Joyeux Noel from my neck of the woods

 Red bows have come to town

they are everywhere

                                            doorways are ready to welcome friends and family

and everywhere you look there are trees

                                                       Tiffany's windows with miniature trees

                                                    some peeping behind Tiffany blue doors

                                                                        shopping malls

                                                           and hotel lobbies, all getting ready

                                                            Christmas time street food 

make time for a cup of Christmas Tea

all while we wait for Father Christmas to arrive

                                                                     HO HO HO

                                                          Have a Joyeux Noel Everyone!

Go Army, Beat Navy

Yikes, I haven't been here in a while, but I have been to Philadelphia.....

                                                         Home of a very beautiful City Hall,

                                                            A German Christmas market,

                                                                       and the Liberty Bell

and when you are done with the monuments and buildings, you go and look at food!!

The famous Reading Market was just bustling with locals and tourists, all with food on their minds.

It didn't take me long to find the macarons - sadly there were the only four I found...chocolate peppermint or walnut latte..I should have tried them both.
I wasn't keen on the "puddings" - the display was even scary.

now this place got my attention,

with lots of almost French looking desserts

and of course the cheeses

even a beef jerky selection, wow!

I did sneak a photo of some of the cooks/servers.  Amish country is nearby

back out on the streets we came across the artistic side of Philly

nice old buildings with details....

                           and waiting for carols on the organ and for it to snow inside this Macy's.

                                                 but back to the real reason for being in Philly.....

to see America's Game - the streets were lined with banners

                                                       the Army band was arriving

                                           and so was a steady stream of men and women in uniforms

                          to see the real action, getting to the stadium 3 hours early was a requirement.

                                            that's when the Army and Navy cadets paraded in.

                                        the finest of finest...Annapolis Naval Academy Cadets

and the West Point Cadets 

                                                                      it was a grand sight!

 I wasn't the only one taking photos.....and a proud mum requesting he zoom in on her son.

the other usual formal stuff before the game....one of those dark suites is the Vice 

President (of the USA)

the salute

                                         next up was a card stunt, our seats held our playing piece

 following the National anthem, we all held up our cards...my camera is peeking through my vision cutout.

the people below us holding their cards

how wonderful they looked in those uniforms.....

the blue phone looked out of place....

                                    and finally I saw where, and how they got to their pockets

 the game...well Navy beat Army, for the 11th year in a row.

                                       it was dark when we left and headed to Chinatown for dinner.