Philadelphia and Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Leaving from Groton, Connecticut, we drove east to avoid New York City and spent one night in Accord, New York.  We encountered our first short bridge on the way to Accord, NY.  Our trailer is almost 12' tall and the bridge was only 11'.  Uh oh!  We were not too far from our destination so I called the campground and asked for their suggested route.  We arrived with no more problems and got backed in to a site and we didn't have to disconnect.  We were only staying one night. 

The next morning we drove to my Dad's Pocono home and we parked in the driveway this time since no one would be at the house for a week. 

Then we drove down to their Schwenksville house to have dinner.  We had a lot of mussels left so Al reheated them for us.  Still tasted great!

We had dinner with Dad & Barb several nights during our week there. 

Bacon wrapped stuffed chicken and carrots.

One day we went to the historical area of Philadelphia.  We could see Independence Hall from the outside but all the tickets for the tour inside were gone.  

Independence Hall was built between 1732 and 1756 and was the State House of the Colony of Pennsylvania.  

Two great documents took shape there.  The Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, set forth the founding principles of the new nation.  Eleven years later, in 1787, these principles were embodied in the United States Constitution, now the oldest written constitution in the world.

George Washington

 

The line to get in to see the Liberty Bell was too long and we've seen it several time before so we didn't wait.

Line to get in to see the Liberty Bell on the left

Viewing the Liberty Bell through the window.

The only tour open was Congress Hall so we did that.

Congress Hall served as the seat of the United States Congress from December 6, 1790 to May 14, 1800

Right across the street was a Wawa!  They have a cult following like Buc-ees in the south.  I love their sandwiches, soup, and soft pretzels!

Wawa, Inc. is an American chain of convenience stores and gas stations located along the East Coast of the United States, operating in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Florida.

 Other days Al helped my Dad with some projects around the house or we visited family and friends.

After a week it was time to continue on our journey west.  We drove from Schwenksville to the Poconos to pick up our trailer.  Then our first stop was Lancaster, Pennsylvania for two nights..  

Leaving the Poconos

 

 

Arriving at the Lancaster campground.

Campground buildings

 

 

On our full day in Lancaster we drove to Lititz to first go to the Julius Sturgis Pretzel store and museum where we got a tour for $3.75 each.  It was interesting and we got a free small bag of pretzels at the end.  We bought a couple bags of pretzels too.  Pretzels are my favorite snack food! 

 

Town of Lititz, Pennsylvania

 

  

The Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, founded in 1861 is the first commercial pretzel bakery in America; and the Sturgis Family is the oldest pretzel baking family in America.  

Julius Ferdinand Sturgis (1835-1897)
Founder of the bakery and the hard crispy pretzel.

This Coat of Arms was bestowed on the Pretzel Bakers of Vienna for their part in repulsing the Turkish Army early in the 16th Century.  The Turks had invaded Europe and threatened to take over the entire continent until they were stopped in Vienna in 1510.

The city under siege, had withstood every attack, so the Turks decided to tunnel under the defenses, working at night to disguise their plan.  The Viennese pretzel bakers who also worked at night, heard the digging, spread the alarm, and led the assault which turned back the underground attack, and defeated the Turkish Army.

The crest is still the pretzel bakers' emblem, and is displayed in many European bakeries..

Pretzel ovens

We got a pretzel rolling and twisting lesson.

Our certificate as an Official Pretzel Twister

Pretzel Ovens

A look inside the oven

Eventually came automation of the rolling and twisting with this machine.

Our free sample

Only in Lancaster, Horse & Buggy shaped Pretzels

On this site in 1861 Julius Sturgis established the first pretzel bakery in the new world.
This tablet dedicated by the National Pretzel Bakers Institute.
May 1951

Next we walked over to Wilbur Chocolates and bought a bag of their dark chocolate “buds”.  The buds are very similar in shape to Hershey's kisses but not individually wrapped.  I liked the buds better than kisses.

This shop was neat because we could watch the ladies making the chocolates.

all

Next we walked in the park and saw many ducks in the water area.  

 

 

We left the cute town of Lititz and drove to some Amish markets.  We loved seeing the barns and buggies along the way. 

Notice no electrical wires going to these farms as the Amish don't believe in using electricity.

Now this was a site!  An Amish man plowing a field with a team of horses!

Bird in Hand Farmer's Market

Buggy on the left and then another buggy on the right!  We really had to pay attention driving in this area.

Woopie pie

The Amish don't like to be photographed so I tried to respect that but we enjoyed seeing the hard working Amish people and hearing the clop clop sound of their buggies.  

Our next stop is Gettysburg National Military Park where we'll look for my grandfather's grave site.

Thanks for following along.