Tripping Day Ten: Lancaster

Storms on the East Coast were causing delays for most every flight into Baltimore International Airport except mine. My flight actually landed five minutes early. But this minor victory was short-lived considering that it took FORTY FRICKIN' MINUTES for BWI to get me my suitcase. I'm not positive, but I am fairly certain that this has to be a personal record. We were walking off the plane at 6:55, and luggage hit the baggage claim carousel at 7:35.

FORTY FRICKIN' MINUTES!!!

I can only guess that all of the baggage handlers were reading the new Harry Potter book, and didn't want to be interrupted until they finished the chapter they were reading.

Speaking of Harry Potter... do book stores carry any other books now? Everywhere you go, they've got Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince stacked to the rafters. Sometimes it looks as if they've got nothing else for sale, which gave me a great idea for being a smart-ass while waiting for my plane connection in Minneapolis...

WARNING: Workers at the book shop do NOT find this funny for some reason. It's a pity, because I thought it was darn clever!

Anyway, I am finally in Lancaster, Pennsylvania now. This city is famous for being at the heart of Amish country. The Amish lead a very admirable life, free from all our modern conveniences like electricity and the internet. I must admit that I don't know much about the Pennsylvania Dutch except what I've seen in movies and on that television reality show called "Amish in the City." On one hand, it must be nice to live a simpler life, free from the stress and hassles that modern civilization has thrust upon us. On the other hand, I'd probably kill myself out of sheer boredom. I mean, I've never churned butter before, but something tells me it's not as much fun as playing Lego Star Wars on my Xbox.

Ooog. I need some sleep. My day started at 3:30am, and it's just now midnight. Even subtracting three hours for the time zone change, that's a long day.

Comments

Here's a lesson. The PA Dutch aren't Dutch. They're German. But in German, Deutsch, pronounced doytch, is close to Dutch, hence the confusion. damn, I'm smart. It only took 11 years of undrgrad and a minor in German to learn that.

Posted by mrjerz on July 19, 2005

   

I'd find it funny if I worked in a book shop and got that question. But then I don't take myself too seriously normally, either. :)

Isn't it strange that the Amish dialect is called Pennsylvania Dutch when it's a kind of German?

Posted by Patrick on July 20, 2005

   

I thought you were joking about the state of reality shows when you mentioned "amish in the city" as I'd never heard of it - sadly you weren't joking.
I was surprised to see a whole load of them on the Pennyslvania Turnpike last week (not in a buggy - they had rented a bus)

Posted by Andy on July 20, 2005

   

I rode through PA while on the Iron Butt Rally (www.ironbutt.com). I made the mistake of getting off the turnpike in a town that didn't have an on-ramp to get back ON the damn thing. (Not a good thing when you're in a riding competition!!) So anyway, I learned that not everything in Amish Land is simple!

Anyway, as I was trying to find my way back onto the turnpike, I found myself riding behind a buggy. I politely passed it and as I approached the next crossroad, some Amish children waved at me. As I cruised through I wished I was actually touring. I'd have loved to been able to stop. I wanted to browse the shops and take pictures... talk with locals.

Posted by girlonaglide on July 20, 2005

   

Is this the first time that someone other than Dave has fired a weapon in a DaveToon?

Posted by Kachina Crowe on July 23, 2005

   

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