"West Philly Wonderland"

I must admit, the title is borrowed from Brandon Brown's picture gallery. This picture is also one of Brandon's. What looks like a snowy scene from a New (or Old) England suburb, is actually Cobbs Creek Parkway. Cobbs Creek is far from a suburb, existing in one of the toughest parts of Philadelphia, beginning at 61st and Baltimore Ave. Phildelphia has had 122 inches of snow over the past two winters, making snow history for the city.

Philadelphia has always been a wonder to me because despite the violent and unkempt sections, there are always places of peace and tranquility not far. There are rivers, lots of forests, and wildlife that can be appreciated if given the chance. In fact, this area used to be a prominent Quaker farming ground.

Cobbs Creek might be more famously known for the 1985 MOVE bombing, which destroyed 2 city blocks and 65 homes in a massive fire. The Philadelphia Police Department was directed to raid the compound of a African-American activists group who stood against tecnology and promoted a natural way of living. Eleven people were killed, including 5 children, in what many have called an inhumane and injust raid.