The Streets of Philadelphia- NEW PICS ADDED 13 Aug

Here are my wonderful hosts, Jill and her dad Marvin


A beautiful Philly sunset


and Philly at night


and me in a window


Philadelphia is where the United States had their constitutional beginnings. The downtown area has numerous historical buildings, all Georgian architecture, giving a pleasant old world feel to things. Of course it's also as urban as any other big city with a thriving night life etc etc.

The main roads through the region are turnpikes, or toll road motorways. This comes from the old English term (1678) turn-pike, from the fact that at a toll junction there was placed a studded pole (pike) which was turned as people passed and paid the toll charge. (source: Bill Bryson)

And whilst on the matter of words, did you know that the term 'jaywalking' comes from a term 'country jake', meaning a country bumpkin type, ie an innocent from out of town. Jake degraded to Jay and became used to describe an innocent who doesn't now how to cross roads. Hence Jay Walking. (source Bill Bryson- in fact anything I know about America is generally from Bill Bryson- read 'Made In America' to get ahead....)

Been to the cinema today- saw the Bourne Supremacy. Worth seeing if you like subterfuge spy stories. I also want to see Farenheit 9/11- nothing like seeing something like this in context. Then I can ask some of the punters what they think (I want to be the next Louis Theroux!) I might even watch it in Washington tomorrow.... ironic? Not if you use Alanis Morrissette's definition...