We had two nice flights to Charlotte - then to PHL. The weather here was great - in the 60s. We took a cab to our hotel just a block south of city hall on Broad St.
First thing we did was go to the Reading Train Terminal Market - over 100 years old - and eat at my favorite Dutch "counter." You are served great Pennsylvania dutch food by amish girls with sugar scoops on.
Then - Lulu went to a meeting at the ALISE convention. I walked east to Independence Hall - took the tour - and then walked back to our hotel. I probably took about 4500 kids on that tour in the past - it never fails to impress me - when I walk into the room where they started our country on July 4, 1776.
Nancy came home at 5 - then we took the subway - the Broad St line - south to the Wachovia Arena. This was our first game we have seen there - right next to the old Spectrum - where we enjoyed many Sixers games. The new arena is spacious and beautiful.
Outside - it is illegal to scalp tickets and it is highly enforced. Several scalpers approached us and the first thing they ask is if you are a cop. They were asking about $75 a ticket - but came down a bit quickly. I told them I would get in for $20 - and sit courtside for that price - this would send them up the wall - whining. After asking a cop if it was okay to buy tickets - they said that they arrest sellers - not buyers. So Lulu and I held up 2 fingers. One nice fella came over with two excellent tickets - $38 face value - exactly at midcourt - row 13. I offered my $20 - and he accepted and walked in with us. He proceeded to the front row at half court - he was a Temple fan for years - reminded me of my old neighbor Lee.
Our seats were excellent and it was 50 minutes before game time. Lulu called her cousin Ruth Ann - and she said she was going to the game. We looked for them and finally found them in their seats. We visited - then went back to our seats for the game.
Duke was good - not great - leading the whole game by about 15-20. Temple made a late run and got it down to 8. It ended with a Temple hoop at the buzzer to make the score Duke by 10. The spread was 11.5 - so that last basket - made a lot of Duke gamblers angry - Temple beat the spread - and Temple fans had won the mob bets.
We got on the subway - and it was packed - they were literally pushing folks in. The Temple students were going back to campus - and must have been happy - because there was a lot of singing in the train. It is always amazing to watch NY and PHL fans interact - they hate each other. All you have to do is wear a Mets or Giants hat here - and the fans give you crap.
It is supposed to be in the 50s here to day and then rain - more what we expected - tomorrow in the 40s.
Our Park Hyatt Bellevue Strattford Hotel is old but great. This is where the famous Legionaires Disease killed all those folks from a bacteria almost 30 years ago. Our room is superb - just way too ornate for me. Lots of patterns.
There is an exclusive shopping mall in the bottom of our hotel - Williams Senoma and places like that.
Today - Lulu has lots of meetings - and I am free to do what I want.
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