Vermont is a beautiful state with rolling green hills, some pretty little towns and an interesting element of counterculture. This used to be a rather conservative place, but things changed with a large influx of hippies in the 60’s. Nowadays there are countless organic farms run by yoga-practising new-agers. Recently a group of teenagers caused a national uproar by walking round naked in the downtown centre of bohemian Brattleboro, claiming being naked was just “exercising their rights”. Some 13% of the population also support the idea of Vermont breaking free from the US to form an own independent country – further evidence that Vermont is not quite like any other state in the US.

Two friends of my parents, Marianne and Roland Kuchel, live in Fairlee on the border to New Hampshire. I stayed for a few days in their beautiful early 19th century countryside villa.

Roland took me on some trips to nearby towns like Hanover (home to an Ivy-League university) and postcard-perfect Woodstock. One day I rented a car and drove up to Montpelier, the tiny capital of Vermont, which basically consists of just one main street. I also visited the Ben & Jerry’s icecream factory, saw the Von Trapp family lodge (inspiration to that awful film Sound of Music) and visited Burlington – the largest city in Vermont.

I also visited White River Junction, a tiny little town but with a young, arty population. Usually I get claustrophobic after spending too much time in sleepy rural places, but this had a young, eclectic vibe to it. (later in my trip I happened to pick up a travel magazine which listed White River Junction as one of the top-10 hidden gems of America.)

written by  niklasbergstrand on January 16, 2009 from White River Junction, United States
from the travel blog: Niklas in America
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I've lived in the U.S. my whole life but have never made it to Vermont. thanks for the knowledge--i never realized how Liberal minded people from vermont were! sounds great!

written by  gertrudeyoung58 on March 9, 2009

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