We are on our way to The Big Apple but there are two stops we want to make first- Amish country and chocolate land. It is still raining as we drive through Lancaster, PA which has a large population of Amish- about 31k. The horse & buggy looks like an impressionistic painting via our wet windshield.
The Amish do not believe in using electricity in their homes. Some have cell phones but they are not allowed in the house and are strictly used for business. They will have a generator in their barn that powers an air pump in the kitchen for running a mixer, sewing machine, washing machine, etc. Their lights are powered by a propane tank which is moved from room to room as needed. The fridge runs on propane too. It is a simple, humble life.
All of their clothes are handmade and everyone dresses the same. If you are single, getting married, or getting buried, then women wear a white apron over their dress. They are buried in the same dress they are married in! Since Amish do not wear wedding rings, a white apron on a girl means she is single and no beard on a guy means he is single. All married men have beards and dress in black. Women do not wear any patterned dresses- only solid colors.
What is wrong with this doll? It does not have a face…the Amish believe that we are all alike in the eyes of God. It is also why they do not like photos and do not like to have their pictures taken.
When Amish teenagers turn 16, they can leave their family and go out to explore the world (drink, smoke, do drugs, have wild sex, etc.) . Breaking all the rules is encouraged by their parents and is called Rumspringa. It is a time when teenagers can decide if they are serious about commitment and want to be baptized in the Amish faith. About 82% do decide to continue in the Amish tradition. This guy wishes he was a teenager…
After our quick tour of Amish country we were on our way to experience the town that has Hershey kisses for street lights!
Before we parked the campervan for the evening, we had a nice dinner at the massive Troegs Brewery in Hershey. Douglas did the tasting.
Our campsite was at the official Hershey RV park which was pretty standard. The only perk is you get early admittance to Hershey Park before the crowds start roaring in at 10 a.m, and you can buy just about any Hershey product in the camp store. We were outside the park entering Hershey’s Chocolate World around 10:30 and it was a flash mob of kids and families. Inside you go on an animated ride through a fake chocolate factory which dumps you out into a Hershey store to buy stuff that is really bad for you. There were many people who had their shopping carts loaded to the brim. BTW, Hershey makes Reese’s, Jolly Ranchers, Twizzlers, Pay Day, and a bunch of other junk food we all should stay away from, but don’t.
