Downtime upstate
Having got our first park under our belt, we headed towards Elysburg, upstate Pennsylvania, with renewed optimism. After a couple of hours driving we arrived in the one-horse town of Mount Carmel where the local hostelry, Visintainers, was open for business. However, one glance at the grill on the reception window, the stains everywhere and the distinct lack of guests saw us move on at pace.
The world famous Visintainer's Motel
It soon became clear that Visintainers really was the best that the district offered until we stopped in a gas station in the quaintly named town of Shamokin. A rotund local told us about a haven called Penelope's Bed and Breakfast just by the hospital.
Our eponymous hostess welcomed us effusively and introduced us to her friends - Bob who owned the local gun store and his wife - and her husband, Andy. After a hearty tea of corn on the cob and mince in a roll, the conversation turned to politics. We discussed all manner of topics: dislike of the French, gun-laws, crime in Detroit - perpetrators and causes, the Korean War, Mexican immigration and hunting all washed down with a couple of Bud Lights. We fitted in well with our new friends especially as they evinced no surprise whatsoever when they heard the purpose of our trip - we found this lack of cyncism refreshing.
George relaxes in the spa within the gazebo at Penelope's B&B
This took us to approximately 7pm and faced with few options we decided against twidling our thumbs and played Trivial Pursuit with a set from the late 1970s. George won a classic victory by answering every question, without exception, 'Richard M. Nixon' but James gained revenge by winning a quick game of Scrabble. At 10pm we retired to our separate rooms - George to the 'Laurel' suite complete with heart-shaped jacuzzi; James to the less glamorous 'Maple' room where the song of racoons, the roar of bears and the sound of some local rednecks beating each other up lulled us to sleep.....
posted by James E at 4:43 pm
1 Comments:
Comment on regarding your visit on Mount Carmel, PA and Visentainers Hotel and Restaurant. While your post is several years old now I thought I would still post a comment. While I am not an expert in this region, nor have I lived there but my grandparents when they immigrated from northern Italy, came from New York to Mount Carmel. It was a coal mining town. Interestingly that I have visited a few times with family (as I live on the west coast), the town has many churches because of the various immigrant communities (i.e. Russia, Italy, China, etc).
I learned that my grandmother, being Italian would cook at Visentainers when she was younger and has young children. There was a large northern Italian immigrant population from Tyrol. It was not until my grandfather, who worked in the coal mines had died in a mine collapse, that she took my father (who was 8-years old at the time) and her two older boys and moved to the grape vineyards of southern California. As she did not want her children to grow up having Black Lung Disease or dying in a coal mine.
It was when I was in Graduate school on the east coast and I was visiting Mount Carmel with my parents and met cousins there. We would stay at Visentainers Hotel. Mr. Visentainer (who was in his 90s then) told me that the Catholic Church in Covelo, Italy (where my family immigrated from) contacted him to say that his sister has recently died. What is interesting is that when he was 8-years old he came to New York to Mount Carmel with his father, then his mother and sister were to join them a few months later. He never heard from them again. It was not until the church in Covelo called him to say his sister died. He learned that his mother died 10-years before. What is most interesting is that his sister and mother lived in Argentina. He learned that during this time of massive immigration that there were so many ships from Italy to America, they can only explain that they were on a boat to South American instead of America, not realizing it. While it why there are so many northern Italians also in Argentina. Especially with my Sir Name.
When I was in Mount Carmel last was about 10 years ago. There were two amazing home-style northern Italian, Tyrolean restaurants (Cucino di Marco & Mattucci's). Mattuccis is the only one left open and over several generations. Its quite amazing. http://www.mattucciswillowcafe.com/ Especially being Tyrolean myself (buy obviously born in California) and having home-cooked Tyrolean Italian food, to find a restaurant like home-cooked is very rare, unless I am in northern Italy. My last visit to Mattucci's was with my parents and cousins (who would meet there for family reunions). After our dinner my Mom asked if they had an Italian dessert called Zabaione (because we are from the north in Italy). We usually have it traditionally over the winter holidays. They had not. So my Mom explained how to make it and their cooks made it just like we did and for our whole family. Its essentially made with 4-egg yolks (yes not healthy for you but tasty), 4-tbsp of sugar and very important "sweet" not dry, Marsala wine. It's cooked in a double Boiler, served immediately, while hot in usually a wine glass. You eat with a spoon because its quite thick. Amazing.
Anyway, in case anyone goes through Mount Carmel these are some facts. Many coal jobs have been gone for years and many businesses have closed. You will still see many church steeples from the many immigrant churches. Also many old cemeteries from each immigrant community. The coal mining tours are quite interesting. Especially visiting the nearby town, also coal mining, called Centralia. Evidentially they used to burn trash and one of the old abandoned mining shafts collapsed under and the coal caught fire. That fire was in 1962 and is still burning. Interesting place to visit.
Enjoy!
8/6/19 10:47 pm
Post a Comment
<< Home