SOME call it the City of Brotherly Love, the nationalists call it the Birth Place of a Nation but for many Americans it is simply known as Philly. Philadelphia, the capital city of the US State of Pennsylvania, is often overlooked by travel enthusiasts in favour of other east coast stars New York, Washington DC or Boston. I was no different, and it took my friends living there a while to persuade me to visit their favourite city. If not anything else, they promised me, I would cherish the history of Americas freedom and get to taste the real cheese steak, the citys culinary invention.

The tourist trade in Philadelphia does a decent job of following the trails of the nations journey for independence, right from colonial rule. And all this is nicely preserved in the Independence National Historical Park, where there are around 20 landmark sites of historical significance. It was here that the Americans began their quest for freedom, where todays United States of America was born.

Located downtown, the highlights of the 45 acres of parkland are the Liberty Bell Centre, Independence Hall, Carpenters Hall, Franklin Court and the City Tavern. Tourists are not likely to miss these sights and the Visitor Centre, where one can pick up comprehensive information on all of them, is a good starting point.

As an ardent believer in the spirit of liberty my first stop was obviously the Liberty Bell Centre, easily identifiable by the serpentine queue outside the building, which exhibits the famous bell that tolled for the freedom of Americas people. The bell was brought from England in 1752 as the original Pennsylvania State House bell. I read its inscription with much interest proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof. These words inspired millions in the 1830s who were fighting hard to abolish the practice of human slavery. The activist group used the image of the bell in their literature, referring to it as the Liberty Bell. Im told that the bell cracked after it rang the first time. Despite several recasts, it never produced the original jingle and remains today a silent icon of freedom.

The Pennsylvania State House that later became the Independence Hall is a shrine to Americans. It is the birth place of their nation. I opted for a guided tour of this site to be intrigued with stories hidden in the corners of this building. They risked everything their lives, fortune and their sacred honour for freedom, said the tour guide in his opening statement. He was referring to the great early Americans George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and others who joined hands in the Assembly Hall on 4 July 1776 to adopt the Declaration of Independence. While in that room, the guides commentary was so vivid and passionate that I could almost visualise the senators in their respective positions, either cheering or jeering over the proposed bill. Some of the original furnishings that remain to this day include George Washingtons rising sun chair and the inkstand that was used to sign the legendary declaration.

As we continued on our tour, there was even more history to absorb it was within the four walls of this building that George Washington was appointed the Commander of Chief in 1775, that the design of the new flag was agreed upon in 1777 and that Americas new constitution was drafted in 1787.

Americas journey towards freedom from colonial rule actually started in Boston in 1773 with the famously known Boston Tea Party, when 150 men thinly disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded three East India Company ships and dumped chests of tea into the harbor in protest against King George IIIs discriminatory policies with regard to selling of tea in the American colonies.

This was the first step towards Americas eventual break with the English rule, which sparked the summoning of the Continental Congress sessions for the colonies to unite and prepare for declaration of independence. Philadelphia was the logical choice as it was then Americas wealthiest and best-appointed city. The first congress was held at a building called the Carpenters Hall, which we visited next. It was built in 1770 as a meeting venue for a group of master builders. Rather tired, hungry and desperate for a drink, after that crash course in history, I ended up at the City Tavern for an interesting dining experience. Though the current building is an authentic recreation of the pub that occupied the spot in the 1770s, the ambience, dcor and the menu, such as the turkey pot pie or the pork loin oatmeal stout, recreated images of a bygone era. I felt as if I was enjoying a meal with the founding fathers of America who were relaxing after a hot contest on the fate of fledgling America. I

ncidentally, Philadelphia has another name Benjamin Franklins City the name holder being a runaway from Boston who made endless contributions to this city. After independence, he was the first American ambassador to France. It was worth spending some time in Franklins Court to know a bit more about this man. Another monument that boasts his name is the famous Benjamin Franklin Bridge over the Delaware River that connects Philadelphia with New Jersey and is the third longest suspension bridge in the world.

There was more of Philadelphia beyond the boundaries of this park, where colonial history complimented the flourishing present to create a unique urban culture. From the City Halls tower, I got unbeatable views of the city and at the Philadelphia Museum of Arts, the countrys third largest Museum of Arts, I had my fill of 19th century impressionists such as Van Gogh.

And finally, once my tour drew to a close, I had to indulge in that tastiest of Philadelphias traditions: specially prepared cheese steak. A sandwich roll stuffed with sliced grilled steak using fresh meat and melted American or Provolone cheese, grilled onions, mushrooms, tomatoes etc. It was splendid, with grease dripping out from the sandwich at every bite. This ones not for the calorie conscious, but I was happy with my attempt at being a real Philly boy.

Philadelphia is located 100 miles south of New York and 133 miles north of Washington DC and is connected conveniently by rail and road, with hourly trains and buses in both directions. There is also an international airport, connecting mainly to major destinations in Europe and North America. The Independence National Historical Park is open daily from 9 am till 5 pm. Entry to all sites is free, but be prepared for tight security screening.