US2011 - Aqua

While searching for Malaysian and Thai restaurants around the Independence Hall area, I came across a one-worded restaurant named Aqua. At the first instance, it did sounded more like a lounge or a bistro, instead of an Asian diner serving a fusion of Malaysian and Thai cuisine.

 

 

Not exactly sure why, but the first thing that I tried to search in the menu was for Pad See Ew and Nasi Lemak, which unfortunately, they do not have. (I later realised that they do have something called the Green Nasi Lemak, but with the description of special coconut fried rice with shrimp and egg. So, maybe it’s not Nasi Lemak after all).

 

 

So, I decided to try their Pad Thai …

 

 

… and Shrimp Fried Rice instead.

 

 

During another visit, I also tried their Malaysian Fried Rice, which is a sweeter version of the Shrimp Fried Rice.

 

 

While all three dishes smelt really good, I would strongly recommend their Pad Thai, which I think is the best that I have had so far (in both USA and Australia).

 

 

Aqua
705, Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19107.
+1 215 928 2838

US2011 - Betsy Ross House

Besides the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, another must-see attraction in Philadelphia for history buffs is the Betsy Ross House. Drawing over 250,000 visitors annually, it is the third most visited attraction in Philadelphia.

 

 

So, who exactly was Betsy Ross and what is the story behind the House?

 

 

According to oral history, back in 1777, George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross visited Betsy Ross in her upholstery shop with a sketch of a flag with thirteen red and white stripes and thirteen six pointed stars. After being asked if she could make a flag from the design, Betsy suggested changing the stars to five points rather than six, which all of them agreed. Hence on June 14, 1777, Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the official national flag, and Betsy has since been credited as the upholsterer who made the first American flag.

 

 

Although Ross never actually owned the House, this House is generally recognized today as the place where Betsy Ross lived when she sewed the first American Flag.

 

 

After restoring and converting the House into a National shrine from 1898, the Betsy Ross Memorial Association donated the entire property, including the courtyard, to the city of Philadelphia in 1937. A fountain was later added in 1974 …

 

 

… and the remains of Betsy Ross and her third husband, John Claypoole were moved from Mount Moriah cemetery in Yeadon, Pennsylvania, to the garden on the west side of the courtyard.

 

 

And thanks to the management of Historic Philadelphia Inc., the Betsy Ross House’s 18th-century furniture, reproductions and objects belonging to Betsy Ross and her family are still on exhibit today and can be viewed through a suggested donation of $3.

US2011 - Old City Hall and Congress Hall

The world heritage listed Independence Hall in Philadelphia is flanked by Old City Hall on the left and Congress Hall on the right. Besides having a “Hall” in both names, both of them also acted as a Courthouse.

 

 

The Old City Hall served as the home of the United States Supreme Court between the years of 1791 and 1800.

 

 

Completed in 1791, the building consists of two section, the Mayor’s Council Chamber on the first floor and the Mayor’s Court on the ground floor.

 

 

As the Supreme Court was not provided with its own room in Philadelphia, they had to hold hearing sessions in the Mayor’s Court.

 

 

Among the interesting things to note include the Supreme Courts’ failure to even hear a case during their first two years, the extremely low average of only seven cases per annum, and appointed judges turning down the “honour” to serve the court.

 

 

Since it was so underutilised, I guess the only useful thing that they have really done was to act as a volunteers’ headquarters during the Yellow Fever epidemic in 1793, and also as an Immigration Center, where naturalization ceremonies for new citizens took place.     

 

 

Over on the other side, I found that the Congress Hall is in a way, more interesting.

 

 

Unlike the Old City Hall where anyone can just enter at anytime, entrance to the Congress Hall is through a free guided tour that runs every 20 minutes.

 

 

During the tour, we were first seated in the House of Representatives.

 

 

After a short brief about the House of Representatives, we proceeded upstairs …

 

 

… to the Senate.

 

 

It was here, where President George Washington was inaugurated for a second term. After another short briefing on the historical events that took place in the room, our final stop was at the meeting rooms on both sides of the corridor.

 

 

When Congress moved to Washington DC in 1800, the building reverted back to the Philadelphia County Courthouse, thus giving Philadelphia two courthouses in a row of three “Halls”.

US2011 - Snow @ Villanova University

Although daylight saving had just started a week ago to mark the start of Spring, it was quite unexpected that it snowed after several sunny days!! For most of the people here, I am sure they hated the snow. But for me, I considered myself lucky, as I am not sure when I will be able to see Villanova’s campus in white again. So, after touring the campus in bright and sunny Winter weather, here are some photos of the cold and freezing Spring.

 

 

And my favourites, the “Winter” blooms.

 

 

I was probably the only “crazy” person running around the campus with a camera in the freezing cold. But, for the first few minutes, it did felt like Christmas!!  :)