Ship's Bell from the Historic S. S. Cape May

When we travel we like to look for historical markers and historical sites that are a little bit off the beaten path. While vacationing down in Cape May, New Jersey, we stumbled upon this historical marker and reminder about the S. S. Cape May.

You'll find it at the Washington Street Mall on the brick walkway. The bronze historical marker containers the following information:

Ship's Bell
S. S. Cape May
Built 1943
Retired 1969
Length 417' 9" Beam 60' Draft 27' 6" Crew 49
Presented to city by U.S. Maritime Administration in 1974
Served in European War Zone in World War II
Later served in peacetime commerce
Plaque courtesy of Cape May Kiwanis Club ~ 1981

The ship's bell from the S. S. Cape May hangs in the center of a wooden platform with the wording Cape May written across the top. If you walk down the brick walkway that runs down the center of the Washington Street Mall, right across from the historic Lady of the Sea Church.

We have been to the Washington Street Mall several times over the past few years and never ran into it until our last trip down there. I can't believe we've missed seeing it all of these years! If your heading to the mall...make sure you check it out while you're there.

All Join Hands Visions of Peace Street Art Wall Mural in Philadelphia

Philadelphia is known as the city of "Brotherly Love" and "America's Birthplace", but did you also know that it's home to the world's largest outdoor art gallery? There are more than 3,800+ outdoor wall murals in Philly and that number continues to grow. The murals are collaborations between the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program and local citizens. You'll find thousands of beautiful murals painted on the outside walls of various buildings throughout the city.

Official Wall Mural Title: All Join Hands: Visions of Peace and is part of the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program.

Official Location: The wall mural is located on the buildings at Benjamin Franklin High School on 550 N. Broad Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Artist: Donald Gensler

About the Mural: The partnership between Mural Arts and Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial Board sought to raise awareness about youth violence in Philadelphia. Their objectives were to investigate causes of violence, and to talk solutions using art as phases of the mural project. The words in the mural are excerpts from poems written by both youth and adults.

Small Town Charm and Delicious Food at the Route 30 Diner in Ronks

The Route 30 Diner is located at 2575 Lincoln Highway East in Ronks, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. They're open 7-days a week from 6 AM to 8 PM. They serve your classic American breakfast (all day), lunch and dinner diner-style foods.

Menu Food Examples:

Breakfast: Fried Eggs, Pancakes, French Toast, Scrapple, Bacon, Ham, Toast, English Muffins, Home Fries, Omelettes, Poached Eggs, Fried Breakfast Steaks, Belgium Waffles, Fresh Fruits, Breakfast Wraps, Sticky Buns, etc.

Lunch & Dinner: Fried Chicken, Roasted Turkey, Meatloaf, Roast Beef, Steak, Chicken Tenders, Vegetable Platters, Gyro Platter, Fried Fish, Crab Cakes, Fried Shrimp, Chicken Pot Pie, Pork & Sauerkraut, Ham Steaks, Spaghetti and various homemade Soups & Salads.

On the day that we visited they weren't crowded at all. We stopped in for a late lunch/early dinner and were immediately seated. We were really impressed at all of the menu offerings that this small diner had to offer and everything was affordably priced.

My husband ordered the Roasted Turkey and I ordered the Chicken Tenders with a side of soup. Within 20 minutes of placing the order our meal was on our table. Everything was hot and cooked to perfection. After digging in...we both commented on how good our food tasted and how generous the portions were. Matter of fact, we had to get take-out boxes because we couldn't finish it all!

The Route 30 Diner is a small sized diner that is extremely-clean and offers excellent food. The waitress told us that they try to use as many fresh local ingredients that they can. Well, I can personally tell you that our food tasted fresh & delicious! We would definitely eat there again when visiting the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area.