Traveling back in time...

After seeing the Bridges of Madison County we drove a looong and very BAD in shape road - it was actually I-92 - to Kalona, Iowa, hoping to see some Amish there.

A very picturesque Main Street in Kalona was greeting us

History of Kalona
Unofficially named "Bulltown" in 1879 for a local successful shorthorn breeding service, the town originated as a train station of the English river Township railroad system. Built in the middle of the prairie and without any roads for a year, "Kalona," as it became officially known, was the name of the service's famous registered sire! It was a typically quiet country town until the mid-1950's when Highway 1 was paved, streamlining the way to and from Iowa City for commuters and visitors. Kalona has grown rapidly over the past 35 years and is today the second largest town in Washington County

Pretty flower decorations all over town

Bakery in Kalona
The Kalona Bakery, located in downtown Kalona, has been serving Kalona for the past 26 years. We offer a wide variety of pastries made fresh daily featuring our made from scratch Grandma’s Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls. We also offer a variety of breads, dinner rolls, cookies and Amish made pies. We also specialize in made from scratch Angel Food Cakes and Old Fashioned Amish Country Egg Noodles. If your in town for lunch stop in and enjoy one of our fresh made sandwiches with a bowl of home made soup or Grandma’s home made potato salad. Sandwiches are available all day. We’re open M-F 6 am to 5:30 pm, Sat 6 am to 5:00 pm and Closed Sundays.

"The Tuscan Moon" - a very good and inviting restaurant with life music in the garden

Hand painted mail boxes in front of the little post office of Kalona

Kalona Antique Company
An 1890's church houses the Kalona Antique Co. 19 dealer antique mall, Plus Antique Furniture Warehouse. Specializing in oak, pine, walnut, and mahogany furniture, quilts, glassware, primitive, and collectibles.
We are open Mon-Sat 9-5. Closed Major Holidays and Sunday's. Dealers welcome. Eve 319-656-5157. Offer a large selection of quality antiques. Step back in time with us!!
Web Site: http://www.kctc.net/kac/

Today, the Kalona area is home to the largest Amish Mennonite settlement west of the Mississippi River, something that began when three Old Order Amish families established homesteads near Deer Creek the year Iowa became a state.

About the Amish
Since first arriving in the area in 1846, the Amish have changed very little in their beliefs and lifestyle. The Old Order Amish have no telephones, electricity, cars, or other modern conveniences. On driving through the gently sloping countryside, one might see an Amish farmer and his young son plowing or harvesting with a two or four horse team. Even along Highway 1, horse-drawn wagons hauling hay, corn, hogs, and logs are a common sight. The New Order Amish permit rubber tires on their buggies and farm vehicles, while the "Beachy" use electricity and telephones, drive cars, and own modern conveniences including farm equipment.

Diesel power against horse power :)

It was for the first time in my life to see these people with their horses and buggies on the road! It felt for me like I was traveling back in time :)

RAM Charger versus one horse power

Today, the Kalona area is home to the largest Amish Mennonite settlement west of the Mississippi River, something that began when three Old Order Amish families established homesteads near Deer Creek the year Iowa became a state.

A pioneer spirit still thrives today in the progressive business community with its one-of-a-kind downtown and countryside shops and cottage industries. Thanks to a home grown, cutting-edge medical instruments company, Kalona is even known in the international high-tech marketplace.

A 25-acre city park with its municipal swimming pool, playground, and wooden shelters is ideal for reunions and social gatherings. The Kalona Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center offers facilities for numerous occasions, from catered receptions to professional seminars. Motel facilities, bed & breakfasts, campsites with fishing privileges, and RV hook-ups are available for overnight stays. For golfers, an award-winning 9-hole course south of town is playable for green fees.

Kalona welcomes you to refresh yourself in the simple pleasures and appreciation of the area's rich heritage and living history. You'll understand why enthusiastic visitors from all over the world describe the town's atmosphere as "wonderfully authentic."

The visionary local telephone cooperative plans to install a digital fiber optics network rivaling any proposed in the state or country. Yet, while Kalona will be in touch with what's happening everywhere on the planet on a minute-by-minute basis, the cooperative won't be connecting Amish farms and homes into the network.

Hi my friends,

thank you so much - again - for all your nice comments and compliments to the last post of the covered bridges in Madison County.

