Trolly tour through Philadelphia

Yesterday morning our group (of Senior Summer School) had a City tour through Philadelphia. Guess what: even if the trolley was old-fashioned they had made it wheelchair accessible! The young lady (she had a college degree in art) who was working as a guide told us quite a lot of interesting things, but she she didn't speak slowly and after nearly two hours of listening my concentration did decrease.

In the afternoon we went to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. There were "lines" of people waiting outside - and you had to pass security checks just like at the airport (mostly black people do these jobs). There were rangers, who did explain a lot of interesting things, but again they didn't speak slowly enough for me!

As it was rather hot outside today, we had the "privilege" of air condition in all the rooms - to be honest I very often felt as if being in a ice box :-)

After dinner Benjamin Franklin "himself " came to tell us about his life; I missed some of the jokes, but mostly he was easy to understand:


To be continued

First impressions

Went out twice yesterday: very early, when most of the city seemed still sleeping and I couldn't sleep anymore - due to the jet lag and the air condition plant of the neighboring house near my window - I had my first Starbucks Cappuccino (had to come to the States to appreciate the Starbucks, which is open early, clean AND everything is written down, helpful for foreigners like me). Afterwards a stroll through the University City, lots of young and very young Asian students. Saw also a squirrel where I never would have expected a squirrel.

In the afternoon (it started to be warmer if not hot) a larger tour with the Trac. What strikes me: a large percentage of coloured people (nearly half of the population), all over the noise of the air conditioning plants, and in most rooms I always feel like freezing .... But it's very easy to orient yourself, more or less all the streets are arranged on a rectangular grid, so you can't get lost.

In Marketstreet I've seen all kind of things: very modern buildings, glass and steel - a lot of banks, even more than on the Bahnhofstrasse in Zuerich - but also quite a lot of junk shops - and homeless people in some corners, sleeping or sitting on the pavement or on benches.

After a lot of wheeling I've been sitting and reading nearly an hour in Franklin Square, where families with small children use to come, there is a big playground, a minigolf and also a carrousel.

Evening at a pizzeria (but the food was not very Italian-like) near the Stratum (where I stay), with an older couple living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They are the directors for this summer school, that means they didn't do the programming, but they have the responsibility at the Stratum and on the trips and they do introduce the lecturers and they have to help in cases of need the members of the group. They also have had a lot of experience with Elderhostel. We had an interesting conversation about working and living in the States and in Europe. Today the other members of the group will arrive, we'll be a small group of only 15 persons.

Arrived at Philly

The picture is for all those who don't know what a Swisstrac looks like - only that mine is green and not red.

After a lot of waiting at Zuerich airport, again explaining (about the wheelchair and the Swisstrac) and nearly 9 hours of flight (that was really exhausting for me, sitting without being able to change position) I arrived at Philadelphia at 1:30 pm (Philly time). Again waiting for the Swisstrac to be delivered - the workers at the airport all wondering about this funny little engine - and after a really nice immigration officer, with a name of Eastern Europe origin, who wanted to talk with me about trigonometry (he had asked WHY I would participate to Summer University and I had told him that I was a teacher, hoping that would be enough of an explanation - only teachers do want to do more learning during their holidays :-), finally outside the Philadelphia airport - a really big airport.

The taxi driver - a black man- didn't know what an accessible taxicab would be like - or maybe he didn't want to know, but with the help of another taxi driver he lifted the Trac and the wheelchair in the trunk of his car - and off we went. In Zuerich all this would have been much more complicated. The car was a little shabby, and the taxi meter didn't work, but I think 30 dollars (without tip) was more or less fair.

At the Stratum (student house in the University area), again accessibility is not really given - I can't go outside the house with my Swisstrac without help - but everyone is willing to help and almost always people are really friendly.

Addendum: This morning I found a way to manage the wheelchair elevator even with the Trac, so now I am indipendent for going in and out the house.

I'll write more later, now it's very early morning here in Philly and I' m the only crazy one to be in the computer room at this time (Probably due to the jetlag and the noise of the air condition)

My first dollars

Went to the bank today - first time I've got dollars in my wallet. Funny: all of them the same size! Lincoln and Washington were easy to recognize, but who are the others: Hamilton, Jackson, Grant ...? I'll have a look at Wikipedia ;-)

Reservation at AMTRAK

After several mails in the last few days to the Amtrak International service ( I had to answer an awful lot of questions concerning my wheelchair and how it does work and the big issue was the Swisstrac, an engine which isn't used in the States) the trips between Philly and Boston and Boston and NYC are finally settled: I'll travel with the Acela Express and at the stations I should get help by Red Caps. I hope these arrangements will work. Susan of the International Sales was very helpful!

As the map shows the Acela train goes from Washington to Boston, but I'll only travel from Philly to Boston and from Boston to NYC.

Getting ready

Since February I've been preparing my trip to the East Coast (part of a 10-weeks sabbatical). Travelling alone, by wheelchair, involves an awful lot of research to do concerning accommodations, transfers and other related questions. In the course of my researches I had however some really nice mail exchanges, but needless to say there have also been some throwbacks. The most important things (Intercontinental flights, accommodations) were more or less settled by April, the accommodation question thanks to the help of Mary. Now there are only two more weeks left till the take-off from Zuerich by plane for the first stage, at Philadelphia; unfortunately prior to the departure I've some bigger issues (work, home etc.) to solve which were not scheduled. So unfortunately I'll not have much free time before I leave Zuerich. But for all that I'm looking forward to August and to all the experiences this month in America will bring about.