|
| |
Bethlehem - Part 3
Written by: Janet Pope
Christmas Displays, Christmas Lights and Crayola factories, oh my...
After coffee the next morning, we were ready to see what else Lehigh Valley offered. At the Comfort Suites in Bethlehem there was an exhibit of ethnic Christmas tree decorations. There were 13 trees decorated in 13 different cultural representations. For example, the tree representing Greece was decorated by St. Nicolas Greek Orthodox Church and was filled with stars and icons all in blue and white. The tree representing Ireland was a display by Holy Infant Roman Catholic Church. It had many green decorations, predominantly shamrocks, and also featured crosses and holly. I could go on and describe each one in detail, but it's something that needs to be seen to be appreciated. Each was so unique and highlighted the diversities of this growing community. This wonderful tradition was begun 10 years ago and is displayed from Thanksgiving weekend thru January 12th each year.
The Moravian Museum in Bethlehem was our next stop. There we had the most interesting tour of the largest known log structure in the United States. The structure is 60' by 90' and 4 stories tall. It was built by the Moravian Community in 1741and was used to house a thriving community of 80 who lived, worked and celebrated together. It is here that we learned much history and background of the Moravian religion. Our tour
guide was very knowledgeable and gave us a thirst to learn more about the Moravians, an outgrowth of the Lutheran Church.
Before departing, we stopped for lunch at the Bethlehem Brew Works on Main Street. We were immediately intrigued by the smell of the yeast in the beer brewing process. The restaurant was filled with large gleaming silver vats and booths made of pipes, which added to the steel factory motif. Contemporary music was playing and the atmosphere was fun and inviting. Everywhere we looked the old was combined with the new, giving value and respect to the heritage of this village. There are even I-beams from the original Bethlehem Steele factory.
We had a delicious appetizer sampler filled with chicken wings, mozzarella sticks, onion rings and more. For lunch I tried the roast beef dip, and my husband had a hamburger. We were fascinated by the restaurant environment and were walking around, looking at the life-sized murals when we met the gracious family of owners, the Fegleys. This is truly a hands on operation: Mom, Pop, their sons, and friends; and it shows in all of the details. The Fegleys fell in love with Bethlehem and moved there with their three sons to open up this great establishment. Our lunch ended up being a perfect finish to our story here. I realized the restaurant epitomized the essence of Bethlehem... a combination of history and a movement into the future.
This weekend was filled with discovery, hospitality, history, good shopping and great food. What more could we have asked for? And it is all within 2 1/2 hours of the New York vicinity! The Lehigh Valley is a place I will visit again and recommend to others. Already on our calendar is the date for our return visit: Mid-August for the Music Fest.
Read part 1 | Read part 2
|
|
|
|
|
|
