Whether it's one simple yet somehow perfect day or a dreamed about journey finally realized, I never want to forget the joy of the moment or how fortunate I am!
Unlike many, I actually LOVE Winter! I do want to add that I have a well insulated home, a car with heat, a healthy body, and I work indoors. There are many who are not so fortunate, and it’s especially difficult on the days where temperatures have been consistently below 15 degrees Fahrenheit (not typical for Southwest Virginia).
I love a good snow, especially in these days of climate change when, at least here in Virginia, we don’t see the snow as in the past. It’s all about the beauty, the peace, the quiet, AND the time with friends.
On my Morning Commute
After coffee with another snow lover
Along the New River
Back at home
And finally, sitting in my comfy chair while watching the snow fall
While visiting Greg’s Uncle in San Francisco last month, a friend took us on a walking tour through Chinatown. The Chinese Lanterns were so vivid in the shining sun.
Years ago, in June of 2012 in fact, I started to blog in an effort to document my travels through life. But life, as you know, gets in the way of our best intentions and I shared just one post in 2023, and two in 2024. Now though, I am back and making a go of it. Years from now, when I can no longer journey, I want to be able to read about the places that I visited.
When elderly parent challenges had us canceling our long planned trip to Great Britain, we opted to take two long weekend trips instead. For one of those two weekends, we took the train from Roanoke VA to Philadelphia PA, and knowing that we only had 36 hours to explore, we got right to it!
Philadephia is flanked by two rivers: the Schuykill and the Delaware, and we calculated that we walked over 30 miles going from one to the other and everywhere in between. I particularly loved seeing the contrast of historic buildings set against new ones.
We started the day at Reading Terminal Market where we devoured our cajun breakfast.
We then walked the Benjamin Franklin Parkway past the JFK Love Park, the Barnes and Rodin Art Galleries, The Philadephia Free Library, through the Oval, and to the Philadephia Museum of Art.
We walked back down the other side of the Parkway, by the Dilworth Park Interactive Fountain, and strolled through the City Hall courtyard.
After a Philadelphia Cheese Steak lunch (what else?) we walked to the Old City. Visits to the National Constitution Center (oh how I wish more Americans would remember the Constitution) and Old City Hall reminded us of our country’s history.
As the day began to wind down, we walked to Penn’s Landing on the Delaware River.
After a stroll along the river, we took the pedestrian walkway on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge over the Delaware and halfway to New Jersey. The views of the city were remarkable, and the bridge itself was beautiful.
After an amazing day, we finally took an Uber back to the hotel.
We already know we will return … there are so many wonderful museums dedicated to art, history, and science, and we look forward to checking them out.
Life on the Bike and other Fab Things 