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06/12/2010 (Saturday) - Philadelphia, PA

Today we drove into Philadelphia, driving through some of the roughest and run down neighboorhoods we've seen throughout the country.  Fortunately the tourist areas were pretty nice.  We got lucky and found a parking space right near our destination. We've seen that show "Parking Wars" about the Philadelphia parking authority and were prepared.  Our space on the street had a 2 hour parking limit, but within minutes of parking and while I was at the kiosk getting a parking slip parking enforcement scoped out the MH and verified that it belonged to me...we would have gotten a ticket within 5 minutes of parking.  We picked up our tickets to tour Independance Hall and visited the liberty bell on our way there. 

After our tour we had to walk back to the MH to pay for another 2 hours of parking, and within 5 minutes there was another parking enforcement officer scoping out the MH...but alas...foiled again.  We then took a carriage ride and learned some interesting facts about the city.  We may not have opted to take a carriage ride but decided to take the advice of those that have gone before us...it was worth it.

After the carriage ride we found some lunch nearby and then proceeded to the cemetary to see Ben Franklin's gravesite.  We walked around for awhile but it was getting really warm outside, so we moved on to our next destination....

  Eastern State Penitentiary closed in 1971 and has been the location for some of the creapy, ghost hunting shows that Kylie enjoys.  She wanted to see it but was a little disappointed at first that the nighttime tours and haunted tours were not available during our visit...but we took the tour anyway and the place is really cool...it certainly doesn't fit the surroundings.  Kylie really liked it and she wants to return for a haunted tour when they start in the fall.

  
 
  
  SEE ADDITIONAL PICS OF OUR TRIP TO PHILADELPHIA IN THE PHOTO ALBUM SECTION!!!

06/10/2010 (Thursday) - Hershey Park, Hershey, PA

   So Kylie and I left Eric at the campground early this morning and we took the shuttle over to Hershey Park.  Because we were staying at a Hershey property, we got to enter the park 1 hour before opening.  We didn't find out until the shuttle ride over that although we got to enter the park, only the 1st section was open during that hour which included some kiddie rides and The Comet, one of the roller coasters.  Kylie made me ride the Comet with her 3 times before the park even opened....then it was off into the park.  We rode on "The Claw" next and Kylie met Julie, we ended up tagging along with Julie and her family for the day, until we left the park around 6:30 and headed back to the campground.  I think Eric thought we would return in the early afternoon but that didn't happen.  He enjoyed his quiet day though I am sure of it.

Kylie w/ the Reese's character shortly after entering the park.  Kylie didn't really want her picture taken today so consequently we didn't get many...that and the fact that Eric was not with us meant that I needed to carry a small camera that could get wet just in case we ended up on a water ride.

This is Kylie, Hershey kiss dude, Julie and her brother Kyle.  They got to ride almost all the rides all day with very little wait time, with the exception of the newest roller coaster "fahrenheit" which had over an hour wait for most of the day.  Most rides though had little to no lines which allowed for consecutive rides...which would just make me dizzy but they enjoyed it.

This is our site at the Hershey Highmeadow Campground where Eric spent his day.  He finally got to take the chairs off the back and actually sit in them...we are usually moving so fast with so little time between stops that most of the time they are just decorations riding on the back.  He didn't admit it but I think he really missed us while we were gone...towards the end of the day he was checking in often to see where we were...then he played basketball with Kylie while I prepared dinner (well, I dialed the phone number for pizza delivery)...I was tired...then we hunkered down to watch the Celtics/Lakers game...I couldn't make it to the end of the game...I fell asleep.  But I did hear this morning that they won and Kylie was able to make it all the way through and see the end of the game.

06/08/2010 (Tuesday) - Lancaster County, PA

Lancaster County Pennsylvania (Amish Country).  Today we took a tour of the beautiful countryside, lots of farmland, lots of horses and buggy units driving around and lots good weather.  I've always wanted to visit but until now haven't had the chance. 

We took a buggy ride/tour of the surrounding area and took a tour of a local farm.  It was very informative.  We spent the next few hours learning all about the Amish people and their beliefs and customs, why they don't use electricity.  Kylie was interested to learn that they send their children to school in a one room schoolhouse where there is one teacher that teaches grades 1-8.  The kids go to school the same number of days as public school, but they attend from August - May and they only have formal education through 8th grade, because the kids have to go to work. 

Kylie learned all about the farm, what the cows eat, how much they eat and how often.  Even though the Amish don't use electricity per se, they do use diesel generators and propane to help them operate their farms and to cool the milk before Land-O-Lakes picks it up for processing.

 

 

 

During our tour the grandson of the tour guide met the group to try to sell homemade cookies, trinkets and painted horseshoes.  Samuel (the boy) was only 5 years old but he had a job to do.  I watched him as he took money from customers, processed the transaction and then replenished his supplies before heading back inside to play.  I was very impressed the work ethic that the Amish instill in their youth, everyone has a job and there they can play only after their work is complete. 

06/05/2010 - AAU Basketball Game Scare

So it was Saturday afternoon and the girls' 2nd game of the day.  We had heard that there was a tornado watch in the area.  The building the girls were playing in was one of those blow up air buildings that smelled like a plastic floatie that the little kids wear (except a lot stronger becuase of the size of this massive building.  Well about 1/2 way through the game the lights went out and the thunder and lightning outside kicked up and it started raining really hard.  The building started to sway in the wind and the hanging lights were moving back and forth.  The fans had gone out and we were sitting inside this seemingly flimsy building as the storm raged outside.  It was both cool and a little scary at the same time.  Luckily Eric had scoped out the building and had some engineering insights for the parents so we could be certain when the building colapsed it wouldn't completely colapse but would b held up by steel sections and steel wires strung from end to end.  Like I said...very interesting...but it wasn't long that the storm blew over and the light turned back on so the girls could continue their game.