Exploring the east and then heading west again

Since you last heard from us, we've been travelling through Pennsylvania. It's hard to believe how close we've been to NYC - at one point within 300km. We headed west again as soon as we could!

Our first Pennsylvania stop was Gettysburg. A very sweet town. Well geared for tourists but full of character. Dinner at the Springhouse Tavern, which is in the oldest house in the town. We ate and drank (local ale and cider) in the stone, candle-lit basement.

We spent a lot of time at the Gettysburg museum and loved the Gettysburg cyclorama (a painting that gives a 360 degree view), which put us in the thick of the action on the battle's crucial third day. Then a tour of the battlefield and its monuments - the mist and light drizzle made the drive even more poignant.

Then on to Dutch Country to sample a bit of the simple life with the Amish and to eat! Countryside was beautiful (with villages called Bird in the Hand and Paradise). People were friendly and the Amish just going about their business. Food was great - fried chicken, sweet corn, pepper cabbage, chow chow, homemade bread, whipped butter and shoo fly pie.

Tonight we're in Springfield, the capital of Illinois and home of all things Abraham Lincoln (and in years to come probably Barack Obama). Passed though Ohio and Indiana to get here - flat and uneventful except for a stop at the Speedway in Indianapolis for Tim.

Tomorrow we head to Chicago, a must-see we've been told so we're looking forward to it.