10/23: Philadelphia

After our time in Pennsylvania was concluded, we realized that we wanted to see Philadelphia after all. To fit this in we drove from New Jersey to Philadelphia before we made our brief stop in Delaware! It was a crazy day but one filled with memories.

We started our day at Philadelphia Mint. I loved watching the process of coins being made! If we weren't quite as rushed, I could have watched the metal circles being punched out for a long time. The displays at the mint were informative and interactive. I'm thankful we made the last minute decision to check it out!

From the mint, we hurried over to Independence Hall. On the way to Independence Hall, we called 911 on a homeless man who was sprawled in the middle of the sidewalk. Talk about getting adrenaline pumping! We had pre-reserved tickets online for the tour. What we didn't know was that the rest of the tour had been reserved by a school group. While I like kids, joining a school group is a bit overwhelming when you aren't expecting it! The kids were quite well-behaved and had great questions, but we were a bit disappointed to get a "kid-level" tour instead of an "adult-level" tour. Despite this, it was neat to see the location where the Declaration of Independence was signed all those years ago! Being in the places of key points of history never ceases to amaze and humble me, no matter how many places I go.

After Independence Hall, we walked over to where the Liberty Bell is now displayed. We didn't expect so many incredible displays to be there, so we ended up doing it hungry and tired. Oh well. Learning the history of the bell definitely increased the significance of seeing it at the end of the museum hall!

Our day ended with getting lunch :) I'd have loved to spend more time exploring the city at leisure, but, despite the rush, I am thankful for the opportunity to visit this city!