SINGAPOREAN ABROAD
PENNSYLVANIA WITH...

Shirley Woon
Age: 42
Occupation: Housewife
Length of stay: Seven months

Shirley Woon

Scenes from the movie Brokeback Mountain come to mind when one hears Shirley Woon describe the city of Macungie, Pennsylvania, where she lives.

Beautiful lakes, green mountains and fresh farm produce are among the delights that the housewife - who lives in the American city with her financial analyst husband, Yang Lik, 41, and their two children, aged six and eight - has discovered there.

She has also learnt that the city is full of festivals, from a Renaissance one that has knights jousting to one with a traditional cake walk - where people play a musical chairs-like game to win cakes - as a highlight.

However, public transport in the small city is not good and driving is the only way to get around. Thankfully, cars are cheap there and so are car rentals, plus there are lots of free, big, open carparks.

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GETTING AROUND

The best way to explore the city is by...

Car. Be thankful for the great public transport system in Singapore. Here, the main mode of transport is the car. However, they are cheap. My husband bought a second-hand Mazda for just US$4,000 (S$5,862).

Car rentals are also cheaper than back home, about US$20 a day, and rental for a Global Positioning System is US$14 per day. Using a local car rental company will save you lots of money.

Another form of transport would be cabs but that does not come cheap. It costs about US$65 per trip depending on the distance.

Having a car will give you a great advantage, as this is a very beautiful place and you will need to drive around to really see it and enjoy the local lifestyle.

The Singapore driving licence is accepted here but take note that all cars are left-hand drive in the United States, so you must keep to the right side of the road. Also, distance is read in miles instead of kilometres.

Pocono Mountains at Lehigh Gorge

The best time to visit is...

During summer and autumn. Summer is nice and warm, between 26 and 32 deg C, with a cool breeze.

There are lots of fruit such as strawberries, cherries and sweet corn. Theme parks are running at full swing and the kids are having their summer vacation with plenty of activities. Homes also put out their kiddy pools and all public pools are open.

Autumn is slightly colder at 10 to 15 deg C but the sun still shines, so no one complains. Pumpkins are ripe and ready for Halloween and there are lots of fall festivals.

Which places in the city excite you?

It is back to the kampung days at Green Acres Farm Bed & Breakfast (1382 Pinkerton Road, Mount Joy, tel: +1-717-653 4028, http://www.thegreenacresfarm.com/) where you stay in little cottage-like houses and get served a full, home-cooked American breakfast with eggs and sausages, and brownies for dessert.

You can also ride on a hay-truck, pick eggs, feed the animals or ride on a rickety bike around the area.

The Premise Maid Candies (10860 Hamilton Boulevard, Breinigsville, tel: +1-610-395 3221, http://www.premisemaid.com/) is paradise on earth. You get to savour handmade chocolates, ice cream and pastries.

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FOOD AND WINE

Where can you find food that is close to Singaporean fare?

Travel in a 1920s-style train

The Asian Bistro (7441 Hamilton Blvd, Trexlertown) and Panda & Fish (7720 Main Street, Fogelsville, tel: +1-610-391 9130) serve Chinese and Japanese food. You can find spring rolls, pot stickers (pan-fried dumplings), wonton soup, stir-fried beef and all kinds of sushi and sashimi. They use Asian ingredients and spices. Prices start from US$1.50 for a bowl of soup.

Your favourite breakfast is at...

The Panera Bread Cafe (6379 Hamilton Boulevard, Allentown, tel: +1-610-398 0565, http://www.panerabread.com/) is basically a deli, but a very good one. For just US$6.95, you can have a hearty breakfast of soup with half a French loaf and a choice of sandwich or garden salad.

Your favourite eating place is...

The Asian Bistro and Panda & Fish because they are run by Chinese bosses and chefs, therefore their cooking is very Asian.

Asian Bistro is famous for its Asian hot and sour soup, which costs US$2.25. It is very much like tomyam soup - spicy and sour. The bistro duck, which costs US$14.95, comes with a bowl of rice and fried vegetables. The duck is very much like the roasted duck back home.

The coolest place to chill out is...

Jordan Creek. When one talks about chilling out, pubs and bars come to mind, but here, it is all about the beautiful creeks. If you've watched the movie A River Runs Through It, you would probably remember the scene of the beautiful river where the brothers did fly-fishing.

CULTURE FIX

What do you think Singaporeans will like most about your city?

Super-big, free parking lots and farm-fresh food. Big parking lots can be found all over the town. Farm-fresh food such as lamb, pork, apples, peaches, strawberries, cherries and sweet corn are available in any farm or farmer's market.

Some of my favourite farmer's markets are Burkholder's Farm (55 Stump Road, Fleetwood), Quakertown Farmers Market and Flea Market (201 Station Road, Quakertown) and Suyundalla Farms (1848 Clearview Road, Coplay).

What's the biggest difference between Singapore and this city?

