Day 218 - Bell, bell, my Liberty Bell

A first for the boys, we took a trip to Philadelphia to visit our most famous symbol of freedom and independence, the Liberty Bell.

We had a full and enjoyable day that included a tour of Independence Hall, more sightseeing, and at the boys request, a taste of Philly's famous cheese steak sandwiches... which didn't impress us much. :(

Day 23 - "...that all men are created equal..."

Soldier's National Monument, Gettysburg, PA
(Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address very near this spot)

Gettysburg Address Monument
(unique in that it commemorates the speech, not the man)

The Gettysburg Address

Abraham Lincoln stood at this site and reminded us that the United States was "conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." A century later, Martin Luther King, Jr. standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, reminded us that the job was not finished and told us of his dream that this promise would become reality.

"...I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal...' "

We've come far in the ensuing years, but we still have a long way to go. What better tribute to Mr. King's legacy than for us to continue his efforts and "resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom."

(The logistics of schlepping into DC for a really cool shot from the Lincoln Memorial steps were just too much to deal with and I wimped out. Traffic, parking nightmares, lugging around O², etc., etc., plus it was flippin' cold out there had us opt for Gettysburg instead. Not as much of an impact, but certainly a connection to the MLK theme, and besides... it was closer.) ;)

Day 22 - Night Visions

Built around 1758, Schifferstadt Architectural Museum is one of the oldest and most historic buildings in the City of Frederick, Maryland, and among the best examples of early Colonial German Architecture in the country. More info can be found here. (it takes a bit to load)

Culler Lake, Baker Park
(a thin layer of ice covered the entire lake)

Wanting to try my hand at some night time photos, I'm pretty pleased with the results. The top photo is with my digital P&S camera, the bottom is with the digital SLR camera.