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Travel Back In Time. New Wilmington, PA. Amish Country.

October 7, 2018 / TRAVELS & PLACES / 0 comments

Hello, travel bugs! You may have read my travel diary when I went to the quaint little town of Lawrence Country, called Volant, PA. Link HERE. In that trip, I detailed my desire to see the rural life, especially to see the Amish and check out their businesses and some other shops. Volant, PA is a very scenic sleepy little town that will truly put you in the mood for some fresh air and peaceful disposition. I found several Amish stores there and did see some Amish people but never really interacted with them. I would say that Volant was a place that showcases Amish shops and businesses but it wasn’t really where you could actually see their way of life. To truly get a glimpse of the real Amish culture, I knew I would have to go elsewhere. I had two places in mind – either visit Lancaster, PA or check out New Wilmington, PA. Last Spring, I decided to visit the latter.

Why did I decide to visit Wilmington, PA? And why was I so interested with the Amish people? Well, New Wilmington seemed like the most feasible place for me to visit, and also, I saw a really interesting Amish Tour from there. For the second question, I have always been fascinated with Amish people. I’m curious about their way of life and how they really live in this fast-changing modern world. Also, I wondered what it’s like to be an Amish? Would I be able to survive in a simple fuss-free lifestyle, devoid of my beloved cellphone and makeup? LOL. Oh my, probably not.

New Wilmington, PA is about an hour drive from its closest populous city, Pittsburgh, PA. I’ve seen an Amish tour there that I’ve been so curious about and have always wanted to book it. It’s called “Simple Life Tours”, and it’s rated highly in Tripadvisor.com. The Simple Life Tour is a personal private tour with a vehicle that will take you up close and personal with the Amish. The tour guide is Susan, a sweet, lively, and friendly lady who grew up in New Wilmington, PA and have been doing business with the Amish for years. She also happens to be the former owner of The Tavern on the Square Restaurant that features Amish-style country cooking. This restaurant also serves as the meeting place for the Amish tour. When I met Susan, she told me how she came into the tour business while running the most iconic restaurant in town. She said that her restaurant guests would ask her where they could see the Amish. At first, she would just tell them to drive around some roads. But Amish people can be hard to locate, and you definitely need a local as a guide. So she decided to ask permission to some Amish business owners to let people visit their shops. She also said that most Amish don’t market or advertise their businesses well and that some people may feel uncomfortable visiting Amish shops, apart from not knowing them. So her tour is meant to give the Amish the exposure needed for their businesses and to let people avail them.

Susan’s Simple Life Tour is very friendly and respectful to the Amish. She told me that Amish people are very shy and that they don’t like their photos being taken. She answered several questions of mine regarding the Amish way of life, their culture, and she took me to several Amish businesses. She said these people became her friends with time and that she almost feels like they’re part of her family. According to her, the Amish people at New Wilmington are part of the Old Order Amish, that means they’re more traditional.

The tour started with a car stop outside an Amish house. It looked very minimalist, clean, and with several clothes hanging on a clothesline. Susan said it’s a typical Amish house and that most Amish houses are like that – white-painted with a blue door. She mentioned that Amish women use wringer washer to wash their clothes, which adheres to their technologically restricted lifestyle.

Next up, we stopped at a covered bridge where some Amish Buggies would pass by. I took my selfie there, LOL. We then continued and passed by an Amish School House where Susan mentioned that Amish kids typically go to school only up to the eighth grade. Further, she pointed to a lone phone box that pretty much resembles a wooden phone booth and it was situated several yards away from most Amish houses. She said Amish people can use the phone box in times of emergency or even to call a cab, but it should always be farther away from their homes. Susan explained to me how the entire Amish community helps each other in times of need, they are very united in that sense.

I saw several Amish men at work, either plowing their fields with their horses, working in a dairy factory, or making different types of furniture. FYI, Amish people make the best quality furniture ever at a much lower price than most furniture stores, provided that you buy directly from them. Now if you’re wondering how they could build such solid high-quality chairs and tables without electricity, well, the Amish men use a diesel generator to help with their work.

