Day 2

Performing Arts Students summer job- Once Upon a Nation Story Tellers
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What a fantastic day we had!

Jared was off to his conference, and the kids and I were ready for a day of exploring.  After breakfast we explored the hotel- found the sky bridge and made our way to the Gallery Mall,(having never stepped outside).  We made our way out onto Market street and walked across the street to Macy's which was located in an amazing old building.  As you walk through the doors you are met with towering columns and an initial ceiling that climbs about 6 stories(the building its self is about 12 stories.  Three quarters of the way up your sight is lifted to what looks like gold gilded organ pipes.  Pretty cool.

City of Brotherly Love

From Macy's we caught the Phlash and made our way to the Independence Visitor Center once again.  We were on a mission, tracking down the famed Once Upon a Nation Story Tellers, and story tellers we found- thirteen of them all over the historic district.  We heard stories of witch trials, hot air balloons, chewing gum, baseballs,Valley Forge, Benjamin Franklin and Betsy Ross.  After a while the kids were ready for a snack.  It was a hot and muggy day, and we had been walking about the city for a few hours.  We spotted a Pretzel stand, and made our way over to it.  I asked my youngest to pick out a bottle of water and asked them if they wanted to share a pretzel.  He promptly asked the gentleman if he had a big pretzel.  The man laughed, looked at my daughter and said "What if I give you a pretzel for free",in what seemed to be a thick middle eastern accent.  She looks at me wide eyed, and my youngest is busy getting into the ice trying to break the clumps up while I'm paying for our water and pretzel.  " Keep your hands out of the ice bud", I say.  "No,No," the man intercedes, "let him play it's okay, I like to see him play, I don't like to see tired children."  He then walks to the front of his stand picks out a package of orange crackers and hands them to my son with a smile- "For you" he said laughing and tousling his hair.  We say our thank you's and goodbyes and Noah happily skips down the side walk with the package of orange crackers waving in the air.  We continue on to find six more story tellers, learning about the Quakers, William Penn and more.  We ended our adventure at Franklin Square and found the 13th storyteller.  As we plopped down on the bench tired but excited that we made it to all thirteen before the day came to an end, the story teller exclaimed- you have all thirteen stars!  We just started the summer program today, and you went to all thirteen stations!  "Is that not the norm" I ask.  "No" he replied, "it usually takes a couple days, or all summer for the locals".  "GREAT JOB guys- you rocked it!"  I exclaimed.  They were pretty happy about there accomplishment and even happier about the coupons they received to ride the parks carousel and get a free ice cream cone.  What a great day!!  Loved It!!

-Places visited on day 2

Visitor Center, Independence Square, Second Bank of United States, Carpenters Hall, Independence Living History Center, Harmony Lane, Franklin Court, Christ Church( where Benjamin Franklin is buried, and our Founding Fathers attended church), Betsy Ross House, Quaker Meeting House and Franklin Square.

The Quaker meeting house has neat doll house replicas of what Quaker/Colonial Era homes looked like and also had great displays about the history of the Quakers that both the kids enjoyed.