He was driving her buggy.

Dang, I’m funny.

For as conservative as they seem, the Amish do have a healthy sense of humor. Around Pennsylvania Amish Country – with provocatively named towns like Intercourse and Blue Ball (post coming soon, no pun intended) – are giant Amish statues, with bare feet. One has a name: Big Amos. I don’t know if he’s famous. *rim shot* I’m on a roll.

Does it look like he’s got nail polish on his toenails? I didn’t notice at the time, but it looks like a French pedicure.

There’s also a giant Amish boy with two pigs, one eating a burger, the other eating ice cream.

Seriously. This time I’m not making a joke.

 

??? Don’t ask me why, folks, I only take the pictures.

The Amish Village – and requisite gift shop.

Just down the street from the giant Amish people is The Amish Village. It’s a replica of the Amish lifestyle, with a tour of a replicated Amish home, schoolhouse, and farm with farm animals. Of course, there is the requisite gift shop. I took the inexpensive 25-minute tour and enjoyed it. It was extremely informative, and fascinating to see how differently other folks can live from you and still be in the same neighborhood.

No electricity. The appliances run on gas.

Why don’t the Amish use electricity?

In 1919 the Amish leaders interpreted linking with electrical wires as a connection to the rest of the world – and the Bible tells them they are not to be “conformed to the world,” (Romans 12:2) and decided it was not in their best interest.

The schoolhouse replica (think Little House on the Prairie schoolhouse) had this list of Contrasts Between Amish and Public Schools posted on the all. It was obviously written with a biased slant, but you can glean enough of the real differences from reading between the lines.

It mentions “Plain” in the text. There are Plain and Fancy Amish farms. The “Plain” Amish are the Older Order Amish. Although they did explain it in the tour, I can’t remember what Fancy means, and Google is not helping. I do recall mention that the green shades (seen above in the kitchen) were considered “Fancy”.

For the most part, the Amish farms seemed intermingled with the regular electric farms. It’s not like they’re secluded or sequestered to a section of town, or towns of their own. They are seen shopping all around town, too, just like everyone else. They just get there in a horse and buggy.

Speaking of the horses, and one in particular that we saw, my friend insists I tell you all what a nice ass the horse had. No, the horse did not have a donkey. My friend was mighty impressed with the large, muscular rear end on the horse. I admit it was an impressive ass, but I had forgotten about it until he reminded me.

Also in Strasburg, PA, is the Fulton Steamboat Inn, a hotel shaped like a steamboat, and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, and the National Toy Train Museum. I am definitely going back to see those last two! The area is full of cheezy roadside attractions, and horny town names. I had a blast!