to England. But that's why I was born a girl, and born many years after the revolution. It's the same reason I wasn't born to be a pioneer. I am a wimp. Plain and simple. And it makes my respect for those that sacrificed for me that much greater.

 After Valley Forge we headed over to Philly where we visited a museum, saw Benjamin Franklin's grave, posed with the founding farmers, and saw Bruce Springsteen's 1964 corvett.

We took a tour of independence hall where the Constitution and the Declaration are said to have been signed. It was underwhelming but we had to do it. Is it bad that all I was thinking about while inside the building was: "this looks nothing like it did in National Treasure"? I fail.

 

Adam lived in Philadelphia until he was 8 (I think, correct me if I'm wrong dear) and since I've known him he has talked about these cream filled doughnuts that are supposedly wonderful and that you can only get in Philadelphia. So we tracked some down, and I was again underwhelmed. I would have rather had a boston cream pie doughnut . But Adam was happy so that count's for something.  

 After our doughnut break we visited William Penn on top of the Philly city hall, which happened to be across the street from love park. We also learned (from a local) that Philadelphia is the city known for it's street art and murals. I liked that. What a cool thing to be know for, right?

 After a long walk we came across a street vendor selling water ice. Water ice and I go way back, thanks to a dear friend I had growing up in Farmington. She was from Philadelphia and had moved to Utah with her family. Her mom knew how to make water ice and my friend would regularly invite me and some other girls over to have the frozen treat. I remember the first time she asked if I wanted water ice, as a 12 year old I figured it was a funny way a asking if I wanted some ice water. She was something of a foreigner to me, and I thought maybe that's how they say it where she's from, I politely accepted her offer and was glad I did because I was rewarded with a frozen fruity treat. Since then I have never had water ice anywhere other than in my friends basement until my visit to Philly. With my first bite so many memories came rushing back. It was like a comfort food. What an experience. Funny story: when I ordered the water ice the man behind the counter looked confused and asked me to repeat myself so I said "can I get a cherry water ice, please?" he answered back "oh a woouter ice, yeah 3 dallahs", haha the accent killed me. I guess I butchered the pronunciation.

 

Over the course of the whole trip I think the most beautiful thing I saw were these flowers. I don't even know what they are or what they're called but I loved them. They're like little bells with a heart on each petal. Aren't they precious? Anyway that's the trip! Hope you enjoyed the recap.