My trip to Philly - inane post.

[Ein]

I went to Philadelphia for the second time in my life last sunday. The first time I got stuck in Chinatown at 2 am and spent the next four hours huddled in the parking garage of the federal building in 40 degree weather, so you can see how it took me so long to get back.

I went to see my favorite band, 311, for the 4th time at the Penn's Landing dock/venue type deal. I got there early so I did some traveling. I check out the whole Rocky deal, walked most of the length of Columbus Ave (where I was standing there, and literally saw a WAVE OF RAIN coming at me, ran away but it caught me (haven't seen anything like that since I lived in Florida), and gandered at the mint and independence hall.

Yea, thats about it, it was a Sunday with bad weather, but as a history buff I was basically in heaven (though the big Columbus propaganda tower kinda threw me off). I'm setting money aside to spend a week in a hotel down there in a few months, go site seeing and try to steal a few penguins from the Zoo.

Any of you guys have any Philadelphia stories? It's such a lively, beautiful city, my suburban mind was corrupted with thoughts of high crimes rates and immenant danger, but the people were nicer than I could've imagined. I'm actually considering going to college at Temple University (though the crime is nuts there, my friends that go there tell me), the city just captivates me.

Oh yea, 311 kicked butt. Clear Channel sponsored (AINT THAT SHIT), but I got the tickets as a b-day present.

[GoneOffShore]

1. Crime?

Lived here for 20 + years.
Got the car broken into 4 times and my wife got groped on the street once(pretty good average for living in one place that long). We're living in Northern Liberties ( a mile or so from Temple) and we've been here 17 years.
It's cheaper than New York, even though the public transport sucks. You can bicycle though. And there's a great theater scene, and music, and even better restaurants. so, come to philly for college and then stick around afterwards. Just remember that all the local sports teams are losers.

[Ein]

2. I'm a rural boy.

:) Only real city I've ever lived in was San Francisco, when I was in the pre-5yo range. In the little town of Scranton I've had a gun pointed at my head, my friend was mugged at brick-point (yes, a brick) and my other friend was stabbed in the stomach with a pocket knife. So I guess I just have a distorted image of cities :(

[Semi_subversive]

3. Makes life in Sacramento

sound so boring. I've never been threatened at brick-point, but I do know someone who was stabbed.