Delaware Vacation...yeah, that's right...Delaware

I posted on facebook that I was in 'Delaware for vacay' and one of my friends said it was possible I was the first person to ever utter those words. It is true, I have never met someone who has vacationed in DE. Then again until 6 months ago I didn't even know of anyone who lived in Deleware.

Enter Michaela:

She and her husband Joe moved to DE in January for a new job for Joe. They have been getting adjusted and from what I have seen they seem to be right at home here - even know how to drive to everything fun in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware (Well, way more than me).

So I flew in on Wednesday evening but Thursday was the first chance we had to explore. Joe still had to work but I told Michaela that I wanted to see Amish Country (I think it is official:  I am an adult. what young(er) person would want to see Pennsylvania Dutch areas?). So Michaela and Margot and I hit the road for PA and got to our destination within an hour on mostly two-lane road. Although most two-lane roads here are actually state routes, they have the feel of two-lane roads. It is surprising we don't use major freeways as much here (considering  how integral they are in Phoenix). And even though people live everywhere out here, the roads don't seem too congested, everyone speeds, and there are so many trees every place feels like a small town. 

So we got to Strasburg, PA in the heart of the Amish Lancaster County and decided to take the railroad. it goes a mere 9 miles in distance but you get to see a lot of the farm country - Amish and not - and it is one of the oldest railroad routes in the US.  Plus it is something fun to do with a 2-year-old.

Later in the day Michaela and I went shopping (the outlet malls here are in Lancaster County too, which is funny to see the height of consumerism next too the simple life of the Amish). Then  that night Michaela showed me 'The Mall' in Delaware. it is very similar to our malls, only with a Target attached.

Today Joe took the day off from work and we all took the train from Wilmington Delaware into Philadelphia. That part before where I said Joe and Michaela know where everything is...yeah turns out they did not know where the train station was...it was in the middle of a lot of one-way roads so it was incredibly difficult to find it, then find parking, then know what directions to walk in to get back to the station. but we are troopers and found it. We got into Philly at noon and went straight to the recommended cheesesteak restaurant: Jim's. I got my cheesesteak 'wit whiz' and it was actually really tasty - I also now recommend wit whiz. 

Then it was on to Independence Hall - the site of the signing of the Declaration of Independence as well as the Continental Congresses...let's just say it was field trip day for about 10 schools so the place was swarming with kids all wearing school tee shirts. It also meant all the tickets were sold out. So we didn't go inside but we did take pictures. I also saw the site of George Washington's first presidential home, and the  liberty bell. As we walked around we saw the Federal Reserve and the Mint - both were closed (which seems like a bad sign). And then we stumbled upon the Christ Church Cemetery where Ben Franklin is buried. 

It was a really fun day and we were all glad to get back on the train (our feet were beat). 

Tomorrow Michaela and I are having a girls day in New York City! We are going on an NBC studio tour and lunching with Greg and Ariana. 

I will post more as I have more photos :)