PHILADELPHIA: THE BIRTHPLACE OF TOURISTANG POBRE

Philadelphia: Birthplace of Touristang Pobre

Officially first published on-line on April 9, 2013. 

By Henry Libo-on

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Introduction 

Everyone has a first. Mine is experiencing the interest to blog after seeing the Sunrise outside of my hotel room in downtown Philadelphia. It was a moment of reflection of the joys of travel and sharing that feeling with family and friends.

Yes. If Philadelphia was the birthplace of the United States as an independent colony of Great Britain, the same is the birthplace of my interest to blog.

Prior to 2013, the year we visited Philadelphia, I was following a few Filipino Bloggers whose blogs I found educational, entertaining, and informative. The likes of Pinoy Adventurista, The Chronicles of Love Mindanao, Island Girl (from Sibuyan Island, Romblon), Ambot-Ah, The Poor Traveler, The Pinay Solo Backpacker, and Langyaw, among others.

From reading the travel blogs of those bloggers that I follow, I got the interest of chronicling my own travels. 

 

Actually, I am not a newbie in blogging. In the 1990's I was a travel writer of What's On, a travel survival magazine published in Cebu and distributed in selected high travel areas, airplanes, airports, sea ports, hotels and restaurants, among others. But people doing this kind of work were not blogging and were not known as bloggers but travel writers. 

Before this year, 2013, when I started blogging, I have already visited most major cities and few of the most visited islands in the Philippines. I wrote my travel adventures in What's On, Cebu, and in my column with the local newspaper in our hometown, the Negros Daily Bulletin. 

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When I migrated to the U.S. I stopped writing and the lull in my daily life as an immigrant was turned into boredom, if that is the right word. I was busy as a bee in my hometown and life in the U.S. yes, it's boring at times. 

Philadelphia created a spark in my mind to write again. To write about the story of my travels about the U.S. 

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So, it was while sipping coffee in the garden fronting the main entrance of the hotel (Marriott) that I watched as the sun rises. It was a beautiful morning and I got the feeling of sharing this travel experience with my friends. It was a moment that was providential.  

 This is the famous JFK Plaza along the John F. Kennedy Boulevard in downtown Philadelphia.  This spot where I stand is the favorite spot for Just Married Couples and their Wedding Entourage.

As I looked around the town that was still in slumber, I guess, there was a great feeling of awe at how beautiful the day was and how good it was to experience my first travel to a historical place in the United States. 

Philadelphia is the seat of the Declaration of the U.S. Independence from Great Britain.  

Photo by Henry Libo-on of Touristang Pobre. 

Compare the pictures above and below.  They are the same building. Currently, the building that is shown above is the present site of the Please Touch Me Museum that I discussed here.  In 1876, Philadelphia was the center of the Centennial Celebration of the Independence of the United States and this building became the Main Building of the whole 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. I took this photo of the modern-day historical building while I sourced the old photo from www.pinterest.com

What to do in Philadelphia? 

There are so many interesting sites and places to see in Philly. I will write the few that I visited and add a little more based from a few sources. 

1. The State House and the Independence Hall. 

2. Please Touch Me Museum 

3. The Schuylkill River

4. Reading Terminal Market 

5. Benjamin Franklin Park

6. Liberty Bell Museum 

7. The City Hall 

8. Pennsylvania Railroad Suburban Station 

9. JFK Plaza and LOVE Park 

10. Philadelphia Museum of Art 

11. John F. Collins Park 

12. Try local cuisine and the famous Philly Cheesesteak

13. Many others.

***This is the old photo of the present day "Please Touch Me Museum". Known as the Memorial Hall, a Beaux-Arts style building, it was the site of the Art Gallery for the Centennial Exposition of 1876, to celebrate the 100 years of U.S. independence from the United Kingdom. This building survived the times, so to speak. 

Source:  www.pinterest.com

This is the Independence Hall where the Reading and Proclamation of the Independence of the United States from Great Britain was read on July 4, 1776.  I took a photo of this Building when I visited Philadelphia but I cannot find that picture anymore. So, I borrowed this picture from https://images.search.yahoo.com.

My Comment:

While Philadelphia is the birthplace of the U.S. Republic, Philly is the birthplace of Touristang Pobre, my travel blog. 

This is the Schuylkill River.

