Steel City and Amish Country

What's up Pittsburgh?

 Ohio flew by and Christopher and I were soon in Pennsylvania. Our number one goal that day was to visit Pittsburgh. My dad is originally from this area (and a huge Steeler’s fan) so we knew this city was a must-see on our itinerary.

If you have never been to Pittsburgh I will guarantee that you will get lost. Christopher likened the city and roads to the roller coaster at New York New York in Las Vegas. There are many one-way streets, several bridges, and countless hills that will put your transmission into overdrive. Christopher to say the least had a little too much fun navigating through the city. Once we were able to find parking we grabbed a Starbucks and wandered through the streets. Our meanderings took us across the river from the Pirates and Steeler's stadiums. I was a very good daughter and took numerous pictures.  The river area and bridges were much nicer than we expected. Several parks that are ideal for walking or biking have been built along the river. The river itself is quite blue and many kayakers were enjoying the pleasant weather. The city itself was also enjoyable to stroll through. Like Chicago, Pittsburgh is filled with a mixture of architecture. Several of these buildings have been renovated in the downtown area to accommodate modern restaurants and businesses. There is definitely not a lack of restaurants in Pittsburgh. We found everything from Irish to Indian. Overall I would highly recommend visiting Pittsburgh if you are ever in the area. It is a must-see destination for sports fans and is a city that truly grabbed the economic downturn by the horns.

Proof I was there

After our jaunt through Pittsburgh we drove through the Pennsylvania to our destination in West Chester. Pennsylvania is a truly gorgeous state. While we did not see much of the farmland typical in Northern Pennsylvania we were treated with some of the most breathtaking forests. The forests are very green and incredibly dense. It is not difficult to understand how Dutch and German folklore featuring fairies, witches and goblins lasted so long in the region.

 Our campsite itself was far from disappointing. The city of West Chester is located on the edges of the Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish countries. There we even a few Amish buggies crossing the streets, perfectly accustomed to gawking and modern traffic. The campsite was located in the hills of West Chester, next to the Brandywine River. Christopher and I had the opportunity of canoeing down the river at dusk. It was a magnificent experience.  The river is shallow and therefore perfect for inexperienced city girls such as myself. Ancient trees, fields of flowers, and a rickety railroad bordered the river. It was a quiet moment that was much treasured on our somewhat chaotic road trip.

Along the Brandywine

We are now on the last leg of the trip! Visit again for a glimpse into Philadelphia and almost all of the New England states!

P.S. We tried our first Philly cheesesteak which was pretty darn good.