Growler's Travel Page

My name is Growler Bear, I would like to tell you about my favourite hobby, travel. A lot is written about grown ups travelling around, but what about little people and their friends.
I have been to America three times, but always to the same place, a small town in eastern Pennsylvannia.Lebanon Valley The first time was Gatwick via Boston to Washington, the second, Heathrow to Newark (New York), the third, Humberside via Amsterdam and Detroit to Harrisburg. I visit the same place, but see different ones on the way. Each time I travelled in the hand luggage until the plane had taken off, that way I was safe and didn't fall on the floor and get lost. The last time I also carried my name and address on me. To do this I wore a wide elastic belt with my name and surname on it, as well as my postcode and country (England). This way if I got lost someone would know where to send me home. Luckily I didn't get lost.

Pennsylvania

What is there to do?

Well my favourite place is the Teddy Bear Emporium at Lititz. You can guess why. It sells all sorts of Teddy Bears, they say there are over 3000, and I always come away from there with a new friend, this year it was Scottie, he is Black with brown ears, nose and front. Also Peek- a - boo, a fawn bear who keeps his paws over his eyes. Opposite the shop is Wilbur Chocolate Co. and Candy Americana Museum. Chocolate and Teddies in one place GREAT!!!
Lititz was created in 1740's as a place where people from Bohemia and Moravia, were invited to settle because they were being persecuted for their faith in their homelands. A schoolhouse was built in 1746, the begining of what became Linden Hall in 1794, the oldest residence school for girls in the United States. The church was built in 1787.
Talking of chocolate, I have been to Chocolatetown, otherwise known as Hershey, PA. Hershey/Dutch Country
Hershey - The town and factory were founded by philanthropist Milton S. Hershey. Visit Chocolate World and see displays of the history of Hershey chocolate and how it is made. Close-by is Hersheypark, an 87-acre themepark, started in 1906. It offers over 50 rides and attractions, including the Wildcat, a wooden roller coaster, "a 20's style coaster with a definite 21st century attitude." I like some of the rides, but others are a bit scary for little me.
Lancaster County is home to North America's oldest and largest settlement of "Plain People", including Amish, Mennonite and Brethren. They pursue a simple farming existance, without the modern day trappings of motors, electricity or the telephone. The area is known as Pennsylvannia Dutch Country, which actually derives from the word "Deutsch"German, as their ancester came to the area from Germany to avoid religious persecution, arriving as early as 1680's. Many of the Mennonites and Brethren dress and live much like modern Americans. The Amish, however, still follow the traditions and way of life of their fore-fathers. They wear distinctive clothes - dark-coloured suits and broad-rimmed hats for the men, nmodest solid coloured dresses, covered by capes and aprons for the women. They farm with horse-drawn equipment, travel in horse drawn buggies. They sell their produce and crafts locally, often from stalls at the road side, but also at the farmers markets in the area.

Philadelphia "The City of Brotherly Love"
Philadelphia together with Boston share credit as the birthplace of the United States. In 1773 the American War of Independence began in Boston. In 1774 the First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia (America's largest city), they presented their grievances to the British King, but things only got worse not better and the war escalated. 1776 - Independence was considered, July 2nd voting took place among the delegates from the 13 colonies, resolution passed, two days of debate followed and on July 4th the Declaration was adopted. September 17th 1787 the Constitution was signed.
From 1790 -1800 Philadelphia was the Capital City. The US Mint was established here in 1792, the present mint the fourth to be built in Philadelphia was opened in 1969.
Today visitors to the city can tour many of the buildings connected to the events of 1770's-1800. Philadelphia is also the home of the Liberty Bell. Cast in 1750's for the Pennsylvania State House(now called Independence Hall) , it was not until the 1830s that it got its name, when abolishonists remembered its inscription"Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants thereof,"

Gettysburg -

Gettysburg National Park is the site of the most decisive battle of the Civil War and where four months after the end of the war, Abraham Lincoln dedicated a national cemetry where fallen Confederate and Union soldiers were buried. His speech lasted only two minutes, but went down in history as the Gettysburg Address.
The Park has been left untouched, memorials mark the places where the different regiments were, cannons where attacks took place.

There are many more interesting places to visit, these are just a few of the better known ones.