Philadelphia - more than cream cheese!

I was shocked, nay, shaken to the very core of my being, on finding out that Philadelphia is NOT the home of that famous cream cheese. Even the Spaniards call it Queso Filadelfia, but the name was chosen because the people of Philadelphia were apparently known at the time for their love of fine food. Next you'll be telling me Betsy Ross never touched a thread and needle in her life.

Once I recovered from the news, we enjoyed a long layover in the city en route to Manchester at the end of our Dixie road trip. Philadelphia was as sunny as Atlanta, but the temperature was closer to 45 degrees than 65.

We met up with our good friend Matt who kindly took the afternoon off to schlep us around downtown. In only a few hours we managed to see plenty and I was pleased with my photos.

We went past the Liberty Bell, which is housed inside this building...

...saw Independence Hall and other historic buildings...

...walked through Benjamin Franklin's house...

...or at least the steel girders which marked its outline...

...and saw what I think is the country's oldest post office.

Warming up with a pint in an old tavern (the Society Hill Hotel), we felt like we were back home in jollie olde England already.

We'll have to go back for a closer look because Philadelphia felt like our kind of town - colourful, quirky and full of character.

And characters - I've never seen such an assortment of pinch-nosed folks, with long faces and screwed-up mouths like the townspeople of Sleepy Hollow. Our pal Matt excluded, of course!

So...which way to the aiport, we've got a flight to catch!