The Adventure Aquarium

Sunday 29th July

Time for another family outing and it is C's turn to choose where.  She chose the aquarium in Camden New Jersey, on the opposite banks of the Delaware river from down town Philadelphia.  She had been there on a field trip from day camp (more about US summer camps later) and it was really fun so she wanted us all to go too.  It was also too hot, sticky and thundery (the weather does lead to some amazing electrical storms) to consider anything outside so it seemed like a good idea.  One favourite thing from each of us - C's was the African penguins, G's the touch pools with sting rays, sharks, blue lobster and horse shoe crabs, M's the poison dart bright blue frogs (is he hatching some plan?) and mine learning that hippopotami don't really swim but actually walk on the bottom of the river bank - watching them being fed from the underwater viewing room was a bit like some strange slow motion scene involving Gloria from Madagascar (go and see the movie if you haven't - it is good fun).   We all like the hammerhead sharks, sawfish and turtles in the shark tunnel.  A few too many people for our liking - but it was another aquarium notched up in our world tour and the flash-light fish and sea dragons were new ones on us.

What happened to us?

JULY

In case you were wondering what had happened to us in July - we were doing lots of this......

...... and enjoying this........

In fact it was far too hot for anything else (daily weather readings - temperatures consistently 35C +++).

And they were all ......... well lots and lots of colours actually

Friday 6th July Thanks to an inspired birthday present for M we had tickets today to see Coldplay at the Wells Fargo (yes that name again) Centre Philadelphia where they were playing two nights on their Mylo Xyloto World Tour. Warm up acts were the British band Wolfgang and the Swedish singer Robyn who both got the audience going but by 9pm the stadium was full of 16000 hopeful fans. We were expecting great music and lots of big rock showmanship from Chris Martin but, as well as that, we were completely wowed by the special effects which rivalled those of Take That in Wembly last year (not sure Coldplay would be happy with that comparison - clearly the music is no comparison). Just before the band entered the stage the arena went completely dark and then was lit simultaneously by 16000 shimmering coloured lights as everyone's wrist band, which we had been given on entry, lit up automatically controlled by a remote radio signal - ohhhhh the wonders of modern technology but it is hard to capture the spectacle and excitement it generated. The whole crowd was on their feet for the full two hours - personal favourites were Mylo Xyloto, Us against the world (played from a small stage high in the corner of the stadium), Fix You and Yellow (of course) - full set list recorded here (http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/coldplay/2012/wells-fargo-center-philadelphia-pa-4bdf5f4e.html). Favourite effects - well much harder - but the coloured lights probably came out on top. Chris Martin is a truely talented singer song writer and performer and the rest of the band give their fair dues too. I am wondering if we grafitti the piano, have it spin on wheels and appear through the floor as needed it might inspire some more practice from little people? A fantastic fantastic concert.

Independence Day

Wednesday 4th July This public holiday celebrates the publication of the Declaration of Independence on 4th July 1776 which marked the independence of these colonies from British government and the tyranny of being ruled by a remote King (George III as it happens). The Declaration was written, published and signed in Philadelphia by the founding fathers of USA which included polymath Benjamin Fanklin and future presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. The text is well known to all American school children (reproduced here with a list of the signatories for your edification http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/) but it remains surprisingly relevant today and the principles it enshrines have guided the development of this nation - "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.". So, in annual celebration, out come the flags, the banners, the pool parties and the watermelon (we are learning the joys of that on a hot hot day). We spent the day decorating, dipping in our pool and then off to the local township park for the band and fireworks (not quite London jubilee standards but pretty impressive for a small township). C rushed off to get her coat before leaving - she had remembered she is always cold at fireworks - not these we explained as this isn't Novemeber in UK. It was nice to bump into a couple of families from soft ball there - reckon we are slowly getting to know some guys (as the children would say).