Sheilaclapkin's Blog;

At the airport we had a delay, but who doesn’t these days?  During our airport wait, I asked each family member to choose an animal spirit to use now, forever, but certainly during the trip. They wanted to know why and I told them I learned that many native people along the west coast of the North American continent gave their children animal spirits to guide them in their lives.  All animals have different virtues and you can easily find yours if you have an animal or choose one soon. Do relax; the animal will come to you. Animals live in tune with the complexity of nature and we as humans have much to gain by adopting and or adapting to the spirits of animals we have chosen. Do you already have an animal spirit, if not choose one.  The qualities of the animal you have chosen will astound you because those are already strengths, instincts and qualities you have eternalized. Some of the animals chosen by the family are: Lion, Puma, Cheetah, Black Panther, Dolphin, Wolf, Jaguar, Owl, Hawk, Eagle and Sloth. As more choose, I shall report.

I was given the owl spirit nearly 25 years ago by a Native American woman and lived well as the spirit guided me. A few days before our departure on this new adventure, I set the owl aside having adopted its powers and became a hawk.  This new animal is a powerful visionary, is visual in all respects, able to touch the spiritual world and is fully focused.

Vancouver is a beautiful city, much more beautiful than I remembered on our first visit years and years ago.  The new buildings cast off reflections in each direction in the downtown area and as you look, the reflective look feels doubly opaque. It is a very friendly yet expensive city. Young people wearing backpacks abound. I wanted to follow some of them to learn of their destinations. Maybe since we might have been the oldest folks on the street everyone felt respective and helpful, but the fact is that we were pointed and directed to many venues we did not even know existed. It is nice to be guided into some of the deeply local ventures.

We were invited to the top of Harbor Side, the building Curtis built! This is where I got my hawk-eyed view of beautiful Vancouver.

Yes, Colby, there are ghosts in Philadelphia, lots and lots of them. As we browsed in a quaint little curio type shop on a small street in the middle of Philly, I saw the outline of a ghostly figure fold itself up, turn into a dark shadow and swirl around as it continued to float up through the middle of a brightly lit lampshade. At the moment you are being honored and given the privilege of being engulfed, you cannot share it. It is your spiritual excursion and only after the experience can you understand that you have been an eyewitness in the spiritual world.

Murals are Philadelphia’s way to combat graffiti.

Before I continue, I want to tell you about Awfully Nice Tours and a fellow named Andy. I was worried because I have a sore knee and wanted to be able to get around and see the city of Philadelphia, so I contacted Awfully Nice Tours.  A most wonderful guide named Andy picked us up at our hotel and did not let us go until he showed us as many little nooks, crannies, as well as vital and significant places in Philadelphia.  He also showed us places no one else has ever seen or so it seemed. He made the city come alive for us, and made it seem like we were the only and first visitors ever.  How important is that?  Thank you to Andy and Awfully Nice Tours.

We began in the historical district of Philadelphia, sat in Benjamin Franklin’s pew in Christ’s Church and wondered why such an important figure as Franklin did not sit up front with Washington.  We were told that price determined your seating and Ben did not have as much money as George. Sound familiar?

Benjamin Franklin lies here.

We continued with our tour bringing us to Penn’s Landing at the base of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, which spans the Delaware River. We grabbed a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich as we visited South Philly and the Italian market at closing time, a little late, but not too late to enjoy the cultural experience.  We saw the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Washington Square, Ben’s gravesite, National Constitution Center, and The Mint.

We continued to Elfreth’s Alley: A National Historic Landmark, and the oldest continuously inhabited residential streets in the country. It dates back to 1702 and is a beautiful sight for eyes probing the city for ancient remnants of life gone by.

Betsy Ross House was especially wonderful in concept. Was it really her house? The idea is real and a special event in American History so as you pay your entrance fee you hope for truth and take what you get. What you get is a romp through a house full of furniture from the time period and the anticipation that the Betsy Ross impersonator is in the basement as promised.  She was on her coffee break when we arrived.

Finally, towards the end of the day we were taken to the famous 72 Rocky steps, used in the last Rocky movie to symbolize that every man even the underdog can rise to the challenge.  In my opinion, these steps are a modern cultural icon to achievement and success.

We drove by the new Barnes Art Museum, but since tickets are still by invitation only, we were only able to see what we could see from the car window as well as seeing the statue “The Thinker” in front of the Rodin Museum.

The meaning of the word Philadelphia is “loving people” and thus it became known as the City of Brotherly Love. We continued to learn that Quakers who exhibited high ideals founded the city. The high ideals of this city still remain supreme. We felt great pleasure being in Philadelphia and enjoyed the spirit of being swallowed up into the beginning history of America the Beautiful.