Normally we try to get down to the mountains in Belgium this time of year for a little crisp fall air and hiking, but this year Beth had to attend a short conference in Philadelphia so we tacked on a few extra days and spent some time out in our own mountains in Maryland.
We had beautiful summerlike weather that was almost unpleasantly warm...we were barely able to use the hot tub. The Youghiogheny River was a bit low due to the dry conditions and we were a little early for peak colors, but overall the property was in great shape and we got a nice preview of the brilliant colors that were yet to come.
The barn and new apple orchard.
Wisp Resort put in a new Mountain Coaster that had just opened in time for us to give it a try. It is an updated version of the old Alpine Slides of the1970’s. This latest addition to the resort was great fun, but I seem to remember the older slides going a little faster. Maybe that was just a perception of my youth, or it could have had something to do with the ever constant possibility that the older sleds could jump the track an send you careening down the mountain into a tree. This newer one didn’t have that “feature” and was anchored to the track like a modern rollercoaster. Fun, but not as thrilling.
While Beth attended her conference in the bland Philly suburbs, I hooked up with our good friends Steve and Grace for a tour of the inner city. The last time that Steve took me to downtown Philly was in 1987 and the focus of that tour was strip clubs, drinking, and urban blight – I had a great time but have been telling everyone that the city is a toilet ever since.
Well, I guess that we’ve all matured a little bit since those good old days and this time the tour focused on normal, everyday life in the city. I was pleasantly surprised and more than a bit impressed with what Philly had to offer outside of big hair and burgers.
A world class museum complex…
…with the famous Rocky statue as its center piece. “Adrianne!!!!”
The Italian Market is a funky, gritty district with great food offerings. Don’t laugh my European friends, but the market actually has a lot of the same character as some of the best Spanish markets that we’ve hit in Barcelona and Valencia. See…there is even an Esposito’s.
The real Italian market…coffee shop mobsters.
And what visit to Philly is complete without a look at the (in)famous Boathouse Row.
