May 22: Philadelphia

We are now officially out of the Chesapeake Bay. On Thursday, we proceeded up the Delaware River to Philadelphia. We knew that Philadelphia

was a center for our nations history, but it was a surprise to find that it is also a tremendous commercial seaport. We saw all the commercial docks and the river rolling with ships and tug boats pulling barges. It is always exciting to see the working boats and think about the lives of people who devote their time to them.

After leaving the beautiful harbor of Baltimore, we were disappointed to find that the waterfront of Philadelphia is basically relegated to super highways. There are 12 lanes separating the marinas and piers on the river from the city, so it was a little tricky to find the way to the old city on our bicycles. But we were brave and ventured out to find an underpass and cycled into the historic district. The National Park Service has done a terrific job with the visitor center there where we saw a movie reenacting the memories of the history shapers involved in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. There was a woman there in period dress spinning thread and a gentleman playing a hammered dulcimer. We also went through the security checkpoint to see the old cracked Liberty Bell on display in its own building on Market Street. "Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof" (Leviticus 25:10). It was cast by Pass and Stow in 1753 and rang from the steeple of Independence Hall on July 4^th when the Declaration of Independence was first read aloud from the hall’s steps.

Back at the marina, we have discovered that the Benjamin Franklin Bridge where TNTY is docked, includes a train trestle. Actually, rather than the noise being a bother, there is a unique rhythm and charm to hearing the trains rumble above!