My favorite part of the tour was visiting the local Amish Dry Goods Store that is exclusive to the Amish community. I had the chance to get a good glimpse of what’s inside and was able to purchase some homemade stuff, as well as some handmade items from that store. I also talked to some Amish kids who were working there, they were shy but they were very courteous as well. There were two little boys which have cute hairstyles and they were holding a map. The asked me to point on the map where I came from, and they put a mark on it. LOL! I must have been an alien to them. I did sense that they seem to have a slight accent. As you all know, Amish people speak Pennsylvania Dutch, especially among each other. They learn English in school. If you ask me how a Pennsylvania Dutch sounds like, is it more German or is it more Dutch? I’d say, it’s all German to me, LOL!

Halfway through our tour, we took a look at an Amish Souvenir Store that sells a mix of quilts, pastries, pieces of furniture, as well as some other handmade items. Here we were greeted wholeheartedly by several little Amish kids with a cute Pug running toward us. They’re so cute and so friendly, and they were waiting for Susan’s gifts. They wanted to play some games with Susan’s phone and they seem to be really fascinated by it. Oh, I bet they would love to play my favorite game- Gardenscapes. LOL.

Our final stop was at an Amish Greenhouse that was full of gardening accessories as well as several different kinds of flowers and some other plants. I talked to two Amish kids whose parents are the owners of the Greenhouse and they also have two cute and chubby dogs that greeted us as we entered. Susan told me that the dogs are fat because they like to raid and eat the eggs of the chickens, LOL, and on top of that, they also beg for some treats from Susan. Ha! What a nice life, right? I definitely won’t mind being an Amish dog. LOL.

All throughout my stroll and drive around the area, I saw a lot of Buggies on the road and they are pretty much everywhere there. It was nice to see something so different from my normal environment, and I had learned a lot and admired the Amish’s simple way of life. My trip to New Wilmington, PA was definitely one of my most unique and unforgettable tours.

Before I left New Wilmington, I made a stop at The Tavern On The Square and chatted with the new owners which are both very kind and very friendly. I had a nice meal where I ordered their Hand-Battered Cod with Fresh Brewed Iced Tea. My meal came with a crisp garden salad, a cup of soup, and of course, their very famous Tavern Sticky Buns. The food was amazing!

To visit New Wilmington, PA and get a glimpse of the Amish way of life, you can book a tour at Simple Life Tours by Susan Hougelman. Click HERE

Lake Erie

May 19, 2018 / TRAVELS & PLACES / 0 comments

A couple of months ago, I did an amazing trip to Volant, PA, a borough well-known for its Amish community. You can read about that trip HERE. The same day of that trip, I didn’t only decide to see Volant, I also went to Lake Erie for the first time. I’ve heard amazing things about this place and I wanted to see and experience it for myself.

Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake in North America and is situated between Ontario Canada and some of the East Coast States, namely: Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Michigan. It’s about an hour and thirteen minutes away from Volant by car, and if you’re coming from Philly, it’ll take about six hours and thirty minutes drive to get there. If you’re from Pittsburgh, then it’s closer, which will take about one hour and fifty minutes drive, give or take. Before I reached Lake Erie, I stopped at the Grove City Outlets, which is about 17 minutes from Volant, in order to get some snacks, stretch my legs, and also to check out some good deals. I probably stayed there for about an hour or so, and then I continued towards Erie. The drive there was pretty smooth on a temperate afternoon. As I was approaching Lake Erie, I was amazed by how familiar it looked even if I actually had never been there. It had that sort of Santa Monica California vibe. There were small shacks and rows of seafood restaurants lining down the street, and you could see some rental canoe stores and stuff you’ll need to do a complete water adventure. You could see some parts of the lake peeking through as you approach the Presque Isle State Park, which was my main destination. In those tiny entrance corners of the lake, there were families with kids splashing around and playing around. There were also some people with swimming gears. As I continued towards the entrance of Presque Isle Park, which is a peninsula that overhangs out of Lake Erie, I saw that it’s actually gated and it looked very much like a peaceful sandy park surrounded by this vast body of clear water. There weren’t a lot of people in the park, but there were a few that drove around or had their cars parked along the road to enjoy the view of the lake. I went through a narrow windy road where you could see some boats close to the shore as the view of the lake unfolds.

