I placed my hand on his thigh. I leaned over across the van and whispered..."Hey Baby, How would you feel about a lil' Intercourse?"

He laughed and said, "Yeah, I'm feeling cheap too."

We were in a long line waiting to get into the parking lot of the annual Kutztown Festival in Kutztown, Pennsylvania.

We had gone last year to the festival when I was 27 months pregnant and the size of a small stadium. My ankles swollen to the size of pie plates trying to keep up with my hubby's 60 something very athletic and energetic parents. My mind flashed back to the 90 degree day where we stopped at a beer tent and I watched green with...well envy this time..(when I was pregnant chances are I could have been green with ANYTHING)..while the three of them enjoyed icy brews while I sipped on my $5.00 lemonade.

Bad memories in tow and finally seeing the sign that announced that it would be $2.00 to park and $8.00 per person to get in..I waved the map at hubby.

"I can have you in Intercourse in about 30 minutes," I taunted. I directed him farther south on route 222 until we turned off through winding two lane roads.

We rode passed meticulous farmland. The crops patterned like patchwork quilts. Large wooden windmills loomed over enormous farmhouses. Sparkley white cows with jet black spots ate emerald green grass. It was like driving through the land of Oz. Everything was clean. Everything was tidy and the locals were a sight to see all on their own.

We passed several black buggys, most of them enclosed. Some of them were "converta-bugs" (a name hubby came up with for open air buggys). The buggys were drawn by tall, majestic black and dark brown steeds.

The inhabitants were long bearded men without mustaches, dressed in black. The women were dressed in long sleeved cotton dresses and white linen bonnets.

We drove passed a river with a small waterfall. Sitting on the banks were a group of Amish women dipping thier toes in the water on this unbelievably hot day. Still in their long dresses with long sleeves.

The Amish are people that choose to live in a simpler way than most Americans. They are very religious. They shun electricity and modern conveniences.

Finally we reached out destination. Intercourse, Pa in Lancaster County.

Intercourse is a teeny tiny little town. A main road passes through its heart. The street is lined with quaint craft stores and antique shops boasting "Amish made quilts" or "Amish made teddy bears" or what ever wares they offer...guaranteed to be "Amish made".

We saw many buggys much to our soon-to-be-one-year-old's delight. I normally keep a camera in his diaper bag but forgot it this day. Not to worry...the Amish prefer that you not take thier picture. Please respect this rule if you visit! I have a friend that told of going to Amish country when she was in high school. Her girlfriend took a picture of an Amish or Mennonite man without asking permission. He smashed her camera.

After visiting every opened store in Intercourse (Note: if you go..many stores are closed on Sundays) we hopped back in the minivan and tooled on down the road to Bird-in-Hand, Pa. DON'T BLINK! DON'T SNEEZE!

There are several bed and breakfasts in this area and a few small "ma and pa type hotels." There is a shopper's village where you can find baskets, quilts and other crafty items. A few homey restaurants. You can visit the "Amish Experience" for about $6.00 (We did not..we were feeling cheap remember?) that will give you more information about the Amish culture.

You can visit an "Amish" farm or even go on a buggy ride all for a price.

Just 4 miles down the road is Strasburg. You will know you are there when you see a big black cloud of smoke billowing over the picturesque landscape. This is the Stasburg Railroad. You can take a ride on an historic steam engine through the farmland and then stop for an icecream when you are done.

Just down the road from there is the city of Lancaster. Lancaster appeared to be a cute community for the most part. One wrong turn and you go from quaint to scummy. A neighborhood of brownstones with beveled glass doors and stained glass windows can quickly turn into run down apartment houses with abandoned shopping carts lurking outside of them if you aren't paying attention.

In the middle of town is the prison. While it has all the outside charm of a historic landmark it is a real, working PRISON. There was a line of visitors waiting to get in to see thier loved ones or clients.

Not far from here is a lovely park with biking and hiking trails and a playground and an historic "plantation" (it looked like a house on a small farm to me..but I guess if you are going to rave about it as a wedding hall..you call it a plantation.)

All in all...our adventure to Intercourse was worth much more than the $18.00 we would have spent JUST TO GET IN to the Kutztown Festival. It is however, a day trip. I don't think I could spend more than a weekend down here, unless you reeeeeeeeally like the person you go with and you are staying in a reeeeeeeeally romantic bed and breakfast.









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