The Kookaburra's Kackle: Philadelphia

Last Thursday Seth and I drove down to Philly (actually we bummed a ride with one of his grad students--thank goodness we didn't have to take the bus) for the big annual American Musicological Society Conference. We had a really great time doing lots of diverse things but unfortunately once we returned home and I tried moving my photos from my camera to my computer, Dell decided to destroy my memory card. Hence I have only a few pictures supplied from my cousin, Phuong. In lieu of images I will have to use words to depict the fun we had :P

One of the best things about the trip, I'd hate to admit, was the hotel. We booked an awesome suite right downtown and across the street from the conference hotel, so not only was the location phenomenal, but the amenities included a gigantic buffet breakfast, wine and soft pretzels in the evenings, a small kitchenette and separate bedroom, and a gym and 'office'. I can't believe we were going to stay at a youth hostel until we remembered we could place a bid on a hotel online and pay 1/3rd the usual price. It didn't take long before we got spoiled and didn't want to leave at the end of the weekend!

After we arrived on Thursday we took a walk to Old City to see the Liberty Bell just before it closed, and booked the last tour of the day for Independence Hall. We also stopped by Christ Church, the Betsy Ross House, Elfreth's Alley (the oldest continuously occupied neighborhood in the US), then had dinner in China Town. We ate in a Vietnamese restaurant that was packed nearly shoulder to shoulder and had the best Pho (beef soup) outside Vietnam. We were not ashamed to eat there again Saturday night, even though we try to steer clear of eating at the same place twice, especially when new to an area.

Friday morning we visited the Museum of Art down the road and induldged in some European art for a few hours. In the evening, after Seth sat in on some conference papers, we went out to dinner with a group of his old colleagues from UNC.

Saturday I was treated with a visit from my cousin, Phuong, who lives two hours from Philly in Alexandria, VA. As Seth hung out at Macy's (yes, the department store) to hear a concert from the Wanamaker Organ (the world's largest pipe organ), Phuong and I took a tour of the Grand Masonic Lodge. We are both fascinated by the Masons and we finally got to go inside their not-so-secret headquarters. In fact, I'm so intrigued by the Free Masons that I have been trying for months to get Seth to try to join, but for some reason he isn't as keen about the whole thing as I am... Anyways, our tour group was led through perhaps 7 or 8 rooms, each with a specific cultural theme (such as Gothic, Egyptian, Norman, Corinthian, Ionic, etc.), but as far as I could tell each room could serve the same purpose. This lodge apparently is considered one of the three major lodges in the world--the others are in London and Scotland. The tour was so fascinating--I wish we could have stayed longer! If only I were a man.

Phuong and I spent the rest of the afternoon window shopping and exploring the bustling Reading Terminal Market, the large indoor market downtown. Here we indulged in a bit of sensory overload, complete with a lunch of soft-pretzels which had been twisted then dunked in butter and salt on the spot by Amish girls.

Between the hotel, Phoung, the Lodge, the Pho and pretzels, I'd say it was a very successful trip!

Here are a few of Phuong's pictures of the Grand Masonic Lodge: