On the Diversity of the City of Philadelphia

By Julia Kulchytska

Using public transportation instead of your own car gives you many opportunities to explore the city of Philadelphia; it even doesn't matter if you want to do this or not. On the other hand, it can put you in pretty dangerous circumstances, especially if you are not familiar with the city or you have no idea what you are doing. The significant feature of Philadelphia is that pretty and nice areas can be next to really bad ghetto neighborhoods. Someone who rides the route 23 bus down on Germantown Ave. can see that there is a huge difference between the one side of the street that is Chestnut Hill and another that is 20 minutes down on the street by bus. In the area of Germantown Ave., which crosses Chelten Ave., you can see there are many homeless people and abandoned houses without windows and doors. The streets are covered with trash. On every block there is a store advertising wigs and extensions. There are not many dining choices in these areas. The only places you can find to eat are McDonald's, Burger King and smaller fast food restaurants offering fried chicken.

A 20 minute bus ride down the same Germantown Ave presents an absolutely different picture. Fancy French and fine Japanese restaurants sparkle with Christmas lights and golden and red ribbons. Street lights are decorated with Christmas Tree branches and big bows. Cute boutiques, organic food stores, and cozy coffee shops make this part of Germantown Ave. perfectly suited for an affluent life.

City Avenue in Philadelphia is a literal line of division. On one side is the affluent Bala Cynwyd, home to multi room mansions complete with immaculate gardens and garages with fancy cars. On this side of town one can find Whole Foods to shop for organic produce and foods, toiletries and products of health and purity. Charming shops and shiny dealerships line the street as well as condos, doctors’ offices and clean shopping centers.

On the other side, however, is Overbrook. Save-a-Lot's, no-name shops and laundry mats are plentiful. Houses are small and filled with two or three generation worth of family. The streets are in need of repair and so are the cars.

The most fascinating part of the city is probably South Philadelphia. It's pretty easy to get there; just take the orange broad street subway line, ride a few stops and you are there! The most significant feature of South Philly is its diversity. Each neighborhood is like travelling to a different city with a distinctive flavor and feel. A Five minute walk can lead you into an entirely different enclave where you will encounter different ethnicities and income levels. South Philly is like a quilt of different neighborhoods and peoples.

The most popular area for younger people, especially college students, is Center City. It's always active, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. The center of Philadelphia has a very high income population, consisting of mostly Whites and Asians. Centre City is very beautiful too, especially Rittenhouse Square and City Hall!

Oh, this magnificent City Hall! It attracts and inspires writers, musicians, singers and couples who are in love. It's the heart of Philadelphia and is very noisy with people who are in a rush and swarms of traffic outside, but very quiet on the inside. You can feel the ancient spirit of the history that is protecting you from the urban routine. When you are there, you want time to stop, and it seems you have the whole eternity to look at clear topaz coloured sky and listen to an elegant violin player who comes there sometimes to leave the notes of his melodies in the stone walls of this castle.

After sunset the real fun starts. The city awakens. The clubs which boom with dance music, like “Rumors” or “Time” are crowded... Or there are more exotic places, like the 1925 cocktail lounge. This club in Center City is inspired by the burlesque era when woman would perform sultry dances for guests using feather costumes and props to create an unforgettable routine that empowers women's sexuality by celebrating the female figure.

Philadelphia is known for being a rough and tough place to live... but it also has old fashioned colossal architecture, beautiful parks with rivers, rocks and narrow trails. The lively night life and entertainment make the city just perfect for the life of a young explorer who lives their life and takes the best from it.

Julia Kulchytska was born in western Ukraine. She was dreaming about teaching career all her life that's why when she graduated from Pedagogical University she decided to come to the America to gain a new experience, knowledge and skills, so she can give her students more. Julia believes that her life purpose is helping others to find their way in this lifetime.  

Дата добавления: 2015-10-02