Happy Birthday to Me in the City of Philedelphia

So as a Birthday gift to myself (a week early, but still a very good gift if I say so myself) I went on vacation one last time before I enter the MTC.

I went with my cousin Jennifer first to Philedelphia and then to Washington D.C. area to visit my cousin Derek and his family. (Washington D.C. pictures to follow in another post)

In Philedelphia we went to to Independence Hall

Birthplace of The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution

(The seat at the front of the room is the Sun Chair that George Washington sat in)

This room is also in Independence Hall and it's a courtroom and the iron barred area would be where the accused would "stand trial."

It was really an amazing feeling to be walking in the same rooms that so many "Greats"- Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, George Washington, had walked and where the documents that founded our nation were literally written.

Also following in the footsteps of these great men we went to Christ Church which was just amazing to consider the workmanship that went into this place.

This is an outside view

And a view of the interior

This is the symbol of the English King and it was hung over the pew that he used to sit in when he came to the Church. The pew below later became George Washington's.

Really this building was amazing. These pictures do not do the building justice and it's over 400 years old!

And of course we had to eat some Philly Cheese Steak since of course Philedelphia is home to the original.

But that was not the only good food we had. We also ate at

The City Tavern

a restaurant that still uses authentic Colonial recipes including those from Martha Washington and others

This was my yummy chicken!!

But we couldn't always be eating cause there wa a ton of stuff to see in and around Philly.

We also saw the Liberty Bell

And We visited Valley Forge the place where George Washington and his troops camped outside of Philedelphia during the winter of 1777-1778

This is a recreation of one of the cabins the troops would have built there. The picture on the right is an example of the beds they would have slept on. Notice there's 3 levels... I don't know about you, but I don't know many people skinny enough to sleep on the middle bunk, not to mention grown men!

A view of the area in Valley Forge, not a whole lot of trees, so not a lot of protection in the winter time, especially when you think about how many cabins they had to build.

This is a monument that Congress had built in honor of those who were at Valley Forge.
There were wreaths surrounding the monument, each representing the men who were there.

And a deer that we came acrossed while we were walking there.

Inside the Valley Forge Park was a Chapel dedicated to George Washington

There was beautiful woodwork and stained glass inside all in tribute to George Washington.

We also went to the Betsy Ross House where our first flag was created (and apparently a lot of musket balls!)

It was an awesome trip! And that's only what we saw in Philly! Hopefully I'll get D.C. pics up in the next week or so.