The Battle of Gettysburg

I don’t have a bucket list, but if I did, visiting Gettysburg would have been pretty close to the top of it.

In 4^th grade we were allowed to pick our own books for the big class book report. While my classmates choose books about candy factories, adventurous rodents, magic castles, and outer space, I choose a 300+ page novel following a young boy through his experiences in the Civil War.

 Far longer and grittier than any of the other choices, I dove into the narrative. I could smell the gun powder, hear the drums, and feel the bullets whistle by, a breath between life and death.

It was from that moment of opening that book that I wanted to visit the battlefield. Many years pasted and my memory of that 4^th grade book report faded. Its descriptive passages joined by the speech in Remember the Titans, the documentaries on the History Channel, and a short lived musical on the Broadway stage. More romantic interpretations of the grit of war to be sure, but still filled with the same level of reverence and respect I knew the place, war, and stories commanded.

One thing I was not prepared for was the actual size of the battlefield. The clusters of so many separate events, so many days, and so many lives. To some this may seem like common sense, of course the footprint of the battle was so large. But even though I knew this to be true, standing atop the hills and looking down was the first time that it actually registered.

Even though the time flew too quickly and the winter light rapidly disappeared long before we reached the end of the maps, I’m glad we went at the end of the day.

Dusk brought peace, rest, and a kind of calm that was perfect for taking in all that the rocks, mountains, and monuments told us.

Eastern State Penitentary

One of the highlights of my recent trip to Philly was definitely the Eastern State Penitentiary. Not only was it yet another aspect of a new city to explore, but it was one of the coolest compounds I've ever been inside.

The prison, which has been falling further and further into disrepair since its closing in the mid-20th century was dark and eerie. Dust from the crumbling walls clouded the air and coated streaks of sun breaking through the cracked ceiling. My penitentiary wanderings, directed by a self-paced audio tour was chillingly and creepily fascinating. Not only did the tour provide facts spanning the space's entire history, but they added a soundtrack and personal testimonies. Bring the halls I was walking further to life.

There were many times when I paused and a cold wave washed over me. While I didn't have a supernatural encounter there, the stories of prisoners and guests alike were enough to keep me on my toes and the back of my neck tingling.

With the active imagination of a creative writer, I will proudly claim the title of World's Biggest Wimp when it comes to the horror, thriller, or supernatural genres. My mind does not need any help taking a haunted possibility and turning it into a "What's behind me?! Hello?"

I admit that there were a few moments when the tingles on my neck turned into involuntary jerks of the head. Luckily, whenever the spook was getting too much, I could retreat to behind my camera lens and view the buildings for the great photography backdrops they were.

The shadows, the textures, the sheer expanse of each row of solitary confinement cells was more than enough to keep my composing eye and trigger finger occupied.

If ever you visit Philly, make sure you stop by for an unforgettable afternoon of sights, sounds, and chills.