Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia [1], located in southeastern Pennsylvania, on the southern fringe of the mid-Atlantic region, is the fourth-largest urban area in the United States and the country's sixth-largest city. Often referred to as Philly, the city's metropolitan area encompasses twelve counties in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

Understand

Philadelphia, often called the Birthplace of America and referred to as the new Athens early in its existence, is the birthplace of America's modern democracy. Founded by William Penn in the late 17th century, the city's name translates to City of Brotherly Love and has been a seat of freedom since its inception; originally founded by Quakers, the colony promoted religious freedom among its residents in stark contrast to the England of the time.

History

Perhaps best known for its role in the American Revolutionary War, Philadelphia saw the convening of the Continental Congress as well as the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Shortly after the nation's inception took place in Philadelphia, the city was named the nation's capital, a role it filled from 1790 until 1800, when Washington, D.C. took over.

Benjamin Franklin, probably the city's most famous resident, was responsible for the city's alternative title, the new Athens. While Franklin's most famous experiment dealt with the conducting of electricity, he was also responsible for the country's first insurance company, the city's first public library and the first fire department; Franklin also played a great role in establishing the city's postal system as well as inventing new conveniences such as bifocal lenses and the Franklin Stove.

Philadelphia has seen its skyline and its name in lights throughout the years in such famous films as the Rocky series, as well as films like namesake Philadelphia and many of Philadelphia native M. Night Shyamalan's thrillers.

The Liberty Bell is located right in the center of Philadelphia inside of a pavilion near Independence Hall. The Liberty Bell is a major piece in Philly's history. The Liberty Bell was rung to announce the news of the passage of the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1828 in Great Britain. John Sartain in his book, Reminiscences of a Very Old Man, claims the Bell was cracked during this announcement: The final passage of the Emancipation Act by the British Parliament is linked to a bit of Philadelphia history. On receipt of the news in Philadelphia the Liberty Bell in the tower of the State House was rung, and cracked in the ringing. When I was up in the tower in 1830, two years after, viewing the cracked bell for the first time, Downing, who was then the custodian of Independence Hall, told me of it and remarked that the bell refused to ring for a British Act, even when the Act was a good one.

People

The Philadelphia area's 6.2 million inhabitants comprise a diverse group of almost every nationality. Philadelphia's primary cultural influences can be seen in its plethora of Irish pubs, the city's Italian Market, the Chinatown District, and the Reading Terminal which plays host to a diverse crowd of merchants - from first-generation European and Asian immigrants to the area's local Amish and Mennonite farmers.

Contact

Philadelphia is thoroughly covered by all of the major American cellular telephone companies. Cingular Wireless, Verizon Wireless, Sprint-Nextel Wireless, and T-Mobile Communications phones will all receive full service in most parts of the city. As always, service indoors varies according to signal strength, phone brand, and the composition of the building itself.

Wireless Philadelphia, a project that will cover the entire city with wireless internet access, is well underway. While the entire city is not yet covered, Rittenhouse Park, as well as many Starbucks and ING Cafe locations, are hot spots.

Talk

Colloquialisms

For someone who isn't familiar with either the Mid-Atlantic / Northeast or even just Philadelphia, local lingo in the area can seem rather daunting. Here is a breakdown of Philadelphia's most popular local terms:

• Wooder, Warder Water

• Youse (guys) You guys, you all. Second-person plural. (Can sound like /juːs/ or /juːz/.)

• Water Ice A dessert served by local restaurants that features flavored slushy ice. Sometimes called Italian Ice. Pop's, near the corners of Oregon Avenue and Broad Street, is arguably the most popular.

• Gravy Simple marinara sauce served with Italian food.

• Coffee Regular Coffee with cream and sugar.

• Jimmies Chocolate candy sprinkled onto desserts or ice cream.

• Dis, Dat, Dey, Dees, Doze, Dem, Dough This, That, They, These, Those, Them, Though

• Warsh To wash

• Jawn Thing.

• Youngbull Girl or Guy.

• Youngbuk Older men refer to younger guys.

• Bitty Girl.

• Drawling You are in the way.

• Hoagie Sub sandwich.

Stay safe

The city is struggling with violent crime, and has one of the worst murder rates in the US among major cities, earning the City of Brotherly Love a grim new nickname: Killadelphia. Sadly, as is the case in most American cities, the vast majority of the ~400 annual murders occur mostly in poor neighborhoods often plagued by gang warfare. While tourists are unlikely targets for violence, innocent bystanders have been killed and wounded in shootings near popular destinations. The violence is generally concentrated in the north central portion of the city, and between Drexel University and the Philadelphia Zoo (though the latter location has seen some improvements.

Visitors to Philadelphia should keep their wits about themselves and take reasonable precautions against muggers and pickpockets. Avoid backstreets whenever possible, especially after dark. Panhandlers are rarely dangerous, but a significant nuisance all the same. 50 cents should satisfy most, if you feel like giving them anything. If you don't want to give them any money, just pay them no mind. They will leave you alone if you make it clear that is what you want.

Also, be careful of traffic when crossing at major intersections--in Philadelphia, as in many major cities, one must always walk, cross streets, and drive defensively. The winding Schyulkill expressway provides some beautiful views, particularly around Boathouse Row, but do not try to enjoy them from your car--with the high speeds, the river on one side, and jagged rocks on the other, this is a sure way to cause an accident.