The Event ~ Philly and More. . .

For some reason I always wanted to go to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and see Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.  I wouldn't consider myself a history buff, but there was a yearning to see a part of where America got it's start.   Now that I've been there, I am filled with desire to relearn history and filled with a greater appreciation of the forefathers who founded America.

Philadelphia was great.  It was interesting to see what I once studied in history books.  All kids should have an opportunity to see these tributes as they study American history.

However, the best part of our 10-day trip back east was the beautiful countryside, away from the traffic of the city.  We can drive and drive and drive through rural countrysides, but neither Tim nor I have a desire to be a part of big city traffic.

And travel the country roads we did!  We discovered Lancaster County - known for the 2nd largest Amish settlement in America.  Three days in that area was not long enough.

We had the privilege to have our own non-commercial tour of an Amish dairy farm, a personal buggy ride with Jake Esh, the farmer; and a personal invite into an Amish home for dinner.

I have much respect for the Amish community and their way of life.  They have hung unto their values and the simplicity and sacred things this country was founded on, and have not let technology steer them away from family, faith and lifestyle. I'm not saying I don't appreciate technology and progress that we have come to enjoy, but I do recognize that we have allowed the same to corrupt the home and family environment. 

We enjoyed browsing through a large farmers market in Ephrata.  The Amish baked goods were awesome and delicious.  Tim bought a new leather belt handmade by an Amish leather craftsman.

The food, especially in Pennsyalvania and Lancaster County, was the best.  The warm pretzels that were so popular, the famous whoopie pies, the shoo-fly pie, the huge smorgasboards in Pennsylvania Dutch country.    We stopped in  Dundalk, Maryland, east of Baltimore, just to eat at the Boulavard Diner which was featured in Guy Fieri's Diners, Dives and Drive-Ins.  I had to try the show's  featured sour beef and dumplings, and Tim went for the meatloaf tower!

Our most favorite eating place was the Historic City Tavern in Philadelphia where we enjoyed a great meal, new beers, and Martha Washington's famous chocolate dessert.  It is the same tavern that George Washington and other president's ate in, and the meals were all served by staff in period costume.

We also walked to Reading Terminal in Independence Square in Philly and orderd what was declared the best sandwich in America on a recent Food Channel sandwich contest.   Reading Terminal is a huge farmers market with eating counters where one can eat ANY ethnic food imaginable!  A great fun place to experience!

The countryside was dotted with covered bridges.  I wish we could have seen more than the 6-7 we came upon.  There is such an ambience about covered bridges.

We enjoyed a beautiful 66 mile scenic drive on Skyline Drive on the peaks of Shenendoah Mountains.  The day was 80 degrees, 35 mph, driving with the windows down and stopping at all the overlooks to take in the beauty of the Shenendoah Valley.

President Eisenhower's farm

We enjoyed a full day at Gettysburg where the Civil War was fought.  Again, history came to life, and I wish I remembered more from the history books.

Part of the battleground on which the Civil War was fought.



We enjoyed a tour of the Luray Caverns in Virginia, an underground cavaern of stalactite and stalagmite formations.

We visited the North shore of Chesapeak Bay

We enjoyed the wonderful musical theatrical production of Jonah while in Lancaster County.

It was a beautiful road trip, enjoying the fall colors at their peak!

We made it home one day before the historic Hurricane Sandy, the worst storm in the history of the US hit the very areas that we travelled through in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland.

It was a very eventful and relaxing trip.  I thought I could easily live  in Pennsylvania until I realized it still wasn't far enough from the eastern coast to avoid the effects of strong hurricanes.  I think I will live in western Nebraska for all the remaining days of my life.  But I want to enjoy many more roadtrips. . .

It was an eventful trip filled with many eventful memories!