June 2011 found us in the Philadelphia area where we spent a couple of weeks exploring the many faces of this historic city. One of the more colorful areas in downtown Philly is known as the South Street District, and had we not struck up a conversation with the cashier in the Rite Aid near our RV Park, we might not have had the pleasure of visiting this most interesting area.
South Street is one of Philadelphia's liveliest and eclectic streets. With over 300 stores and restaurants, visitors and residents, teenagers and adults, preppies and punk rockers, artists and attorneys all mix seamlessly together. The street is always buzzing no matter if you visit on a Tuesday afternoon or a Friday night. Most stores are independently owned and have similarly minded signage.
Nestled throughout the South Street area is Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, a fully mosaiced indoor gallery and a massive outdoor labyrinthine mosaic sculpture. Consisting of found objects and contributions from the community, the Gardens cover half a city block with myriads of tile, texture, and color. A walk through the labyrinth reveals sculptures from Latin America and Asia, bicycle wheels, hand-made tiles, and mirrors of every shape and size.
South Street District is a must-see part of Philadelphia. Here are some pictures that hopefully capture a little of the local flavor.
