The Amish are indeed a strange, peculiar, and fuel efficient people. But first a brief, unresearched history of the Amish is in order. The Amish order was founded in the German part of Switzerland in the 1600s. At the crux of their far out beliefs, the Amish embraced old world, rustic practices and eschewed modern conveniences. For the first 300 years of their existence, the Amish garnered little attention because everyone dressed weird and had excessive facial hair. As one can imagine, an Amish person's declaration of contempt for modern day vanity wouldn't draw much attention when even the richest person went to the bathroom in a wooden shack over a crudely dug hole. As the years passed, however, hairstyles evolved, clothes became more colorful, horses were replaced with combustible engines, and candle power was supplanted by electricity. It was around the beginning of the 20th century that the Amish began to attract second glances, and their refusal to bow down at the alter of convenience and modern deodorant made them the butt of cruel jokes.
Despite their peculiarity, the Amish are hard working, godly people who provide Lancaster County with an incomparable charm and endearing spotlessness from worldly guile. Robyn was very taken with the Amish. I was happy to see them again after many years away. Though I don't think I've ever spoken a word to them, I have a great deal of respect for the Amish. Amish are extremely offended at gawking tourists taking their picture, but we managed to sneak these pics of them unawares while we were touring the gorgeous Lancaster countryside. You'll notice that the Amish drive their little buggies and farm equipment right on the roads. It's a little charming, sure, but it's rather inconvenient to be caught behind one when you can't see over the hill to pass.
A tobacco barn
1 comment:
This is so amazing. I feel so ignorant - I didn't realize people like this still existed!
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