2018 Oct 1 Philadelphia

Founded in 1695.  It hosted members of the Continental Congress during the American Revolution.  among early members were Benjamin and Deborah Franklin, Betsy Ross, John Penn (William's grandson) and signers of the constitution and of the Declaration of Independence.

Independence Hall below.

Inside Independence Hall, this room is where the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held their sessions.

Most of this is the original molding.

This room is were the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed, and George Washington accepted the role of commander in chief of the Colonial armies.

The original Rising Sun chair that Washington occupied during the drafting of the Constitution.

Adjoining to Independence Hall was where the first congress held their sessions.

Below is a drawing depicting the early fighting that went on in Congress.  Some things never change.

Liberty Bell with Independence Hall in the background.

Where the first Supreme Court held their sessions.  There were only 6 Justices in the beginning.

Ben Franklin and his wife were buried in a cemetery near Christ Church an Independence Hall.

We took a tour of this US Mint in downtown Philadelphia.  Pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, are minted here.  We followed the process from designing, making the die (mold), cutting the circle, stamping the coin with the design, inspecting, and bagging.  Several billion coins have been made here this year alone.

At the Philadelphia Metropolitan Art Museum (the Rocky steps).

Here's Rocky.

Philadelphia City Hall below.  It's got to be the prettiest City Hall anywhere.

2018 Sep 9 Valley Forge

Located just West of Philadelphia.  This is one man's  eclectic collection of Americana as described by the web site.  The building was once a tire manufacturing plant and is huge filled with this collection.  We rode on a tram through the main part of the museum.

The best part was his collection of calliopes and our guide played several of them for us.

 Above is a piano with two key boards, the top actually made the rolls with the holes that were used in these player pianos and calliopes.  This man was so talented that we produced hundreds of these rolls that were then reproduced and sold.

 Below a calliope that played two violins.  Really unusual.  So nice that we could hear so many of these instruments play.

You name it this man collected it.  

 Remember the Maytag man.

 Below our tram carrying us through it felt like miles of these collections.

 Below the beginning of the Valley Forge tour.  During the Revolutionary War, Washington pulled the troops back to regroup in Valley Forge.  This was late 1777 after a bitter loss to the British at Brandywine a little bit East of Valley Forge.  A battle was never fought at Valley Forge.  It was during the winter and 12,000 soldiers and 400 women and children built 1500 log huts and two miles of fortifications.  A Prussian officer Baron von Steuben was given the job of training the troops.  He taught the soldiers new military skills and to fight as a more unified army.  These reforms in supply systems and fighting tactics, along with reforms in military hygiene and army organization became the foundation of the modern US Army.

 Below the National Memorial Arch honors the soldiers' perseverance.

Below is the house that Washington rented while at Valley Forge.  A lot of responsibility fell on him to run a new country and also lead these soldiers.

2018 Sept 8 New York

The 911 memorial.  No words can explain the emotions you feel when you first see this. Below a single flower placed in one of the names.

Below, this picture was taken just minutes before the planes hit.

Below,  at Rockefeller Center. Waiting for our trip to the top of the "Rock".  We had a tour of NBC studios.  At the end of the tour, a video was made with Cliff playing Jimmy Fallon interviewing another one of our Adventure Caravan members.  No photos were allowed.

Below is a view from the top of Rockefeller Center, looking South.  Stature of Liberty in the distance.

Can't leave Manhattan without seeing Radio City Music Hall.  This theatre opened in 1932, was refurbished completely in 1997.  Below is the huge 60 ft lobby.  The theatre seats 6,000 and is always sold out during the Rockette Christmas shows (6 shows a day 6 days a week, November through the first of January).

Massive hydraulics that operate the stage underneath.  The Navy actually came and studied this when they were designing the new aircraft carries before WWII.

Ladies rest area outside the restroom.

Rockettes have to be between 5'6" and 5'10".  They have to have training before they try out in ballet and tap.  Many try out and just a few are picked.  There's 80 girls making up two teams of 40 each.  Each dancer has to try out every year.  There's no age limit.  The first of October they begin learning the new dances for the Christmas shows.  Practice is 6 hours a day, 6 days a week until the shows begin in November.

Adventure took us to see a musical called "Come From Away".  Cliff and I ate at Hard Rock Café near Times Square before the show.  The musical was fabulous and is about how the people of Gander, Newfoundland helped find places for many thousands of people who were forced to land in Gander after 911.  Several hundred flights from Europe were directed to land in Gander because the US air space was closed.  We enjoyed it immensely.

Our first Broadway show.  So much fun.

After the show heading toward our bus.  Lots of cops keeping us safe.