This is the inside of the Reading Terminal Market of Philadelphia.  Located on N 12th Street  & Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. This is not only a place for shopping, and dining but the market is also popular among tourists who are interested to know about the history and role of this Market and the Train Station in old Philly. The Reading Terminal Market opened on February 22, 1893. (Source: readingterminalmarket.org). 

 As I moved around town, the more I appreciate the City of Philadelphia. 

Its train station, the old railway tracks you can still see on the roads, the Market Place, the Benjamin Franklin Park, The State House where the Declaration of Independence was read, the Liberty Bell Museum, different restaurants, the parks, and so many places of historical significance not only for the state of Pennsylvania but for the whole United States, as well.

 The Please Touch Museum  "is a children's museum located in the Centennial District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The museum focuses on teaching children through interactive exhibits and special events,^[1] mostly aimed at children seven years old and younger."  (Wikipedia)

 After my tour around Philadelphia, I went to the hotel and view the city, once more, from the window of my hotel room.  Then, a confirmation of my first idea went into my head again and started to think "why not write a story about my adventure at Philly?". 

And that was the start of my Blogging days.  It was, seriously taking place in the U.S. So, here I am, starting a blog site called Touristang Pobre.  Why?  Because at this time, I do not have financial resources to shoulder the expenses that my travels will entail.  

Sooner, however, I visited new places that added to my list of places which are now part of a travel guide and travel blog called Touristang Pobre.

It is my wish, therefore, that you will find this Blog not only entertaining but also informative that will guide you on your next travel adventure. 

Have a nice day everyone.  
V

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Where to stay in Philadelphia? 

1. Marriott Hotel 

2. Hilton Hotels 

3. Embassy Suites

4. Windsor Suites 

5. Canopy

6. Sleep Inn Center 

7. Microtel Inn 

8. Days Inn

9. Hyatt Hotel

10. Warwick Hotel, and many others.

If your choice is an Airbnb, you can search the web for any available spot in the area where you are planning to stay - "Airbnb in Philadelphia". 

What to eat in Philadelphia? 

1. Philly Cheesesteak 

2. Roast Pork Sandwich 

3. Hoeagie 

4. Philly Soft Pretzels 

5. Water Ice 

6. Tasty Kakes 

7. Tomato Pie 

8. Scrapple 

9. Tacos 

10. Red Gravy Pasta Diner 

11. Wawa

12. Pho 

My tip - Just search the web where you can find these eats. Example: "where to eat Cheesesteak in Philadelphia?" or "where to eat Pho in Philadelphia?" 

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Vacationing at Bermuda Islands. 

The Ruis @ Talisay City, Philippines.

TP (center) as a student in the University of Canberra, Australia.

At Yosemite National Park.

The Pyramid of Kukulkan, Chichen Itza, Mexico.

Cloud 9, Siargao Island, Philippines. 

Home of International Surfing Competitions every last week of September and first week of October. 

Photo was taken before the super typhoon Rai or locally known as "Odette" hit the island in 2021. The typhoon made its first landfall on Siargao Island with a packed sustained wind of 160 mph.  

On my way to Malapascua Island, the scuba diving paradise in the Philippines. 

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Who is Touristang Pobre? 

He is a Filipino American living in the United States. 

*He has been a travel writer for WHAT'S ON (In the Visayas & Mindanao), a travel guide circulated in Cebu and other parts of the Vis-Min regions.

*He was a writer and columnist of Negros Daily Bulletin, a local newspaper in Bacolod City and circulated around the province and Western Visayas. 

*He was a former Tour Guide when BTTI or Bureau of Travel & Tourist Industry became the Department of Tourism, circa early '70s. 

*He was a former Executive Assistant to the then Governor of Negros Occidental and later on Mayor of Bacolod City, Honorable Alfredo L. Montelibano, Jr. 

*He was a former OIC-CPDO or City Planning & Development Officer of Bacolod City Government.

*He is currently based in the U.S. but calls Bacolod City and Negros Occidental his home. 

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Do you find this blog informative?  If you do, please LIKE my Facebook Page and SHARE this

story with your friends.  Thank you.

Published on April 9, 2013.
Updated on March 12, 2019.
Reviewed on July 31, 2020.

Reviewed on September 20, 2021.

Reviewed on May 1, 2022.