Five day forecast a lie.

The five day forecast was a lie.  Last night the front came through and it rained very hard.  We left this morning and the drive was smooth.  There was very little traffic until we got past the mountains and Harrisburg.   I have never been to Harrisburg, but have driven past there a few times.   They have a state museum and other things to see. 

After the exit for Lancaster we stopped for a break and although the gas tank was between 1/3 and 1/4;  I filled it up.  My thoughts being that the price was right, even though it was the turnpike it was less than in the Pittsburgh area.   Moving east on my sojourn in the distance there were dark and menancing clouds.    Reminded me of the clouds in the movie WAR OF THE WORLDS.

In about five minutes, the deluge began.   The traffic on the turnpike slowed to about 40mph; which is half of about the speed they usually go.   People were pulled off the highway en mass.  Large semis were also stopped.    The rain was so hard that the sounds of the rains sounded like the car was being hit with pellets of metal.   There was quite a collection of deceased insect carcasses on the windshield, which the rain cleaned in no time.

The driving was extreme and I am glad I had the AWD  Subaru.   That car stuck to the road like glue.  We found the exit for Philadelphia and spent a bit of time looking for a place to park so we could unload the car.   I spent bout 15 minutes driving in squares.   Philadelphia is laid out in squares and they are mostly one way, so where you need to turn you can't you keep having to go back and around again.    On our second approach there was a space in the unloading area.  Parking time was limited to 20 minutes so we unloaded, took our things to our room and out again to park the car.   The inn keeper told us how to get to the garage.  Just a two block walk from the Inn.

I wanted to go to the Independence Park area but it is a 15 minute walk, and it is raining.   Tomorrow looks better.  We can walk there via Pine Street which had "Antiques Row"  And on the walk back we can peruse Jewelry Row.

The Inn was built in 1900.   You can see how narrow the building is; I asked the Innkeeper why and he did not know.  He thought maybe it was because it was the only piece of land available was that narrow.   My hats off to the architect.

This is where we ate the first night.  They had the usual bar fare; plus a minute amount of Irish Food.  I had Potato Soup (I give it *****); the best I have ever eaten.  They also had ham and cabbage and Shepard's Pie.

I had mentioned before I left that I had found out the Inn was in the Gay Friendly Area.    Just check out the rainbow below the street name; if there was any doubt where you were that reaffirms it !!!!! 

Chuck said it was named the city of Brotherly Love,  that's not what they  meant  Chuck.