Travels

I don't get out of Dodge often, so thought I would give you a travelogue of my latest adventure. I joined a travel club and am on my first trip. And no, I don't have a travel partner, nor do I know anyone on the trip, but I'm sure I will before it's over.

I have been to the western states but never to the east coast. So, I joined a group heading to Amish country in Lancaster, Pennsylvania at 4 AM on Monday morning (I did not book the flight!) and landed in Philadelphia by mid-afternoon. I was almost a little claustrophobic because I couldn't see out for all the trees. We have a wonderful guide and incredible bus driver.............all my cudos to them both.

Our chariot for the week.

We checked into an old tobacco warehouse for the next four nights. An incredible brick building decorated in an art deco style, but it all blends with the plank floors and timbered rooms. The walls are 12-18 inches thick. And everything all around me looks very similar... OLD. I don't think we understand "old" in the more recently settled West.

The first day out of the box I learned that if you are 15 minutes early, you are late. Okay, then. Our first day was a visit to Hersey, PA to visit the KING of chocolate. I was expecting "cheesy" tourist stuff. And it was all there... gift stores, theme park, roller coaster, but then we took a trolly ride around the entire town and got the "rest" of the story. The man, Milton Hersey, was absolutely incredible. With a 4th grade education and multiple

failures and bankruptcies behind him, he finally discovered how to blend milk with chocolate. He built the town, homes for his employees, businesses, the education system, hospitals, everything needed to provide for the people who worked for him. Talk about "bennys". To this day his trust provides an education...entirely free... to disadvantaged children. There is so much more that I haven't the room to share. Please, never feel guilty about buying Hersey candy if you want to help children get an education.

Following kisses from Mr. Hersey, we went to Bethel Methodist Episcopalian church for an underground railroad experience

and dinner. I had my first collard greens...and perhaps my last. They must be a southern thing. Stories were enacted by constumed actors and were interesting. The church had beautiful stained-glass windows that carried the message that this was a safe place for slaves to come for help. We also sang hymns that were encoded with information as to when and where to meet to escape along the way.

From there we roamed the dark alleys and

cobblestone streets of Lancaster to hear ghost stories, some horrific and others sweetly romantic. I finally drug myself back to the hotel about 9:30 and crashed.

Tomorrow is another full day.