Day 14

I feel like I am home when I am in Lancaster County PA.  It is the heart of PA Amish country (or Armish as my sweet mom-in-law calls it.)  It is rolling hills dotted with farms as far as the eyes can see.  It harkens back to a time when things just ran at a slower, easier pace.  The homes are so beautiful and the true Amish are charming in their own way.  We stopped along the way to shop in quaint shops filled with antiques and knick knacks of all sorts.  I just cannot stop myself from wanting to stay here.  Anne treated us to a traditional Amish lunch.  It was so cool.  We went to a restaurant called Good and Plenty.  You are seated at a long table with others that you do not know and they bring out large amounts of fried chicken, butter noodles, mashed potatoes, cooked pickled beets, homemade bread roast beef and home made sausage.  This is served with lemonade or tea and fresh churned butter and apple butter.  You cannot imagine how awesome it is.  You eat as much as you want and they just keep bringing it out.  Dessert includes cherry cheesecake, homemade ice cream, shoo fly pie, cherry pie and something called cracker pudding.  All were amazing but I loved the shoo fly pie.  It is kind of like a pecan pie without the pecans, and baked with molasses.

We then went to Abe's carriage rides and went on a 2 mile ride in a traditional Amish horse and buggy. It was so nice.  Our driver was named Paul and he was what they called "T Mennonite".  They are close to Amish, but are allowed to have air conditioning and a phone in their homes, but still do not drive cars.  Mennonites can drive cars.

For a community so cloistered, it seems funny that their towns have names like Intercourse, Virginville, and Blue Ball...

On our way home we stopped to buy some home made root beer.  Terri and I were very thirsty and really looking forward to this treat.  As we opened our jars of this concoction, we ask the young Amish boy who and how this was made.  He said his mother made it with root beer extract, sugar and yeast.  She then let sit for a few days.  As we tasted it we realized that it indeed was a form of beer.  Not truly alcohol, but fermented non the less.  It was really nasty.  We did like the jars it came in.

We did enjoy our day in Amish country.  I always look forward to coming here when ever I am in PA. It holds such a special place in my heart.  On our way home as we passed farms belonging to the Yoders, the Zucks, the Stoltzfuss' and the Zimmermans, we noticed a couple riding bikes.  The lady was wearing an 80's style romper dress.  Terri said, "Oh look at that Amish couple."  I quickly corrected her, "Terri, that is not Amish, that is just tacky."

Over and Out,
The Wagon Queens.