Day 6. Bus tour of the area.

Those of us left who hadn't returned to their Unis in the US and most of the receiving sites, ie NZ, me, Holland, Germany and Mexico, met for breakfast then got in a small bys to take a very educational tour through the coal mining towns of the area. The mines are now gone and the thriving towns are now mainly in ruins. However there is a strong movement to save many of the buildings and towns to encourage tourism. Fascinating to think of the many miners who came from many countries to live and work in this part of the world, and many African Americans too, and it became a sort of social example of getting along. Colour or creed was no barrier and in fact one old timer commented that when she saw the race riots on TV in the 60s she couldnt understand it.
We saw orange acidic creeks left over from the mining, beautiful buildings that our guide bought for $500 and has slowly worked on to bring it back to its former glory of an opera house on three levels.
Our lunch was at a bakery and I commented about real whipped cream, and the cook went and whipped some for me fir my pie, yum!!!
Our final stop was at a company store now a restaurant, beer hall. I had a shandy that was on tap.... very nice.
More goodbyes on our return and a few meet for breaky tomorrow and tgen head our separate ways. Evelin and Chris, my friends from Germany can give me a lift to Delaware where I will stay with Tom and Paula, my US friends.