My pilgrimage to Philadelphia

We just got back from a wonderful vacation to Pennsylvania!   Our main objective was to celebrate my brother-in-law's wedding in Gettysburg.  After the fantastic wedding festivities and making some wonderful memories with the rest of the Daly family, we headed east to Philadelphia. 

You may have learned by now that I am a HUGE Rocky Balboa fan.  My friend told me to watch the original Rocky movie before my first 5K race 3 years ago.  Well, the night that I watched Rocky for the first time was right up there with my first kiss, the birth of my children, etc.:  I fell in love.  I fell in love with what Rocky stands for:  DETERMINATION.

What I love about Rocky is how he sets his mind to something and does it, how he goes the whole 15 rounds, and how when it's all over with, when his eyes are swollen shut and he can barely stand up, the first person on his mind is Adrian.  I have only watched the first four movies, I'm saving Rocky V for a special occassion.  I have favorite parts in the first four Rockys, but I think my favorite movie is the original Rocky.  I have it mostly memorized.  In fact, when I'm bored, I replay my favorite scenes in my head. 

My favorite scenes are:
1.  When Adrian's brother blows up at her and kicks her out.  She runs off to her bedroom, and Rocky comes in and she says, "Are you looking for a roommate?"  and Rocky says, "Absolutely".
2.  I love when Rocky takes Adrian to his apartment for the first time and they kiss and then slide down the wall.  She was so shy and innocent and Rocky was so gentle and loving.... sigh.....
3.  Or the part the night before the fight when Rocky and Adrian are lying in his tiny little bed and he's all vulnerable and he says, "Who am I kiddin'? I ain't even in the guy's league...It don't matter, 'cause I was nobody before...I was nobody. That don't matter either, ya know...It really don't matter if I lose this fight. It really don't matter if this guy opens my head, either. 'Cause all I wanna do is go the distance. Nobody's ever gone the distance with Creed. And if I can go that distance, ya see, and that bell rings, ya know, and I'm still standin', I'm gonna know for the first time in my life, ya see, that I weren't just another bum from the neighborhood."

So, the first place I drug my family when we got to Philli was, of course, the Philadelphia Art Museum.  I ran the steps (that's me blowing the rest of my family out of the water!):

When I got to the top, I sceamed, "ADRIAN", even though I know Rocky didn't in the movie, but I think he was thinking about it:

Take a look at the people in the background.  Perhaps I was behaving a little 'over-the-top'.  I was very excited, though. 

 

I got a picture next to his bronze statue that was originally placed at the top of the steps, but got moved to the grounds below the museum for some reason...

And, then the following day, which happened to be my 35th birthday, we ended our day of historical sight seeing with a supper of Philli Cheese Steaks --with 'Whiz'-- at "Sonny's Cheese Steaks", a great little mom & pop place with excellent decorating taste!