Lots of space, cheap and big houses, outdoor activities and the abundance of nature.

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THINGS TO DO

Where's one place you'll always take your friends when they visit you?

The Kitchen Kettle Village (3529 Old Philadelphia Pike, Intercourse, tel: +1-717-768 8261, http://www.kitchenkettle.com/). It is a great place to see the Amish people at work.

The Amish resist change in order to keep their traditional way of life - from their lifestyle to the clothes they wear. Living in this modern society, it is nice to go back to the old days, to see and experience life then.

At Kitchen Kettle, one can also see how the people make their own jams and relishes, ice cream and fudges. Visitors can walk into the kitchen and see how canning is done for their jams and relishes.

You can even sample them with chips and tacos that are readily available in the shops.

The most amazing sight is seeing horse carriages and modern cars sharing the same road.

The old and the new mix very well in this locale.

Pocono Mountains

What do you do on your weekends there?

Explore the city. Every weekend, I am sure to discover a new and exciting place tucked away in a little corner, like the Crystal Cave (936 Crystal Cave Road, Kutztown, tel: +1-610-683 6765, http://www.crystalcavepa.com/).

This is a real cave formed naturally over the years and the people have taken great efforts to preserve it.

I finally got to see stalagmites and stalactites which I learnt about during my school days. It was an awesome sight, especially since these are not man-made but part of God's creation.

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SHOPPING

Where is the best place to go on a shopping spree?

The Crossings Premium Outlets (1000 Route 611, Tannersville, http://www.premiumoutlets.com/), where you can literally shop till you drop with designer labels discounted at between 60 and 90 per cent.

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FESTIVAL TOWN

Are there any notable festivals that travellers should look out for?

The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire (http://www.parenfaire.com/) every Saturday and Sunday from mid-August to end-October; The Kutztown Festival (http://www.kutztownfestival.com/) from June to July and the Autumn Festivals happening all over the city from September till end-October.

The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire is about kings and queens, knights and ladies, a journey back to the 16th century.

It is named one of the Top 100 Events in North America by the American Bus Association, and is a rollicking recreation of a 16th-century English county festival filled with jousting knights and over 14ha of royal delights.

Over 120 Tudor structures set the scene for over 90 daily performances that include puppet shows, sword swallowing and the fair's colourfully costumed characters. And yes, they address each other as 'My lord' or 'My sweet lady'.

If you want to see how the Pennsylvania Dutch live and what they do, then The Kutztown Festival is not to be missed.

The cake walk is like musical chairs. What happens is that all kinds of cakes, pies and pastries are up for grabs as the people form a circle with numbers on the floor. As the music starts, they start to walk, and when it stops, you stand on a number and if your number is attached to a cake, you win it. Next year, the Kutztown Festival will be held from June 25 to July 5.

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A LITTLE FURTHER

Are there things to do or see outside the city?

There are the Finger Lakes (http://www.fingerlakes.org/) in New York State, about three hours from Pennsylvania by car. If you look at the map of New York State, you will understand why they are called Finger Lakes. The long narrow lakes look like the fingers on a hand. The major lakes are Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca, Cayuga, Owasco and Skaneateles.

Shirley at an Amish Shop

There, you can enjoy a farmstay, ride a bicycle, go hiking or visit the many wineries. Do not miss the Corning Museum of Glass where you can see a glass-blowing demonstration. You can also try your hand at it. The glass-blowing costs from US$22 to US$40, depending on what you do, and you get to keep your work of art.

I think the best time to visit The Pocono Mountains (http://www.800poconos.com/) is in autumn. That is when you can see the spectacular fall foliage - a burst of vibrant colours in red, orange and gold.

Take the Lehigh Gorge Scenic train ride to see this beautiful foliage. The train has very authentic 1920s-style coaches, and even the ticket inspectors resemble those of that era. During the ride, you get to see high-rise cliffs, mountains and forest scenery and, if you are lucky, some water rafters. The train operates from May 17 to Dec 21, with departures at 11am, 1pm and 3pm daily.

Sea Bright (http://www.seabright-nj.com/) is known for its private and beautiful beach, with harbours and restaurant bars nearby. But most people visit this place for its great fishing adventure, where even beginners will catch something.

We went fishing with my husband's colleague who owns a boat. My husband is not into fishing but he still managed to catch a baby shark and a robin fish. This shows how easy it can be. It is also very enjoyable to have dinner on board.

If you do not have a boat, you can hire one (http://www.charter-sails.com/) for around US$300 to US$600, depending on how long you want to sail. Or, if you prefer to just go for a sail on one of their boats, it is US$75 per person.

The best way to visit all these places is to drive to them. If you do not drive, any local tour agency will be able to make arrangements to take you around. The most well-known and reputable tour company is Bieber Tourways (320 Fairstreet, Kutztown, tel: +1-610-683 7333, http://www.biebertours.com/).

frankiec@sph.com.sg