Seal Beach: The Surprise of California

If you are visiting the Los Angeles, California area you need to travel just south to beautiful Seal Beach. Named for the seals which used to inhabit the area, the town has all the charm of a beach community. Lovely tree lined streets and well kept homes are the town's feature. When you want to have a little extra adventure and are lured by the salt air, take a walk on the pier which pushes out to the Pacific Ocean.

Once on the pier look to the north and see the mountain range seemingly rising up from the ocean's floor. Look straight out and you will see the majestic Pacific. Yes, those are oil rigs jutting up out of the ocean! A bit of an eyesore, but necessary especially in this day of over dependence on oil imports. Are you hungry? Stop in at the restaurant located half way down the pier and get a bite to eat. Or, stroll back in town and have your pick of seafood restaurants.

Nearby to Seal Beach is Long Beach, which is the home of McDonnell-Douglas, the airplane manufacturer. Now owned by Boeing, much of the area surrounding Long Beach International is dedicated to aviation. Stop by the airport and see what a circa 1920s airport still looks like! Yes, it is functioning and it is a good alternate airport to LAX.

Los Angeles is a 20 minute drive to the north while Orange County and Anaheim are within an hour's drive to the south. Of course, being that it is California, expect to be stuck in one of their wonderful traffic delays at some point. Hey, you could always return to bucolic Seal Beach and wait out the traffic!

The Pennsylvania Dutch

Traveling to Pennsylvania Dutch Country in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is somewhat like taking a trip back in time. Long inhabited by the Amish who are actually Germans, the area is checkered by family farms where the men still work with horse and plow, the women bake everything from scratch, and families get around by horse drawn carriage.

While there, you can purchase homemade goods including jellies and jams; blankets and pillows; wood carvings; handmade furniture; outdoor items including birdhouses; and so much more. Try the fudge... YUM! Sit down for a traditional Amish meal served family style. You will share a long table with complete strangers while being waited upon by pretty maidens. Savor the tender meats, homemade noodles, gravy laden mashed potatoes, and breads and pies that will be part of your dining experience.

Located between Harrisburg and Philadelphia, the area is seeing a building boom. Some of the Amish are moving away, but many do remain. Lodging is very reasonable and more than likely you will stay at an Amish run establishment.

The Amish are a quiet, thrifty people possessing a good business acumen. Many sincerely revere Almighty God and it shows more in their mannerisms than in their dress which has changed little over the centuries.