🇺🇸 Philadelphia: A Bit Sketchy, A Bit Special

I wandered alone through the streets of Philadelphia as the evening fell just after 6 PM. The slanting sunlight was bright yet soft, streaming through the gaps between glossy skyscrapers and silent, solemn old churches. The summer heat had faded, and the matrix of small fountains in front of City Hall had started spraying. Kids of all skin tones ran barefoot through the water, laughing and splashing around. I was a visitor from afar, trying to capture—like an Impressionist master—the glowing light and joy of that moment with just my phone. 📸✨ Then a tall guy jogged over and called out to me: “Want me to take your photo?” …Well, even though I’m pretty bold and easygoing, I wasn’t quite brave enough to hand my phone to a stranger in an open space. Plus, wearing flip-flops, I knew I couldn’t exactly chase after him. 🩴😅 I said, “Nah, it’s okay—I’ve taken plenty already. My storage is almost full.” He got curious, stopped, and we ended up chatting for a while before waving goodbye. As it began to get dark, I looped back toward my hotel. Suddenly, a car pulled over, an arm waved energetically out the window, and a fuzzy head popped out yelling: “Hi! Hi! Have a nice day!” It was the photo guy—we’d run into each other again! 🚗👋 I also met a Black sister who chatted with me about parenting 👩👧, and plenty of polite, well-dressed Black guys in town for a conference. Philadelphia has a high proportion of people of color. There are more unhoused people here than in New York, and it’s often called one of America’s most dangerous cities—yet it’s also full of warm, talkative, randomly conversational folks. ———If New York is like Shanghai, and D.C. is like Beijing, then Philadelphia might be like Xi’an? Or as my friend Haige said: “It’s so small, feels more like Luoyang.” True indeed. Here’s my 2-day, 1-night trip to Philly: 🏨 Stay near City Hall – super convenient for getting anywhere, especially within walking distance to Reading Terminal Market. 🚶‍♀️ Day 1: Lunch at Reading Market – Uncle Gus’s Philly cheesesteak 🤤 (I genuinely recommend it! Huge portion, can be shared by two) City Hall Independence Hall Liberty Bell Franklin Museum Old City + Franklin Ice Cream 🍦 (must-try! Super creamy, a century-old shop) Elfreth’s Alley All walkable – about 20,000 steps 🚶♀️. Attractions are pretty clustered. My personal favorites: Reading Market and the Old City. Day 2: Philadelphia Museum of Art (allow 2-3 hours 🖼️) Boathouse Row University of Penn 🎓 If there’s time in the evening: Spruce Street Harbor Park or a walk across the Ben Franklin Bridge 🌉 Took the bus to the museum – $2 per ride. The bridge is super chill. All in all, Philly is relatively more affordable than NYC or D.C. 💰 #Philadelphia #PhillyFood #PhillyTravel #IndependenceHall