Philadelphia

Today I was lucky enough to escape the confines of Camp Appel Farm and venture into the beautiful world of Philadelphia.

As my day off from camp officially starts at 9:30pm the night before, our mission to the Liberty Bell capital of the country started at 11:34pm when my eager group of 12 boarded the bus bound for Philadelphia. The first 45 minutes of this journey was far from entertaining. That is, until we saw a prostitute about 20 minutes out of Philly and we all breathed a sigh of relief. We were back in the real world.

Crashing at our camp director’s house, our new-found freedom was enjoyed well into the early hours of the morning and a rather late (and slightly headachey) sleep-in ensued.

But with an appetite for breakfast and whatever else the city had to offer, we made our way into the heart of Philadelphia – a beautiful metropolis where the concrete and the creativity clash like titans. The sides of cement buildings are a canvas for tropical murals which are rich with the city’s famous history. I was unaware of just how much creative culture Philadelphia boasted and was happily surprised by the beautiful street art which coloured the city.

If it wasn’t giant street murals or knitting-wrapped lampposts, it was entire cement gardens dedicated to glass and garbage mosaics. ‘The Magic Garden’ is a haven in the middle of the city where one man has single-handedly provided glass street art to the masses. Even though I got a little trigger-happy on the snapper, no picture could do this place justice – it has to be seen to be believed.

I am also happy to report to the Hyde-portion of this readership, that I bought my first magnet for the fridge.

A long walk, a siesta in the park and a much needed nap on the bus trip home, we arrived safe and sound at Appel Farm, probably more tired than we were when we left but refuelled with a strange energy that can only be obtained from getting away from camp. I love my kids and I love teaching them all I know about life, but it’s nice to know there is still a world outside of these creative grounds.

Ciao for now.

(Image Credit: Top two images courtesy of photographer, Kim Thalia - thanks Kim!)