For'n in the USA

Philadelphia is probably most famous for being home to the playground where Will Smith spent most of his days, it being the place where he was born and raised, but putting aside pisspoor sitcoms which can't hold a candle to Blossom, it's also the place where the Liberty Bell resides and both the Declaration of Independence and the American Consitutition were signed, so we thought we might as well check out a few sites relating to them.

The Liberty Bell Centre and the Independence Park area are staffed by people who don't look as embarrassed as people wearing period costume really should. The Bell itself is an important piece of American cultural ephemera, if only for it's engraving regarding liberty existing throughout the land, as there's no actual evidence that it actually rang when the Declaration of Independence was signed, but why let facts get in the way of a good story?

Of more interest, and of more historical accuracy, is Independence Hall, where the Declaration was signed, although obviously it wasn't called that back then, as that would have required remarkable foresight from the founding fathers of Philly. No, it's original name was The Can't Wait Until We're Free of the Bloody Brits and their Taxes Tower, which might have been what started all the trouble between us and them in the first place. The hall, as well as containing the courtroom, also had a room which was available to be booked and used for meetings by local groups and other interested committees. It was being used for this purpose when the constitution was being hammered out. Getting agreement between the States wasn't easy, compromise was seen as an ugly word and there were major splits on many issues between the Northern and Southern states, most notably about whether slavery was a bad thing or not. We'd have thought this would have been quite easy to resolve, what with the apparently self evident truth that all men were entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but no matter. Eventually, the Constitution was signed, partly because had the discussions, by which they mean arguments, gone on for any longer the fledgling country would have dissolved before it had a chance to develop, but mainly because the bowling club had booked the hall for their AGM and they were getting a bit uppity.

The Hall itself, and the other associated buildings, are pretty well preserved; George Washington's chair is still intact, as is the original Senate and House of Representatives, but the usual American vagueness with regards to the actual details and historical accuracy is still very much in evidence. For example, on display is an inkwell which might possibly have been used by Washington during one of the signings, but it's still quite awe-inspiring to be in a place of such history, even if it is a history which says that we're a bunch of bastards.

Leaving behind the current American capital, we instead head towards the original capital, Philadelphia. It was a shame to say goodbye to Washington, particularly to the 150 panda statues that can be found on virtually every street corner, each decorated in a unique, and not always panda-esque style. Our personal favourite was the one sitting on a double yellow line, covered in parking tickets with a clamp attatched to it's paw. What we're not sad to leave behind, however, is the cicadas. These are quite horrible insects which are basically a cross between butterflies and cockroaches, only without the natural beauty of the butterfly. Or even the cockroach, for that matter. They only appear once every 17 years, so it's sods law that we've encountered them, despite the odds being clearly against it. The streets are festooned with them. Their only redeeming feature is the fact that they're essentially blind, being more used to life underground, so they provide entertainment when they try to land as they either crash into the ground at a rate of knots, or just stop a foot or so above the ground, plummeting the rest of the distance. Quite why they come out every 17 years is something of a mystery - providing an opportunity for large chunks of your population to get squashed isn't the best way to ensure survival of the species - but then, who knows why any hideous creature would seek out the limelight? Perhaps we should ask Sam and Mark?

Philly, though, lacks these creatures, thankfully, so it should hopefully be a good place to reside for the next few days.