Hersheys and Home

The Young Couple's moves around the country have allowed me to fulfill some of my Bucket List travels. Their years in Missouri included a visit to the Laura Ingalls Wilder home and a viewing of Pa's fiddle.

Their most recent move rewarded me a pilgrimage to the Happiest Place on Earth. (And it's not Disney...)

Hershey, Pennsylvania: the home of all things chocolate.
What is not to love about a town with streetlights shaped like Hershey kisses?

 And this intersection? It is the corner of Chocolate Street and Cocoa Avenue. Unparalleled bliss.
We took a tour of the town, where the conductor kept handing out chocolate. This is a very happy population. For many reasons.

Did you know that the proceeds of the all things Hershey go toward maintaining the 100-year old Milton Hershey School, which supplies a residential home and school for orphans and children whose parents are no longer able to care for them? Every student who works hard is taught a trade or given a full scholarship to the college of their choice, and with an endowment in the billions, the good work will continue. You can read about it here. 

So, you can feel even better about eating Hershey products. Taking it for the team by supporting these kids with your chocolate intake.
Here we are at the Hershey factory: a real-life "I Love Lucy"-like production of candy-kiss production.
A chocolate store the size of a small mall.

And a reason to return to Pennsylvania this summer:
Personalized chocolate bars.

Laura Ingalls Wilder and Pa's fiddle in Missouri. Check!

Hershey, Pennsylvania and all things chocolate. Check!

Now if we can just get Young Son In Law to consider a move to Texas when grandchildren begin arriving.

Just kidding.

Sort of.

Now I'm returned to Texas, where the bus drivers do not pass out chocolate bars to passengers.

 But there's no place like home.