Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Rd; 6am-4pm)
, 1 mile south of Lambertville, has all sorts of finds, from furniture to
clothing, from a variety of dealers. Or spend a few picturesque hours gliding downstream
in a canoe, kayak, raft or tube, courtesy of
Bucks County River Country
(
215-297-5000;
www.rivercountry.net
;
2 Walters Lane; tube $18-22, canoe $62; rental
9am-2:30pm, return by 5pm)
, about 8 miles north of New Hope, just off Rte 32.
Both towns have a plethora of cute B&Bs if you decide to make a weekend out of it.
r from $115 Mon-Fri, from $155 Sat & Sun)
, a quirky Victorian with porches and canal views.
For a meal in a divinely renovated former church try the
Marsha Brown Creole
Kitchen and Lounge
( 215-862-7044; 15 S Main St; mains $15-30; 11:30am-10pm Mon-
Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat, to 9pm Sun)
in New Hope for catfish, steaks and lobster. Or head to
DeAnna's
( 609-397-8957; 54 N Franklin St; mains $18-25; 5-9:30pm Tue-Thu, to 10pm Fri
& Sat)
in Lambertville for homemade pastas and delicious meat and fish dishes prepared
by the owner/chef.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Pennsylvania Dutch Country
The core of Pennsylvania Dutch Country lies in the southeast region of Pennsylvania, in
an area about 20 miles by 15 miles, east of Lancaster. The Amish (
ah
-mish), Mennonite
and Brethren religious communities are collectively known as the 'Plain People.' All are
Anabaptist sects (only those who choose the faith are baptized), who were persecuted in
their native Switzerland, and from the early 1700s settled in tolerant Pennsylvania.
Speaking German dialects, they became known as 'Dutch' (from 'Deutsch'). Most
Pennsylvania Dutch live on farms and their beliefs vary from sect to sect. Many do not
use electricity, and most opt for horse-drawn buggies - a delightful sight, and sound, in
the area. The strictest believers, the Old Order Amish, wear dark, plain clothing, and live
a simple, Bible-centered life - but have, ironically, become a major tourist attraction,
thus bringing busloads of gawkers and the requisite strip malls, chain restaurants and ho-
tels that lend this entire area an oxymoronic quality, to say the least. Because there is so
much commercial development continually encroaching on multigenerational family
farms, it takes some doing to appreciate the unique nature of the area. Try to find your
way through a series of back roads snaking their way through rural countryside between
Intercourse and Strasburg.
