It has been quiet on my end lately. First, my laptop went kaput with all my photos, videos and files, it was stressful enough but I had seen it coming. That laptop had been temperamental these past few months that it quickly overheats then freeze. The day the mother(effing?)board got fried it finally shutdown and went to sleep for good. So now, I try to check on emails on borrowed computer till I get a new one.
Another culprit was the weather. It has been cold and snowy last few weeks and I didn't really like to go out and bundle up unless I really need to. It's bad enough that I have to go to work and run errands but I preferred to stay indoors as much as I could.
There was a hint of spring from the last couple of weeks. The weather seem comfortable enough to wander back outdoors even with a light jacket. Finally, I took up the courage to dust up my camera and planned a day trip to Philadelphia.
Our first stop was a quick brunch at Chinatown for some dim sum. Philly Chinatown is a fraction smaller compared to New York City, somehow it took us a while to find a place that serves dim sum. Not all restaurants have it based on their menu posted on the window. We were lucky enough to find a good one, it didn't hurt that it is reasonable too. Our tab cost about $10 per person. Not bad at all.
We also happened to watch a short parade in honor of World Peace and Prosperity, surely I am up for that.
My sisters and I were curious who are these well dressed gentlemen taking their souvenir photos before the parade starts. We were guessing they are the movers and shakers in Chinatown.
Next stop was the nearby historic Reading Terminal Market. It is a farmers market located in Center City, Philadelphia where you would be able to get from Amish delicacies, fresh produce and have a healthy selection of ethnic foods. Good thing this is an indoor market or else we would have skipped this one.
We happened to be on the Reading Market during the rush lunch hour. It was totally difficult for me to maneuver my stroller, it took me about a minute per footstep before I can get around the next stall. Forget about ordering food or finding a place to sit, it is crowded. But I am determined to get around and find something noteworthy to write home about.
I put up a big sigh seeing this the first time. Yummy truffles. Temptation, temptation.
Another culprit was the weather. It has been cold and snowy last few weeks and I didn't really like to go out and bundle up unless I really need to. It's bad enough that I have to go to work and run errands but I preferred to stay indoors as much as I could.
There was a hint of spring from the last couple of weeks. The weather seem comfortable enough to wander back outdoors even with a light jacket. Finally, I took up the courage to dust up my camera and planned a day trip to Philadelphia.
Our first stop was a quick brunch at Chinatown for some dim sum. Philly Chinatown is a fraction smaller compared to New York City, somehow it took us a while to find a place that serves dim sum. Not all restaurants have it based on their menu posted on the window. We were lucky enough to find a good one, it didn't hurt that it is reasonable too. Our tab cost about $10 per person. Not bad at all.
We also happened to watch a short parade in honor of World Peace and Prosperity, surely I am up for that.
My sisters and I were curious who are these well dressed gentlemen taking their souvenir photos before the parade starts. We were guessing they are the movers and shakers in Chinatown.
Next stop was the nearby historic Reading Terminal Market. It is a farmers market located in Center City, Philadelphia where you would be able to get from Amish delicacies, fresh produce and have a healthy selection of ethnic foods. Good thing this is an indoor market or else we would have skipped this one.
We happened to be on the Reading Market during the rush lunch hour. It was totally difficult for me to maneuver my stroller, it took me about a minute per footstep before I can get around the next stall. Forget about ordering food or finding a place to sit, it is crowded. But I am determined to get around and find something noteworthy to write home about.
Those remind me like a large bars of soap. I don't think my teeth can survive if I bite into it. I wish I could get a whiff of it, even if just for a second.
We went to the Reading Market on a Sunday and it is still crowded. All Amish stalls were closed that day. I could just imagine the foot traffic on a typical rush hour lunch weekday. I would like to comeback here on a more subdued hour and take my time eating my strawberry and banana crepes.
Then finally, we head over the Penn Museum to visit their recent exhibit called The Secrets of the Silk Road. It is a collection of artifacts gathered in the Tarim Basin vicinity in China. The silk road refers to the interconnected trade routes that connect the Rome, China, the Middle East and anything in between. The Tarim Basin is located in Western China and it is strategically located in the middle crossroad between East (China) and West (Rome, Byzantium).
It has got my attention since I just recently read an article in Archeology magazine about the silk road and its early inhabitants in the Tarim Basin area. What had fascinated me was the discovery of the mummies buried in the isolated area in the Basin. The article had photographs of the mummies discovered and surprisingly enough that the mummy has Caucasoid features, this gives us a glimpse about ancient human migration. So, when I heard that this particular exhibit includes the "The Beauty of Xiaohe", I know I need to do this pilgrimage. The exhibit is supposed to be till the end of March till it announced that the mummies upon request of the Chinese government needed to be shipped back by mid-March. This is my only opportunity to see it in person since I am not sure when will be available for viewing.
It didn't help that almost everyone was rushing too for the opportunity to visit the exhibit. We got our ticket around 2 pm but the Silk Road exhibit viewing had us scheduled around 6:30 pm. We looked around the 2 floors of the museum till we decided to lounge and grab a quick dinner to the cafeteria till its time to line up for the exhibit.
Unfortunately, photography is not allowed. I have seen a couple of folks taking photos with their cell phones but I tried to follow the rules and absorb the exhibit myself.
I wish Philadelphia is easily accessible to me like New York City. I prefer to take the train but it didn't help that a one way ticket for me and Madison would cost about $60 one way even if her ticket alone is half off due to an Amtrak promotion. I like to be green about travelling and prefer to take a train but the exorbitant tickets didn't really help it.
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