A Few More Travel Photos from Lititz, Pennsylvania...

Rather than tax my brain trying to come up with a meaningful blog post (whatever THAT is, and besides I'm now typing this post TWICE because my computer just ate it and for whatever reason the automatic save didn't work) or boring you to death with a "what I did today" post or draining my already-nearly-empty emotional tank discussing my mother-in-law's health and the resultant philosophical discussions with Hubby (but we ARE on the same page, thank goodness), I will instead include a few more pictures from my recent trip.

Just as I can't explain being enraptured with the three little Amish girls from last night's post, I am also at a loss to explain why the little town of Lititz, Pennsylvania got under my skin. It could possibly be the fact that it is home to both the Wilbur Chocolate Factory AND the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Factory. What more could a person want? And with all the Amish farms nearby, surely a glass of fresh milk wouldn't be too hard to find. 

I have an affinity for flags, and I also like taking photos that identify where I was when I took them. Check. And mate.

My pretzel was far from perfect, but you should see some of the atrocities created by my fellow travelers. Come on, people, just follow the directions! I was so hoping we would be able to bake these and then eat our own creations, but apparently health department rules forbid it. They were gracious enough, though, to allow us to PURCHASE a fresh-baked pretzel upstairs in the gift shop. Health department my foot.

These ovens were the pretzels were originally baked are very much like the pizza ovens in Italy.

Like many creations, the hard and crunchy pretzel was an accident. Originally all pretzels were of the soft variety (and I LOVE them), but someone accidentally left a batch in the oven overnight and they were baked twice. Voila!

Somewhere behind me, someone was explaining the ins and outs of the pretzel making business. I was much more interested in following this lady around, though.

I don't think this machine is actually used anymore (I hope not, since it was FULL of dust), but it does still run. She turned it on and let us see how the little metal arms performed the motions that twisted a roll of dough into a pretzel. Fascinating!

Now see, there are all kinds of problems with the composition of this photo. Never mind that I was eating a pretzel and could barely be compelled to stop chewing long enough for the picture to be taken. Katydid and I were going to take pictures of each other, but a kind lady offered to take both our picture. I wish she had backed up a little bit so you could actually see the giant pretzel behind which we are standing. That sounded ugly, and I'm not trying to be critical, really. But if Katydid had taken it, I would have asked her to do it again.

I tried to get a better shot of the front of the building, but there was a bus in my way. I mean a deluxe motor coach.

I don't know if the flags are ALWAYS out in Lititz, or if these were on display because it was the day after September 11th. Such a quaint little town; I fell in love with it.

Something about railroad tracks disappearing in the distance appeals to me. Perhaps it is my inner need to escape. Perhaps it results from my lifelong desire to hop a freight train and see where I wind up. Besides jail, I mean.

The light isn't very good, but I love this shot of the old train station. I wonder if it's still in operation...