8/3/2017 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

From: casarollnotes.blogspot.com 

Tim and Linda Bunyan

Philadelphia, PA @ Campus Park & Ride RV Park 

Customer Service and a happy greeting to welcome us to the ‘parking lot’ here in the skirts of Philadelphia close to the Schuylkill River Riverwalk.

We ventured nearby to the Riverwalk to watch an outdoor movie presented by the “Making the Community Better” committee, sponsored by T-Mobile.  The show was 'LaLa Land': my favorite movie.  I am so happy Tim sat thru its entirety and enjoyed it.  We had the comfort of our own folding collapsible chairs and popcorn sold at the card table on the lawn.

 8/4

The Shuttle from the Park ‘n Ride stopped at General Hospital and then we caught the #63 city bus into Historic Philadelphia!......historic of course. 

Independence Hall sits there fine and impressive hiding the line to enter it doors.  

The cracked Liberty Bell is encased with a building accommodating a line of curious visitors seeking the mystery of the silent Liberty Bell.  

Tim took a closeup, clear-as-a-bell picture thru the glass encasement and caught the charm of the liberty bell without the 2-3 hour waiting line.  I took a photo of the building which housed the waiting line, almost a block long.

WE DID TOUR:

Enjoyed our tour of Ben Franklin’s mark on Philadelphia.  At Franklin Court, his business printing shop, the 1^st U.S. post office, and in the museum which has been built underground Ben Franklin's home remains with a splendid museum devoted to this interesting man.  Perhaps the best lobbyist of all times!

Our guided walking tour will retrace the footsteps of BF and his fellow patriots during the founding of our nation. We had the best handmade ice cream at Franklin Fountain as an old-fashioned soda fountain.  We must return for world-famous Bassetts, Est. 1861.  We saw Carpenters Hall, Todd style houses, and 1790 market sheds.

8/5

We rode our bikes from Park ‘n Ride to the riverfront and crossed the bridge to Bartram’s Garden and estate (his birthplace and his family’s Quaker Meetinghouse, where he was interred in 1777.

Now used by Darby Friends Monthly Meetings.  

The oldest botanical garden in the United States is adjacent to one of the needy neighborhoods of bad behavior.  More “Don’t be a Litter Bug” signs to be posted.  Many remain for example living although on the other side of the river.    

Here are parents and children signing up for a ride on a boat at the Schuylkill River.  

 The Philadelphia community offers 1/2 hour boat ride for families the second Saturday each month.  

Downtown Philadelphia, The Reading Terminal Market is the pulse of Philadelphia and willing to remain for its rich history of independence over the long haul of a century.  75 business keep the Market a compelling place to worship the eatery of the “bests of”.  The local ladies we shared table exclaimed the Italian Pork Sandwich from Dunuiti’s was the one to order.  We had already sat down with our Americano Philly Cheese Steak…. not with the traditional cheese whiz cheese, we opted for the mozzarella.

"Society's Hill", brick row houses for which Philadelphia has become famous.

 Street along downtown Philadelphia where Freedom reigns!

We ventured to The Mint where the money is being made ‘hand over fist’.  Viewed the factory floor with loads of money being sacked into bags for ease of transport to all the US Communities that rely on it as bread. 
This venture came highly recommend by Peter Tellier.
It reminded me of the Bud Light Brewery Experience Tour in Fairfield, CA

Downtown Cheer for mixed-use Philadelphia:

Franklin Fountain Ice Cream!

Independence Seaport - "We're all about water"

 Waterfront Scene

Giving Us Independence!

8/1/2017 Rock Hall, Maryland

From: casarollnotes.blogspot.com 

Tim and Linda Bunyan

 Bay Shore RV Camp Ground

We cross the 4 miles bridge over the scenic The Chesapeake Bay to Rock Hall, Maryland.   A dichotomy to Annapolis on the Chesapeake Bay.  

Located on the National Chesapeake Scenic Byway, Rock Hall is a small, one-street town where waving is welcomed.

This town offers many ways 'to chill'. 

The “Get The Scoop” ice cream store, appropriately named, is center town.  "Tuesday Townhall" is an event that takes place at the green space next to the parking lot of the ice cream store.  DJ’s set up, bouncing blowups are filled for those that choose to participate with laughter and communal inklings. 

The Inn at the Marina and Haven Harbor sits along the water to entice those that can afford the time for boating. 

The Ladies Club members soak in the pool at the Inn at Osprey Yacht Club which is suitable for the Queen!

The War of 1812 was a challenge in these parts.  


To prevent any warriors from helping at Annapolis to the West, a brigade of Brits came here to confront those in the pathway to Baltimore.  Yet again, the Americans outsmarted the British soldiers and prevailed as the farmers loaded into ships in the dark of night and unboarded and boarded again deceiving the Brits to think there were many warriors in the area.

Major Joseph Wicks 1656, Chief Justice of Kent Country on Easter Neck Island willed the land to his great-grandson, Continental Navy Captain, Lampert, lost at sea with his sloop in 1777.

Our keen curiosity was the cause for us to ride our bikes to "Friends of the Eastern Neck", a wildlife refuge.

 We talked with the Manager there.  He communicates with the local farmers and they agree to plant corn and soybean.  Soybean takes little fertilizer; corn does not.  They are re-creating God’s balance of nature…working at it every day.

Rock Hall, located on the National Chesapeake Scenic Byway.  It is the Pearl of the Chesapeake; some may have forgotten……. except those that go there!

7/29/2017 Annapolis, Maryland

From: casarollnotes.blogspot.com 

Tim and Linda Bunyan

Annapolis, Maryland @ Elk Lodge

We arrived and are very welcome at the Severna Park Elks Lodge.  We plan to stay on grounds here for 3 nights (while touring Annapolis) and attend their Monday night steak night. 

We are invited and parked in the large, backlot to allow for their Annual Crab Feast.  We met Amy and President of the Severna Park Elks Lodge.  Amy has a worthy mission:  She runs ½ marathons in each state!

There is a grassland area here and it is quiet for Woodstock so he liked his twilight-time walks.

We are in town on the same date as: Mac McAnally!!!  
Tim reserved tickets at the Rams Head Theatre.  It was exciting and a good show to see the very night we arrived downtown Annapolis!  

Annapolis:  Historic district 18th-century brick houses and the dome of the Maryland State House.

Walked the sprawling waterfront lined with yachts and many happy people. 

We toured the US Naval Academy with its beaux-arts architecture, monuments and a naval history museum.  There is a crypt of John Paul Jones, US 1^st Navel hero. 

In a sarcophagus of Pyrenees marble beneath the main chapel.  Noted for saying: “I have not yet begun to Fight”.  

We were there in time for the noon formation of pleues.  In the ceremony, they align and are all accounted.  They march in formation into Bancroft Hall, the largest cafeteria in the world.  It seats 5000, enlarged a few years ago. 

17,000 applicants to attend Annapolis; 1200 per year are accepted.  A legislator can only sponsor 10 at any one time.  At the conclusion of graduation ceremonies, midshipmen toss their caps into the air.  Hats are replaced by the new ‘covers’ worn by Officers in the Navy & Marine Corps.

We toured the small, eloquent Capitol with its paintings of founding fathers.

We had a pleasant visit to our ‘other address’: 

The post office was around the corner where we met Victor who worked at the post office.  We mailed Alicia’s birthday present.  Victor held the door open said hello and goodbye.  With his broom in hand, he swept the front step.  He is a reminder of Mac McAnally’s song “It’s my Job”.  A moment!  "You Just Have To Be There" 😊