The next week

The highlight of last week was our trip to Valley Forge and Philadelphia. The weather was cooler, but still nice. It was neat to see many places that I had only ever read about before. We stayed at some kind of hostel type of thing called the American Freedoms Foundation. It is located just outside of Vally Forge. I still don't really know what it was, but they had beds for us and made us good food. We didn't ask any questions :)

The entrance to the American Freedoms Foundation. I guess they were excited to see us - it says "Welcome BYU."

 We left on a bus early on Friday and got to Valley Forge at 9 or 10 am. After dropping off our stuff we picked up our tourguide who rode on our bus and taught us all about the park while we drove around and stopped to see things. He was hilarious. He loved telling us about George and "Martha Baby."

Martha & George in the Valley Forge Visitors Center. (Me and Carli- she did the opening ceremonies in 2002 like Karlie!)

Walking up to the top of the hill where the troops stayed for the winter.

Apparently there were thousands of these little cabins built to house the soldiers. There were 16 living in each cabin!

An arch on the top of one of the hills. We didn't stop there so I don't really know much about it, it was dedicated to the soldiers that stayed the winter in Valley Forge. The caption reads "Naked and Starving as They are We Cannot Enough Admire the Incomparable Patience and Fidelity of the Soldiery" (George Washington).

The house that George Washington rented from a local to stay in. It is just down the hill from where all the soldiers lived. Our guide was very exited to tell us that the handrail in the house is original. So yes. I've touched a handrail that GW touched. Cool.

Me and our tour guide.

 After getting back from Valley Forge we ate dinner at the place we were staying and then had a special visitor. A Thomas Jefferson impersonator (?) came and talked to us for about an hour about his life. He was really good and answered any question we could come up with.

Thomas Jefferson

The hostel place

The next morning we woke up and went to Philadelphia. It was fun and nice to be familiar with some of the stuff from my trip with Dad a few years ago. I also got to see a lot of new things. I don't how Dad and I got out of there without eating a Philly Cheesesteak, it was one of my favorite parts of this trip. After spending the day in Philly we ate dinner at a pizza place together and rode back home on the bus, getting home just in time (unfortunately) to watch the BYU Football game. There was no rising or shouting.

The Liberty Bell and surprise guest - Allison.

Getting real Philly Cheese Steaks at "Jims." After waiting 30 min I was a bit skeptical, but it was really good.

I'm not sure what the significance of this box is, but it was in the Benjamin Franklin Museum. I guess he liked to be carried around?

The bride to New Jersey. It was starting to get a little cool outside.