A Grand Old Ship

After visiting Independence Seaport in Philly on Saturday, May 21, I took this photo of the SS United States.







There are efforts under way to preserve it, which you can find out more about on the SS United States Conservancy website. Since I took the photo from a distance, I want to go to where the ship is docked and take some close-ups of it sometime. Anyway, I wanted to share this as someone who is interested in maritime history. Anyone who loves maritime history will find a lot of interesting stories from this great ship's past. I hope its preservation will be successful.

Filmed On Location

There are so many movies that are filmed in locations I would love to see with my own eyes and of course take pictures of. Those I listed on the right side of my blog are only a few of just such movies, using a mix of historical and natural places. Below are two photos I took at Independence Hall a few years ago. Besides the history, this stairway is featured in the scene of "National Treasure," as Ben Gates (Nicholas Cage) and his friends go in search for clues to the treasure.

I'm hoping to go on a movie tour in Philadelphia soon, which covers a great deal of other movies filmed in the area. Of course, as my list of movies shows, my favorite locations on the silver screen go beyond the local scene.

A few days ago, "Rebel Without A Cause" aired on the Turner Classic Movies in honor of Dennis Hopper. If I ever get the chance to visit California, Griffith Observatory is on my list of sites to see. It was a great setting for the teen characters that James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo played in the main roles. Griffith Observatory seems to be a very popular filming location, also featured in "Transformers."

Within the past week or so, I saw an article online about Astoria, Oregon...home of one of my favorites when I was younger, "The Goonies." The article was about tours focused on the locations used in that movie. Well, besides being featured in a favorite 80's movie, I'd like to visit that area for its dramatic coastal views.

The 2010 remake of "The Wolfman," was added onto my list of favorite film locations just from seeing the trailers. I loved the spooky, atmospheric scenes set in late 1800's England and couldn't wait to see the movie. I actually didn't see it until today, but it was worth the extra wait. The filmmakers did a great job with the look and feel of the classic monster tale, with haunting scenes indoors and out. My love of old architecture, historic settings, and even those with an eerie vibe to them draw me to film locations like those in "The Wolfman." The same goes for many other movies filmed in the British Isles.

I consider myself to be a growing fan of movies, with new interests watching not only the blockbusters, but indie films and documentaries. No matter what the genre, I find many film locations used that I would love to see. When it comes to movies in general, I feel that they inspire people in some way or another. They definitely inspire me in terms of travel and places that I would love to do photography.

Next Stop - Philly

I have been to Philadelphia, the closest big city to me, a number of times and it is amazing how much I still haven't seen. So, while in the City of Brotherly Love next weekend, I hope to visit multiple sites.

The photo below is one I took during my last visit into the city, which was fairly short; just to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.

Other times, I have only gone to Penn's Landing for fireworks and stadiums for concerts. It has been years since I visited the zoo and major museums of the city. As for what I would like to see / do in and around Philadelphia for the first time, the list includes:

• The Betsy Ross House
• Old City Tavern
• The Mutter Museum
• National Constitution Center
• Elfreth's Alley
• Fairmount Park
• Boathouse Row
• Laurel Hill Cemetery
• Museum of Art
• Dining on the Moshulu
• Cruise on the Spirit of Philadelphia
• Carriage ride
• Ride the Ducks
• Double decker bus tour

With all of those things to see and do, I probably couldn't get it all done in one day's time and I'll only be in the city for one day.

I'm actually not much of a big city person, although I do like day trips into the city. One other trip into the city, by train, was for a job interview years back. It was the first time I went into Philadelphia by myself and I was so nervous, but only half of that was because of the interview. I didn't get that particular job in the end, but everything else went well. One thing is for sure though; it is somewhat hard to believe that I ventured into the city by myself back then. Only the job prospect made me do so, but it was a moment of adventure for me when I think about it.

That adventure is still in me, only for the sake of travel itself...although fulfilling travel goals has been difficult what with the economic situation these days. I think about all of the places I want to visit, local or not. I hope I get to see as many of them as possible because of the inspiration that these places give to people.

Being in a big city for just a day is exciting to me, with so much going on and so much to check out; definitely a source of inspiration. So I'm looking forward to next weekend and how many sites I'll cover while in Philadelphia this time around.