I was looking for a nice view where I could stop by and take some photos. I continued driving towards the long windy road where I saw a sign that warned me to be careful with wild animals crossing, and that’s when I almost ran over a group of wild turkeys slowly making their way across the road. Oh, my heart leaped out of my chest. Thank God, I managed to stop the car on time and everything was fine. The turkeys took their time to cross while I breathed a sigh of relief. I thought I would have an early Thanksgiving, lol.

As I continued, I saw a really nice view of the lake where it almost looked like I was on the beach; complete with all the sands, the waves, and the sun. There were people strolling there, some barefoot, and some were just trying to fly their kites. I decided to park around there and took a nice long stroll. I pretty much like the area, it was nice to hear the waves roaring again as it reaches the shore. I have not seen the beach nor the sea in a very long time, so a nice large lake like this would certainly do for me. I love the peacefulness and the serenity of it all and photographing the sandy lake never disappoints.

It got pretty chilly later on and I realized it was almost very late in the afternoon. So, as soon as I finished my stroll, I decided to keep driving around the lake until I reach the way to turn back. Before I reached the exit, I stopped again looking for a restroom and decided to take one last stroll within the park. Unfortunately, I didn’t quite like the restrooms in the place; they weren’t very sanitary, especially the portable ones. I suggest you use the designated restrooms close to the very exit whenever you visit this place, as it’s a lot cleaner even though you may have to bring your own toilet paper. Apart from that, the grounds of the park looks really clean, and the lake is well-preserved as well. It’s a quaint and magical place to be. The park seems peaceful and quite romantic. There were a lot of birds to see and I think you could probably do some fishing (with a license) as well.

I didn’t feel like leaving the place so soon, I was really enchanted by its unique beauty, but as I looked at the time, I decided I’d better get back since I’ll have a long drive ahead of me. I decided to have a quick dinner before driving back and had looked for a restaurant to dine at. I found this Japanese restaurant just right in front of Presque Isle Park entrance, called Samurai Kitchen + Sushi. Its got really good reviews on Yelp, so I decided to go there and I got seated immediately. Oh well, much to my dismay, the food took too long to arrive and the taste was just ok, given how much they cost. So I don’t really recommend it. I suggest you find someplace else to dine around there, and if you’re from the area, please send me an email as to which restaurants around are great. I do plan on coming back pretty soon.

Driving back was funny and scary because I noticed a gazillion of these weird bugs reflecting my headlights and smashing down my windshield, to the point that I had to turn my wipers on because they were staining the glass and obstructing my view. I thought they were mosquitoes. I honestly had no idea what they were and thank God I did arrive home safe very late that night. Days later, I found out that they’re called lovebugs.

Overall, I really love my visit to Volant and this trip to Lake Erie just sweetened the deal. I highly suggest that you visit this place especially if you’ve never been here before. It’s such a beautiful, serene, and magical beauty of nature. I could imagine myself strolling or running along the lake, taking photos and being able to enjoy the calmness of it all or to even just listen to the birds. If only Lake Erie is nearby.

To read more about Lake Erie and Presque Isle State Park, click HERE

Volant, PA

October 4, 2017 / TRAVELS & PLACES / 0 comments

Hello guys! My apologies for not being constant with my postings lately. I’m currently truly, madly, deeply, busy but I hope things will start to simmer down in a few days soon. Thank you very much for your understanding and please check out my Instagram regularly as I’ll be posting more stuff there in the days to come.

As what I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been in a couple of trips lately and will still have to do more. For this particular travel log, I divided this down into two parts as I pretty much went to two sights in one day. Both are very nice and wonderful places to see.

A few weeks ago, I went on a trip to a little borough in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania called Volant. Actually, I planned to go and see Lake Erie and wanted to drop by somewhere to see an Amish village. I thought of going to Lancaster PA at first, but it’s really not on the way to Lake Erie and I only have a day to do both. Someone told me that there are few little Amish villages on the way to Erie, and one of them is Volant. In case you’re wondering why do I wanna visit an Amish town, oh well, I’ve always been curious and I wanted to take a break from the usual city life. It seems like a trip to a nice and quiet Amish town will be exciting. And of course, yeah, I’ve seen TLC’s Breaking Amish show, lol.