It was raining here last night and we decided to stay another day here in "Amish country" to relax for another day on this very nice campground in Kalona. Tomorrow probably we will be heading towards Amana, another big Amish Community with a lot of shops and good food! I'm sure I will do again two or three photos to show it to you on my blog. ;)

Stay tuned and see you there...!
Susanne and David

The Bridges of Madison County

Yesterday, we left Story City - a sleepy little town with a proud Scandinavia-American heritage. The flags were out because of the yearly Scandinavian Festival that happens this weekend there

Story City History:

Early settlers, primarily of Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish heritage, came to the Story City area in the 1850's. In 1855, Fairview, the original name for Story City, was platted and social and business activitity grew. In 1857 the town was renamed Story City after US Supreme Court Judge Joseph Story. Story City continues to celebrate the traditions of our earliest families with something of interest for every member of your family. As the diversity of our town grows every year, so do the entertainment and food selections of our festival. We invite you to join us for some old~fashioned family fun in celebration of our collective heritage.

If you like old Cowboy movies you will know that the Birthplace of John Wayne was here, in Winterset, Iowa. We have visited the place and also the museum and gift shop where you can buy everything John Wayne.

John Wayne Museum
Hollywood legend John Wayne was born Marion Morrison in Winterset on May 26, 1907. Guided tours of his Birthplace home are available from 10:00am to 4:30pm daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's day and Easter.

We went into the little pretty town of Winterset, a town that played a role in a movie set to the movie "The Bridges of Madison County" with Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood.

The more than 100 feet high tower of the court house in Winterset

Roseman covered bridge over the Middle River
Built in 1883 by Benton Jones, it is 107 feet in length and sits in its original location. Roseman was renovated in 1992 at a cost of $152,515. In Robert James Waller's novel The Bridges of Madison County and the movie of the same name, Roseman is the bridge Robert Kincaid seeks when he stops at Francesca Johnson's for directions; it is also where Francesca leaves her note inviting him to dinner.

Also known as the “haunted” bridge, Roseman is where two sheriff’s posses trapped a county jail escapee in 1892. Uttering a wild cry, it is said the man rose up straight through the roof of the bridge and disappeared. He was never found, and it was decided that anyone capable of such a feat must be innocent.

Roseman covered bridge, view of the Middle River

If you have a chance, watch the movie again! I guess, I have seen it 5 times for sure :)

Robert Kincaid (Clint Eastwood) has come to Madison County, Iowa, in order to take pictures of the Roseman and Holliwell covered bridges. He is a professional photographer on assignment to National Geographic magazine in the fall of 1965 and he is lost. Pulling his green pickup into the driveway of a well kept farmhouse, he stops to ask directions. Francesca Johnson (Meryl Streep) is at home, alone, her husband and two children having departed for four days to the Illinois state fair. She has been married for 15 years and the luxury of time to herself is an unusual break from her daily life, as is the courteous stranger approaching her for information.

These are the opening circumstances for an extraordinary story, adapted to the screen by Richard LaGravenese from Robert James Waller's novel, The Bridges of Madison County.

There are 6 covered bridges in Madison County. This one is the Cutler - Donahoe Bridge in Winterset. I have also photographed the Imes Covered Bridge in St. Charles, that's the oldest remaining covered bridge, built in 1870 and looks pretty much like this one above.

Cutler-Donahoe Bridge
Built in 1870 by Eli Cox, it is 79 feet in length and features a pitched roof. It was originally located over the North River near Bevington. It was moved to its present site in Winterset's City Park in 1970.Cutler-Donahoe was renovated in 1997 for $35,538.

And for the most I loved all those pretty, nasty,cute, funny,crazy graffitties carved into the wooden walls of ALL bridges in Madison County - like this one :)


Hi my friends,

I'm online again.... We have seen yesterday a lot of great things in a short time. I hope you have enjoyed my post about the Bridges in Madison County!

Today we drove towards East to find some Amish people - and we did! I'll show you some photographs about my first visit to the Amish world tomorrow :)

Thanks for all your kind comments and visits to my blog, very much appreciated!

Have a nice weekend - and come back and comment again. Thanks!
Susanne

South Dakota - Minnesota - Iowa

The landscape changed drastically from mountains to farmland - pretty and green grass was greeting us on the side of the road

The farmers did already some of their hard work in the fields

For me it was something new to see these styles of farm houses and red barns with their big, round silos - so very different than I have seen in my homeland

Crossing over the Big Sioux River - and it was NOT the Missouri :)
(people mix up sometimes some river names, right?

More pretty farm scenes, seen out from my window

We had to cross the border to Minnesota - to get to Iowa

Minnesota ( /mɪnɨˈsoʊtə/)

is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. The twelfth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with just over five million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state on May 11, 1858. Known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes", the state's name comes from a Dakota word for "sky-tinted water". Those waters, together with forests, parks, and wilderness areas, offer residents and tourists a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities.

