TOUR AMERICA 2000 Part Three-Philadelphia Before heading off to Philadelphia to cover the First Union Cycling Series I had the pleasure of spending a few days at Lancaster, something I am pleased to say was most enjoyable. This is a friendly county township full of wonderful people and some great experiences. One place to start is right in the heart of Lancaster at the Quilt Museum. Now while that may not sound wham bam exciting, it is a more than just quilts as there are some great photos from many many years ago, depicting the families from the area associated with those quilts on display. The quilts themselves are beautifully created and the workmanship is superb. From the museum its just a short walk to the Markets with all their local produce on display. Want a real treat? Then try the fresh Rhubarb Crumble topped with freash cream. Finally, one more highlight is to have breakfast at Zimmermans Diner. Here the food is great and the de`core is just like in those old american movies. One thing to keep in mind when travelling is that if you come from a "smoke free" state please remember that those laws may not apply overseas, so always ask if a non-smoking area is available. In many cases they are but not always provided for.

Philadelphia, home to 11 million people, the fabulous US Pro Cycling Championships, the Liberty Bell and Bejamin Franklin is a vibrant city that offers travellers a wealth of experiences. I found everyone I met to be friendly and helpfull. My first experience with the locals was as I wandered down Market Street early morning looking for somewhere good to have breakfast. I hail a local who tells me to head further down the road to the Pacific Cafe at 400 Market Street adding, "and tell them Chuck Brown sent you". Its a great spot with a huge breakfast for $US2.99 + tax which is a real bargain. Sue and Dwayne

are great people and make the time I spend there a real pleasure. The food is terrific with poached eggs, fried potatos, sausage, toast and endless piping hot coffee. Plaza Cafe is so good that I spend each morning of my stay in Philadelphia having breakfast there. I have a great time in the city, travelling on the underground which is so easy to use and wandering the streets enjoying talking to locals, visiting shops and cafes. A couple of places to single out are the US Postal Sevice and Benjamin Franklin Museums. Full of history, memorabillia, displays and interactive features. Like a lot of memorial sites in the USA, expect a bit of a lineup as they are heavily patronized by school groups and tourist buses. Market Steet will keep you busy

and don't be afraid to pop your into the many shops and browse around. Introduce yourself as an aussie and discover the history that abounds here. Like Youngs Meats and the friendly owner Jake. Its like a Deli, Butchers shop combined and vastly different to what you experience here in Australia. Jake it seems used to be a plumber, until he injured his back at work. He bought the business and works alongside his staff and butcher. A really great guy taking time to show me around a very interesting shop. A little further down the street is Shane Candy store the oldest candy store in America. Business started way back in 1876 and this shop is a real institution. Its easy to

imagine what it would have been like when they first started way back in 1876. In those days the street would have been a beehive of activity with shop keepers and suppliers pushing trolleys laden with produce. And for many people it was a special treat to visit the candy store with all its wonderful sights and smells, the laden candy jars and the handmade chocolates on display. Today those chocolates are still hand made and just as tempting as I found out when staff plied me with many samples that were yummy. If your looking for a special gift to take home then try the butter creams but whatever you choose the staff will gift wrap for you. Right across the road is one of the

cities big historical sites, Christ Church. Its a tourist site that should not be missed with organized tours that are really inexpensive. Over three centuries old it was first conceived back in 1695 and contruction ended in 1754. Amongst the pews you will see plaques for those used by George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Betsy Ross. In 1950 Congress passed an act to protect the church making it a national shrine. It is still used today for its original purpose of worship and is preserved beautifully. In stark contrast to the Christ Church is all the color and flair of the Pants & Suit Shop. If you really want to see what the brothers are wearing then this is the place to go. I had a lot of fun here with as you can see by the side photo, some pretty colorful gear on display. And if you think that the

suits are colorful then check out their shoe section. I had a chat with Nick who also stocks aussie akubra hats that are really popular with the locals. He was so excited to meet an aussie that he couldn't wait to show me his australian section which was a total contrast to the rest of the store. I must say it was pretty busy with three assistants absolutely flat out serving a mainly african american clientele who were dragging brightly coloured suits, shirts and ties off the rack. It was a real experience to see. Finally just up the road a little bit further is Trophy Bikes run by Mike McGettigan. Not big by any standard the shop is never the less very busy doing repairs

and fitting customers to the right bike. Call in any day your in town as the shop operates 7 days a week. I've hardly touched on all the things I saw and did while in Philadelphia but there is just so much here and I had to fit it in around a huge bike racing programme. But just a couple to mention are the African American Museum down at 701 Arch Street and the cemetary where Benjamin Franklin and so many heroes of the Wars of Independence are buried. The cemetary is easy to find and is right opposite Independence Mall on the corner of Fifth and Arch.
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