It also depends on what part of Ocala you are going to. There's a big difference traveling from the northwest corner of the Villages to the southeast corner of Ocala than from the southeast corner of the Villages to the northwest corner of Ocala. It could literally be an hours difference.

And they taste as real as their "Italian bread!"

Is it still going on????? Meaning the road construction?

Every single time we've taken a road trip out west.....we get stuck in very narrow lanes under "Chicago Heights" area....on the highway....I guess it's 80? Not looking at a map.

I mean literally sitting in the car for a long long time.....

You were very very fortunate indeed.......

The main east-west road (Schaumburg Road) that is one block from my house has been under construction since early April. The construction near my house is supposed to be done in 3 weeks when schools starts Yippee!

And the Jane Addams Tollway (I-90) from just west of Elgin continuing for 39 miles west to just before Rockford is under a 3 year road construction project that will not end until 2016. That is the route I take to my Dad's house in Iowa. No, the road construction never ends in the Chicago area.

And sfogliatelle sounds delicious by the way!

The N.Y. Thruway is 90 but then it shoots off to 80 "under" Chicago????
I think the sign always says Chicago Heights to the north????

We are south of Chicago.....and it always has really bad road construction going on..........I think we'd be going west towards Joliet???

Then, the next stop for us is always THE AMANA COLONIES in Iowa.
Has your dad ever been there? We take the first right off of the highway and it's a really pretty scenic ride over some hilly terrain, gently hilly, always beautiful blue skies and very scenic and picturesque land.....right into the Amana Colonies...........I just love it. They did say, the last time we were there, that tourism is OFF since 911. Before that, they got a lot of tour buses.

The funny thing is............on the way back, we stayed in a modern hotel off the highway and noticed a BIG shopping mall..........literally in back of the Amana Colonies.........so they are NOT as isolated as we always thought. They could have fooled me.

We had chatted with a lot of craftsmen in The Amana Colonies, like woodcrafters, etc. and one fellow told us about the time he had to take the EIGHT LANE highway near Atlanta Georgia to Disney World with his children............coming from such a small town, it was overwhelming to him............I guess like us coming from Vermont........just used to small roads.

But, all nice folks there.......we always have a few lunches or dinners in their German style restaurants.....which are jam packed.

It has been quite a few years since I have been to the Amana Colonies, but the food there is excellent. I have also purchased wine from the Amana Colonies in the past which was quite good. My youngest sister, who has lived in the Cincinnati area since the early 1990's and who is an alumni of the Univ. of Iowa which is not far from the Amana Colonies, has been to the Amana Colonies within the past couple of years with her husband and daughter and they enjoyed themselves very much.

My employer is involved in large engineering project for a company in Cedar Rapids, IA which is not far from the Amana Colonies. I have recommended to my coworkers who have to be in Cedar Rapids for several weeks to stop at the Amana Colonies for a weekend trip if they are not coming back to Chicago for the weekend.

Sfogliatelle, my Mom's favorite.

I've seen them somewhere here in TV, maybe around the holidays in either Fresh Market or Publix. I heard that the cannolis come from Ferrara's, so ask, they might be able to get them.