Walking the Walk

I'm not really a big city person. I prefer the quiet of rural and semi-rural areas. Still, after having spent time in the hearts of New York City, Boston, Toronto, and now Philadelphia, I must admit there is a charm in what is often called a walkable downtown.

While we did have to move the rental car once on the Sunday we spent in Philadelphia last week, once parked we found several things to see within an easy walk. Granted, Philly is an old and historic city compared to Detroit (as are New York and Boston) but there sure seems to be more to see there than at home. What was most interesting was in how quickly things changed. We could be in a noisy, touristy area, then turn a corner to discover row houses which clearly date to the 1700 and 1800 hundreds nestled in quiet, narrow streets. It really did feel like stepping back in history.

There were museums and shops and outdoor activities all around. They tended towards pricey yet not terribly so, and there was free things to see and do just the same. We had our pictures taken by the Rocky statue near the Philadelphia Museum of Art, for example. 

I doubt that I could live too long in such tightly packed areas but I think I could do it for a year simply for the experience, these dense downtown areas. Perhaps it's familiarity, but I do not feel that for Detroit. C'est la vie.