Amish Stuff
For today from Washington we were headed north west to visit Gettysburg & Amish country. First stop however was Arlington National Cemetery. It was established toward the end of the Civil War and today its nearly 640 acres is the final resting place of nearly 400,000 military personal.
We visited the grave of John F Kennedy and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier – such a solemn place !
We drove from Washington DC into Viriginia to Arlington then into Maryland before moving back into Pennsylvania again – this time much further east than we had been previously.
Driving on our next stop was Gettysburg National Military Park. The cemetery was created after the decisive Civil War battle which took place there between July 1 and 3 in 1863 when Union forces repelled attach by the Confederate Army and many argue this to have been a turning point in the war for the Union Army. Four months later, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address on the battlefield.
We first watched a film narrated by Morgan Freeman which outlined the events of those 3 days and the movements of troops during the battles taking place. We then viewed a “cyclorama” – a cylindrical painting – which was painted by fench artist Paul Dominique Philippoteaux. It depicts Pickett’s Charge, the failed infantry assault that was the climax of the Battle of Gettysburg. The intended effect is to immerse the viewer in the scene being depicted, often with the addition of foreground models and life-sized replicas to enhance the illusion. The completed original painting travelled the country and was met with critical acclaim at the time as to its accuracy. It was 22 feet (6.7 m) high and 279 feet (85 m) in circumference. The version that hangs in Gettysburg is a painstacking restoration done in 2005 and is 42 feet (13 m) high and 377 feet (115 m) in circumference.
We then visited the battlefield – which is huge – and stopped for our coffee at a picnic area before heading the the point where Lincoln delivered his speech.
We then moved on to Lancaster where we were staying the night. Lancaster is home of the largest Amish community in the USA. The Amish community here is also the oldest such community in the country. The Amish arrived in Lancaster in the 1720’s, escaping persecution in Europe and seeking a better life for themselves and their families. In Europe, they had been persecuted for their conservative Christian faith, but in Pennsylvania, they would thrive.
It seemed to us that the main road through the area had become a bit over-commercialised, with signs reading “Amish Stuff” advertising various wares for sale. Most of the buggies to be seen were providing tourist rides rather than just acting as a means of transport for them. It wasn’t until we took a back road across country that a more rural looking expectation of the way they live “a simple life” seemed more appropriate to that perception.
We stayed at the Country In & Suites in Lancaster which just happened to be next door to an outlet centre so Liam got his first taste and picked up a couple of bargains. For dinner we walked along the street to try the Lonhorn Texas Steakhouse but there was an hour wait for a table. We tried Applebees and Lancaster Taproom & Grill and they also had hour waits. We decided to wait at the Taproom and it took us about 35 minutes to get a table. We had a great meal as they were having their “Octoberfest” menu – but it was dark when we left which doesn’t ofetn happen with our “normal” dinnertime in the USA 😂! Anyway, we managed to dodge the trucks to get across the highway back to our hotel !
