9.28.2012

To Be Philadelphian

A few things I've learned about being a Philadelphian:

- DO NOT, under ANY circumstances, refer to the city's famous sandwich as "Philly cheese steak." Locals always refer to it as simply cheese steak. To call it otherwise is to expose yourself as a tourist.

- Philly is also famous for a treat called water ice. It is similar to Italian ice, but Philadelphians swear water ice is better. A true Philadelphian would never eat Rita's, but rather would get water ice from the local mini market (that's a convenience store for you Southerners). I've tried four flavors so far (and my goal is to try all of them!): Strawberry Lemonade (DELISH!), Cherry (YUMMY!), Mango (TASTY!), and Pina Colada (GROSS!).

- SEPTA, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, is the public transit system in Philly. It is a massive system, composed of buses, trollies, a subway, and an eL. My main form of transportation (aside from my own two feet) is the 10 Trolley. Lucky for me, it's probably the most unreliable SEPTA vehicle in the entire city. I've learned that any time you are late somewhere, all you have to do is shake your head and say, "SEPTA," and your tardiness is dismissed with a sympathetic nod.

- Drivers in this city are crazy! I've never seen such wild, fast, impatient driving in all my life. Praise the Lord I didn't bring my car here. I would never operate a motor vehicle in this city! I'll stick to walking, biking, and SEPTA.



No comments:

Post a Comment