Nearly sixty percent of Minnesota's residents live in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area known as the Twin Cities, the center of transportation, business, and industry, and home to an internationally known arts community. The remainder of the state consists of western prairies now given over to intensive agriculture; eastern deciduous forests, also heavily farmed and settled; and the less populated North Woods. The large majority of residents are of Nordic or German descent, but ethnic diversity has increased in recent decades. Substantial influxes of African, Asian, and Latin American immigrants have joined the descendants of European immigrants and of the original Native American inhabitants.

The state is known for its moderate to progressive politics and social policies, civic involvement, and high voter turnout. Minnesota ranks among the healthiest states and has a well-educated and literate population.

After just some miles Iowa welcomes you

Iowa ( /ˈaɪəwə/ (help·info))
is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland." It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New France. After the Louisiana Purchase, settlers laid the foundation for an agriculture-based economy in the heart of the Corn Belt. Iowa is often known as the "Food Capital of the World,” but Iowa’s economy, culture, and landscape are diverse. In the mid and late 20th century, Iowa’s agricultural economy transitioned to a diversified economy of advanced manufacturing, processing, financial services, biotechnology, and green energy production. Iowa is one of the safest states in which to live and its population is among the most literate and best-educated. Recent immigration from other states and countries has increased Iowa's population and diversity. Des Moines is Iowa's capital and largest city.

We arrived on our goal, in Orange City Iowa - a pretty, clean and very neat town - it feels to be here almost like to be in "Pleasant Ville". And you really can not miss the Dutch background of this little town, it is visible by every step you do - and you don't need to wear wooden shoes for that...LOL...:)

The real Dutch windmill is the seat of the Chamber of Commerce and of the yearly Tulip Festival Organization - who knows the song: "Tulips of Amsterdam" :)

Orange City
is a city in and the county seat of Sioux County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,582 at the 2000 census. Named after William of Orange, it is best known for its Dutch background, which it celebrates by having an annual Tulip Festival for 3 days of every May and facing many of the city's buildings with Dutch architectural fronts. Orange City is home of the headquarters of Diamond Vogel Paints.

Hi my friends,

We'll stay for some days here in this pretty town with so much Dutch traditions and culture - we are visiting family members - and yes, they are Dutch too, and my Hubby is it too...LOL...it's nice to see them all again and to discover with them the town and surroundings and the good food.

Our next goal is to find some Amish Colonies, they are here in Iowa also to find... I will post about for sure :)

Thanks for all your wonderful comments, I appreciate your visits to my blog!
Susanne and David

Leaving Port Aransas to New Braunfels,Tx

Last Sunday we left Port Aransas with the Ferry to Aransas Pass, a maybe 5 minutes drive over to the other side.

A very long Mexican train was crossing our way in Aransas Pass

Do you know how a "mirage" looks like? It's like in this photo here...it's like the houses and trees are standing in deep open waters - but they are not. Texas is flat, flat,flat and the weather was warm and this makes the phenomena of a "Fata Morgana", like some people call a "mirage" also.

After driving for more than 2.5 hours over flat land in Texas, we drove into San Antonio, a big city with a very big traffic, where I never ever could imagine to be living here! We were searching for New Braunfels, our next goal for the night.

Finally we arrived in Down Town of New Braunfels, a nice little town with a lot of Germans living here, their roots are going back to the first settlers coming to this place in 1842 from Germany.

This is absolutely a wonderful mural that shows the settlers arriving on a beach and celebrating Christmas together at the beach. (click in the photo to see it bigger)

This painted script tells the back story of the German settlers

We have discovered there a typical German Restaurant named "Friesenhaus" und we went in to try the German food. For me: 3 typical German Sausages with "Bratkartoffeln" and Sauerkraut... of course! Dave had a "Sauerbraten" and "Spaetzle" and blue cabagge - and of course a real, good German beer. And I can tell you, it was very good!!! :))

Obviously we missed the life music with the "Lederhosen-Guys", they don't play on Sunday evening anymore!

Click on the picture to read it bigger. We've enjoyed our food very much. I just cannot drink beer anymore without to be a little bit tipsy after one glass only... LOL...well...we are not planning either to eat every day in a German Restaurant, to many calories.....! :)


Hy my friends,

Thanks for all your kind comments to my first video and for the support and suggestions for doing more of them - I will, I promise. :)

Tomorrow, Monday we will discover the Hill Country region here, going to Luckenbach (well known as a place where people gathering together, play country music and sing together) Today are only 3 habitants living in Luckenbach! We want also go to Friedericksburg, with something over 8000 habitants. In this two places are also a lot of German settlers and Amish people living and they are still speaking their original German Motherlanguage. I'm not German myself, but I would love to speak some words in German again. We will see.... :))