85   Tuesday, November 23   Philadelphia, PA

Yes, I am in Philadelphia. I had not intended it. I had not even 
really intended to go through Philadelphia, much less stop here. 
My original intention had been to take Route 13, which only 
passes through the outskirts of Philadelphia. Unfortunately (or 
fortunately, as the case may be), the highway signs in 
Pennsylvania are not the greatest in the world. I made a wrong 
turn and by the time I realized it, I was only a few miles from 
the city center. So I decided to take a quick detour and see the 
Liberty Bell. Arriving, I was hooked. This is such a brilliant 
city. It is by far and away my favourite so far. No question. 
Not even Winnipeg compares favourably. (Of course I *love* steak 
and cheese sandwiches. So who can argue? Jim's Steaks -- 4th and 
South. Too brilliant) It is Montréal, done right. It is 
everything that every city is, and everything that too many 
cities are not. It has the neatest old city, with narrow, narrow 
cobblestone streets and gas lamps that one can lose themselves 
for hours wandering up and down. It is the history, and the 
museums. I love Independance hall. Thinking, standing there, 
that I am in the same room as was signed the Declaration of 
Independance -- normally I am not so captured by such flights of 
fancy. But this city does that to a person. I never want to 
leave. It's just too damn bad that I must.