A Fourth of July spent in tha place where it all began

One of my most memorable Fourth of July’s was spent in Philadelphia.  I believe the year was 1993. 

I had driven the kids home to Pennsylvania to visit my family. On the spur of the moment, we decided to drive on to Philly.

If you haven’t had the time to visit places of history, plan to do so. In Philadelphia, or the City of Brotherly Love, you can visit Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell Center, Betsy Ross House, the Philadelphia Zoo, the National Constitution Center, Lights of Liberty, and one of my favorites, the Franklin Institute.

Founded in honor of Benjamin Franklin, the Franklin Institute is a well-known museum in Philadelphia. The Institute also is one of the oldest centers of science education and development in the United States. In brief, the Franklin Institute comprises three centers, The Science Center, The Franklin Center, and The Center for Innovation in Science Learning.

Although, what I remember the most was my kids crawling through (or around) a giant heart, visiting the planetarium, and taking dozens of pictures in front of a massive Ben Franklin.

We had taken the cousins with us. So I just let the kids, pair up and run wild. 

I can’t remember how many floors there were in the Institute, but I know there had to be at least five. 

Abut every half hour, I’d see the kids flash by, running to the elevators or stairs. They had a ball while I did my own touring. Then we left to visit Independence Hall.

That particular day, it was extremely humid in Philly. Waiting in lines at Independence Hall was unbearable. At least, it was air conditioned, inside. 

However, it probably wasn’t air conditioned, the first time around, at the “freedom” signing.  I can’t imagine how unbearably muggy, Philadelphia was that day . . .

Anyway, Philadelphia is an awesome place to visit . . . but there is no place like home.

On that same hot muggy day, we drove to my parents’ house, in time for the city’s fireworks display. It was great sitting on the front steps, of our old row house, with the aunts, uncles, and cousins.

One past Philadelphia resident, Thomas Jefferson, expressed it best. 

“The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family.”

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!