Tuesday, May 6, 2025

First Day at the Tulip Festival

 Arrived in Holland around 9:00 a.m.  We had tickets for a Dutch Lunch at11:30 a.m. so we had time to do some exploring.  We found a great parking spot near Continental Park and found an informational booth to help us get the lay of the land.  No only are the streets and parks lined with beautiful tulips, but the flowering trees are at a peak.  Everywhere you look, you see flowering trees like this one.


I don't know how she did it, but Queen Elizabeth came to see the tulips.



There were tulips of every color and all beautiful.



The streets are lined with tulips.

Murals showing the story of the Dutch coming to Holland.


This picture was taken at the Dutch Luncheon.

There were many beautiful and unusual houses down the streets we walked.  I noticed this brick house with an unusual window treatment.







At the luncheon we were served pea soup, Dutch slaw, pigs in a blanket and an almond bar.  We were both skeptical about the pea soup but it was actually very good.  Besides peas, it had bits of potato and ham.  We bought would eat it again.  The entertainment after the luncheon was several Dutch dancers.  Between the dances, we were told about the clothes they were wearing, the traditions of the Dutch people, and the origins of the dances.  I really enjoyed it.  Carol tolerated it.  There was so much information; however, I remember two facts:  one, they all wear the color red near their body on their clothes because the Dutch believe it will keep them healthy; and two, it takes wearing multiple socks to keep the wooden shoes on.  I talked to a dancer after the show and she told me she had 10 pairs of socks on.



After the luncheon, we drove to Lake Michigan.  No one was in the water.

This lighthouse is called Big Red.  We were across the causeway from it so it is hard to see that it is red!


We drove Lake Shore Drive back to Grand Haven.  We could at no time see Lake Michigan but the houses along the drive definitely had a view of it.  We stopped by an antique mall for awhile, ate supper at Applebee's and settled into our room by 5:30.  I actually took a short nap before blogging.  Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer and less cloudy.  It should be a nice day, 

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