So last weekend Mike and I made a last minute decision to take a little road trip. The weather was shaping up to be amazing and we were itching to hit the open road for an adventure. In the past we had heard a lot about the Lancaster/Strasburg Pennsylvania area and the array of railroad themed attractions they have there. What better location to take our little trainaholic? So we booked a hotel for two nights and off we went. (How cool are we? You totally wish we were your parents don't you?) Little did I know that we would get a big 'ol bonus in the form of some quilt making, technology shunning, horse and buggy driving folk called the AMISH! Oh my goodness people I am OB-SESSED. I love their little suspenders and bonnets. I am curious about the hair buns that the women wear because they are never ever permitted to cut their super long hair (does that mean no highlights either?!). I am amazed by the fact that they use no electricity what-so-ever (how do they dry that super long hair!?). I had heard of the Amish before, of course, but this was my first time seeing them live and in person and I'm telling you I could simply stare at them ALL.DAY.LONG. But not in an animal-in-the-zoo kind of way. More of a wonder and amazement kind of way. That's not at all inappropriate, right? I want to start a little vegetable farm in my backyard and hire an Amish family to tend to it for me. They will have names like Samuel and Rebecca and after a long day of work I will return home in the evening to find Rebecca leaving a fresh loaf of bread on our porch. A loaf that she spent the afternoon baking from scratch in the little barn house they built for themselves out back. Oh the Amish. I Love them. LOVE.THEM! Would want to BE them if they were allowed to go to Starbucks for Grande Skim Mochas. If loving the Amish is wrong I don't wanna be right!
(It's a bit out of control, no? Pretty sure I'm starting to scare Mike.)
So the first stop on our train-a-pooloza tour was the "Choo Choo Barn". Their website boasts "you've never seen anything like it!" and they definitely got that right. The attraction consisted of the biggest train layout you have EVER seen which was basically a replica of Lancaster. Not the best shot - but this kind of gives you an idea of the size of this thing:
There was a ski resort:
A wedding chapel (and what luck - there was a wedding taking place while we were there!):
There was a parade going down Main Street:
An aquarium (Yes those are real live fish in there! Crazy!)
This guy got so totally busted:
There was a barn raising (and they are AMISH! Be still my beating heart!)
And an old fashioned town baseball game - altho they sold no peanuts nor Cracker Jacks.
All seemed well and good at this ski chalet-esque house ...
but then...
FIRE!!!!!
Smoke actually came out of the hole in the roof!
Lucky for them the fire station was located right next door.
So the firemen drive to the house, then get out and unload the fire hose ..
They rescue the residents ...
Is it me can you see that rescued girl's skivvies!?
They climb the ladder ...
And then put out the fake fire with ACTUAL WATER!
Never seen anything like that, have you? Their website was RIGHT!
Jack was allowed to pick out a little something from the Choo Choo Barn gift shop. You're figuring he picked a train, right? Wrong.
Tractor, train, what's the diff!?
As we were perusing the gift shop Mike glances out the window and says "Oh look - an Amish farmer!" And I'm all what what WHAT?!!?!? I run outside camera in hand (sidenote: The Amish religon does not technically prohibit them from having pictures taken - it prohibits them from actually posing for pictures) and I start snapping away. I LOVE this shot. He looks like he's just exhausted, no? I call this one "Time to get a John Deere"
Then I believe he saw me ..
When I noticed that he was looking at me I ran as tho my life depended on it. I'm still not quite sure why.
On the way back to the hotel we stopped at Dunkin' Donuts to pick up some breakfast for the next morning. Jack simply could not wait until the next morning to indulge:
Then it was time for jammies - are these not the best jammies EVER?
And that brought train-a-polooza day one to a close. Now I must go watch Grey's Anatomy. In about an hour I'll be sobbing like a baby and wishing I never pressed play on the TiVo. Just a typical Thursday night. Damn that Grey's Anatomy!
To be continued .....