Volant is about an hour away from Pittsburgh and is very close to Grove City where there’s outlet shopping. It’s also an hour and 28 minutes away from Lake Erie. I drove there and most of the road throughout the trip was pretty flat and smooth. It was nice to see the leaves slowly changing their colors to prepare for Fall. I went there early morning and the temperature is a bit cool and fresh. The sceneries during the trip were nice although I started noticing that my phone was losing coverage as I was approaching Volant. Suddenly the road started to get narrower and narrower and was getting windier and windier. There were lots of cornfields around and my phone’s signal was pretty much fluctuating until there was a point that I didn’t have any coverage for a couple of minutes. I started breaking out in a sweat as I looked around, and all I see were vast and never-ending cornfields. I was like “oh no! I could die in here and nobody’s gonna know”, but anyhow, as soon as I got passed that silly imagination, I reached an intersection and saw the quaint little town of Volant.

The air was fresh and cool when I parked near Volant Mills, which I understood as the main attraction/store of the town. At the entrance of Volant Mills, I saw an Amish lady greeting people and the store had a very vintage feel. I really like it and I saw a lot of unique products that are composed mostly of Halloween/Fall stuff plus some handmade rugs, decors, curtains, candles, soaps, etc. I noticed that not all of the products were Amish-made, so I decided to pick up a few preserves that were locally made in Volant (which I assume were made by the Amish) and some wooden Amish figurines as souvenirs. Volant Mills has three floors, with the third one being more of an exposition/mini museum for a few traditional Amish clothing and memorabilias mix with a few gardening/decor products. If you don’t have cash, don’t worry, because the store accepts all major credit cards.

After Volant Mills, I got hungry and realized that it was almost time for lunch, I saw that there were a few Amish ladies selling some preserves and baked goodies, and another group selling some delicious-looking Amish donuts. I wanted one, but I decided to venture into the full-service restaurant just across Volant Mills, called Neshannock Creek Inn. They also accept credit cards and since I don’t have enough cash to purchase those donuts yet, I decided to have lunch at Neshannock Creek Inn. I’ve read that they’re known for their Giant Cod Sandwich, so I ordered one and the sandwich arrived well-cooked and looking really delish with some fries and condiments. While the sandwich could have tasted better with more seasoning, I really enjoyed their fries and mayo. They’re so good, one of the best I’ve ever tried.

I was already full by the time I got out of the restaurant and I sorta stopped longing for the donuts. Although, now that I think about it, I realized that I really should have tried one. Oh my, nothing haunts us like the things we didn’t buy. LOL. True, right? Anyways, at the back of the restaurant was an ATM which I used to get cash in order to pay for things I wanted to buy around. The area is full of little quaint houses that serve as shops for coffee, clothes, art, foods, etc. I went into a nice little store/house that sells antiques and it was really interesting and exciting while a bit creepy at the same time. There were lots of things to see and to explore, and they’re pretty cheap.

From the Antique store, I visited some other stores and had fun just browsing. There are also male and female public bathrooms in the area that you can spot immediately, as well as stores that sell Amish furnitures. As you all know, Amish people are known for their finely-crafted furnitures and I pretty much ended my Volant trip scouting for some stores that specialize in selling true Amish chairs, tables, and cabinets.

Oh, and did I forget to mention that I saw this cutie on my way out of Volant Mills? Meet Al, the Alpaca, LOL. His owner was selling some Alpaca-made scarves and I purchased some while taking a few pics of Al’s cutie face. He was looking at me seriously, I bet he was getting ready to spit on my face. Oh my, he would have ruined my contouring.

I really enjoyed Volant, it was like stepping back in time and it was very peaceful. Even though I didn’t see a lot of Amish people, I still enjoyed the simplicity and beauty of the place. The people are friendly too. It’s so nice to get away from the city life and experience simple living from time to time.

I really like it there and I’m thinking of going back sometime soon. Perhaps even make a trip to the nearby village of New Wilmington and take a tour to see the Amish way of life.

That concludes part 1 of my travel log guys. Stay tuned for part 2, which is Lake Erie.

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