(When I was a teen-ager, I used to travel through New England with my girl-friend and her family. I was constantly surprized to hear her mother talk about the experiences we had on these trips. I enjoyed the trips, but I did not remember all the details my girl-friend's mother did. I always admired how she did that and now, in my dotage, I'm trying to emulate her wonderful ability to "take in" all that she had seen... These days, in our jaded life, we don't pay attention to the marvelous things that take place around us. Let me try to ameliorate that situation and live up to the example of the woman who came to be my former mother-in-law.)
01. Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Hershey is a city in central Pennsylvania, named after an entrepreneur who foresaw the role that chocolate would be taking in an America that was growing by leaps and bounds after the Civil War. He was a guy who experienced bankrupcy, but took a chance on bringing chocolate into the mainspring of American life.
http://www.hersheypa.com/about_hershey/index.php
02. Hershey Gardens
Milton Hershey founded his famous gardens in 1937. This is a marvelous display area for thousands of roses in 276 varieties. Unfortunately, we arrived too early to see any roses. But tulips of all colors (except black) were on display. Hundred of workers were all over the place, getting the rose plants ready for their work.. but I can't imagine that roses would be any more beautiful than the tulips that we saw.
03. Milton's School.
Milton Hershey developed a school for disadvantaged boys.
http://mhs-pa.org/
04. The Hershey Hotel
We were ushered into the Hotel by very polite bellboys. A series of elevators got us up and down to a fantastically decorated restaurant. The ceiling was painted blue, with white puffy clouds. Around the edge of the ceiling was painted a trellis. Each part of the trellis had its own bird or other creature, even a squirrel with an attitude.
The lobbies were filled with cut flowers of all kinds, including orchids. There were fountains and elegant furniture throughout. It all reminded Elaine of places she had been in Morocco. Definitely, a class act.
05. The Buffet
The buffet was a cut above any we had experienced before.. except maybe one at the Engineers Club in Baltimore, when I got into Mayor Donald Shaffer's buffet line by mistake one evening.
Beef Wellington, salmon, cream of asparagus soup, honey ham, salads of all kinds, fruit, vegetables of all kinds, and desserts such as creme brulet and peanut butter pie. Elaine picked her desserts first.
A raspberry smoothie was presented, and delicious coffee.
06. Cost to Stay at the Hotel Hershey
I asked the price of a night's stay at the Hotel. I was told that ten years ago it was $400 per night. However, I wasn't told the current rate, but I'm sure it is a lot more than that. I was told that the Hotel has been sold out for several weeks.
07. Roller Coasters
It looked to me as though there were 963 roller coasters in Hershey. They were everywhere.. the old ones, like they were when I was in my teens.. and the new ones, with impossible height and dips.. the ones that I would not get on even if you gave me a million dollars.
08. The Zoo
Somewhere in this vast complex is the Hershey Zoo. During the 1960's, I brought my young children here to experience Hershey. First, we went through a remarkable zoo, with exotic animals. Next, we went on a tour of the Hershey factory, where we watched chocolate being shaped into a miriad of shapes and forms.. but mostly in the shapes of kisses. Now, one travels in a simulation of a trip through the factory. I guess that is better than worrying about some terrorist dropping bad chemicals into a vat of chocolate.
09. Chocolate World .. Samples
At the Hershey bakery exhibit, there was one sample left for customers. I took it and gave it to Elaine. Later, when I was looking for a place to pay. A lady in a baker's uniform said: "I was hoping you would stop back here. That was a nice thing that you did."
Uncomprehending what she was talking about, I looked perplexed. She said: "We saw you give your sample to your wife and were impressed. We voted you as the man we would like to have in our lives."
Stunned, I remained speechless, while she said: "We would like to give you a special sample. What kind would you like?"
I mumbled: "Peanut butter." With that, she went off and came back with two large pieces of chocolate peanut butter confection. Yummy! See, kids, it pays to be good.
10. Chocolate World.. Food Court
We passed into a massive building with a "chocolate food court." Every imaginable food made with chocolate was on display and for sale. Hershey makes lots of different brands.. especially, Reese's Pieces and Hershey bars of all kinds. In the middle of the court is a collection of exotic plants. These are like the ones in your indoor plant pots.. the ones you bought at a department store, the ones you see when you drive through Orlando, Florida.. but much more enormous... some of them 50 feet high. This is the way they grow in the jungle!
11. Chocolate World .. Hershey Factory Tour
Instead of going through the actual factory, one steps on a revolving floor and jumps into a carriage and gets transported through a maze of exhibits.. lots of singing cows and cows behinds accost you at several turns of the track. It basically shows you through simulated activity what goes on in the actual factory. Elaine couldn't manage the revolving floor, so a young man grabbed the wheelchair handles and pushed her into a carriage so she could participate.
During the tour, our picture was taken and later offered to us for $12.50. We felt that this was a bit much for the pictures of two senior citizens sitting in a red carriage in the middle of chocolate kisses.
12. The Hershey Experience
All in all.. this was a wonderful trip. Elaine and I had a great time eating and buying chocolate stuff. My diet will probably not recover for a long time.
Elaine and I would like to recommend a trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania. Its not that far from Philadelphia, Baltimore, or even New York City. It also is close to Amish Country and the Lancaster, Pennsylvania exhibititions. Treat yourself and the kids. Try it, you'll like it.
