A simple room, a few tables, chairs; one seemly misplaced sitting in the center aisle conveyed an overwhelming sense of history. "This chair was used by Ben Franklin. He suffered from gout and found it more comfortable to sit at the table side." our park guide explained as part of a fascinating narration about what took place in this historic room. The Declaration of Independence and Constitution were created here. Veterans of many historic site visits we were both surprised at how moved we were standing at the birth point of our freedom. That unexpected feeling alone made the 45 mile boat trip up the Delaware River worthwhile but was a small part of our discoveries in Philadelphia, a trip we'll do again.
History surrounds Independence Hall. The Liberty Bell was another stop that surprised us as our emotions reacted. Many other sites were just plain interesting. Franklin Court with just a reconstructed frame to show the shape of Franklin's home and views into the dirt below to give a glimpse of actual foundations of his long demolished home was intriguing. On the outside of the court, a print shop similar to his still operates.
Beyond pure history there was Society Hill a residential area mixing both historic and new rowhomes in a pleasing mix to the eye. We found Reading Terminal a must see and experience of food shops mixed together under one roof. Prime meats, fresh fish, cheeses, spices, delis, Amish farmers selling produce and places to get a famed Philly Cheesesteak stand side-by-side in a mix of noise and delicious aromas. We took the U.S. Mint tour and watched coins being made. South Street was an interesting walk of unusual shops.
Tired from a day's wandering we'd pick up one last feeling of history as we walked down Elfreths Alley, a one carriage wide street of historic rowhouses. For a brief block we walked back in the late 1700's before reentering the modern world near the Ben Franklin Bridge and our marina home at Pier 3. Hidden from street view and noise by pier buildings, we'd pas through the security door and into a quiet marina surrounded on two sides by luxury condos. A tight turn around breakwaters at the entrance blocks most, but not all waves. A Boat US discount was a bonus.
Two other marinas are close by. Just to the north, Philadelphia Marine Service has a more open water entrance, but is very close to the noise and dirt from the Ben Franklin Bridge. Just south of Pier 3 Penn Landing has a modern marina with the best wake protection. Part of a public park complex that includes a museum, ferryboat to Camdem's new aquarium, the historic WW I gun ship Olympia and a submarine Penn Landing is always open to the public. A security door at the entrance to the floating docks keeps casual wanders off the docks.
All of the historic spots and most of the other interesting things to see are within easy walking distance of the marinas. Making it easy to reach attractions further out such as the 'Rocky Steps' at the Art Museum, there's excellent bus, trolley and subway service. A tour trolley provides a comprehensive city tour and provides another convenient way to reach major attractions. A pleasing surprise was the friendliness we found. Twice as we consulted at our map, people stopped said hello and offered to help. As we walked smiles, hellos and nods conveyed a friendly feeling.
We left as we arrived on a favorable tidal current helping to shorten our river journey. The faded paint peeling stacks of the ocean liner United States provided one last photo opportunity. A restoration project ran out of money and her fate is uncertain. Over on the New Jersey shore, the battleship New Jersey suffered a better fate. She's now a tourist attraction.
The hours flew by as we watched the passing parade of large ships easily passed in the wide well marked channel. An hour before reaching the C&D Canal the tide turned against us and then became favorable as we entered the canal. Philadelphia became a fun memory and went on our list of places we'll revisit.