My Long Weekend trip to PA & D.C with photos

After visiting Hershey Park....

We managed to reach the outlets around 4.00, so we had solid 1 hr. Before telling about our shopping experience I would like to share with you about the outlet malls in Lancaster. The outlets were categorized into two namely, Rockvale outlets and Tanger Factory Outlets. Altogether they had nearly 200 + stores in them. And out of 10, 6 were Indians J . Good place for shopping lovers. We had no time to shop leisurely; still we enjoyed roaming here and there in few familiar shops. All did not have good deals but if we look into peacefully we can find’em. We managed to get T-Shirts and few kitchen accessories. Sharp 5 all stores were closed and our next plan was to visit Lancaster Amish County which was our main target in this tour. I have never and will never be able to find one such place in US. We called upon the office and checked for the timings. Since it was July 4^th they too were closing by 5.45, we had only 45 mins left so we had to rush again.

Photos taken in the outlet malls

Amish County

All 5 of us enjoyed touring this place. Didn’t expect such a culture and environment inside US. If at all you people get a chance to go to Delaware or somewhere nearby please don’t miss visiting Amish in Lancaster,PA. Let me explain in detail about the Amish experience.

In Lancaster there is a county were Amish people live with few English then and there. It is a 15 mins ride in a horse cart. Felt like touring some interior villages in southern India. The way is full of fields, cows, horses and barns.

Amish people are nearly 60,000 in population.
They are Dutch speaking people.
They believe in Christianity very much.
They live totally disconnected to the world.
Meaning they don’t have any of the modern electronic equipments.
They don’t have electricity.
They don’t come out to the city and spend time.
There are some English people in their county, and they mingle with them also but the Amish do not give up or change their culture for anything.
Their main source of income is agriculture, particularly corn and tobacco.
Other than that they earn through selling milk which they get from their own cows and also involve in some crafting like making quilts and bedding.
Whatever they earn out of these they reinvest in the same or save for their kids.
They live together as a joint family.
The youngest kid of the family inherits the property, and he/she is supposed to take care of the field and his/her parents.
The other kids are given some financial support to help them settle down in life.
Each family has at least 5 or 6 kids.
They are allowed to study only till 8^th grade. Then they are supposed to help their parents in the farm.
They have their own schools inside their community.
All marriages are arranged marriages and they strictly get them married to only Amish community people.
Very rarely that is 2% of the Amish alone try to explore the world and lead a city life. If at all something happens like that no body forces. They themselves feel guilty to return back or mingle with their Amish community later.
No outsider can settle down in this community; but if they convert as English they can; still cannot convert as an Amish nor get married to an Amish.
They schedule the days task based on sunrise and sunset.
In the evenings they light a candle in the windows since they don’t have electricity.
They use propane gas for cooking.
The Amish don’t like others to take picture of them.
They have their own horse cart and it is fully covered. The tourists tour in an open cart.
The dressing style is quite different. The men wear suspender like dresses. Women and girls wear long pinafore kind of skirts with an apron.
They dry their clothes in their yard or somewhere in their house in ropes like how we do in India.
The houses are not modern. They are quite spacious and highly ventilated with a good backyard and garden.

Photos taken while touring Amish.....

Photos taken on the way...

Will come up with the rest very soon...Thanks..

Hi saraswathi,

Thanks for stepping in..Plz do read when u find time..thanks again..

Hi Santasekar,

Thanks for your comments....Trying to upload other photos and details too, need some time..do check when u find time...

nice pictures. Me too rushed to see the Pics first. ofcourse i read too.

What a wonderful climate. being in the desert area, always long for such a wonderful whether.

thanks for sharing those wonderful pics.