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Tulip Time Festival 2013

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Ahhh May 4th, Tulip Time Festival in Holland, Michigan, what can I say about you?  Thankfully this year the Tulip Time Festival did indeed have tulips, unlike last year's StemFest.  However; in my humble opinion Tulip Time was pretty bad.  Imagine a strange assortment of vendors selling their quilted nascar blankets, overcrowded streets and restaurants, and mock indian encampments.  No modern furnature, gouda, dutch bicycles, dutch vendor food like those little pancake thingys or herrings to be found.  

Surely the walk to Tulip island where the only true Dutch windmill in America resides must have been amazing?    ( de zwaan was pretty cool, but.... ) First you must pay a hefty chunk of change to enter the island after walking a couple of miles in the blazing sun.  Once there you gaze upon two rows of tulips, followed by a short jaunt to the tourist mill where you see a mildewy replica of Amsterdam and are tempted to buy a button that says "Kiss me I'm Dutch".  

Being with other non-Dutch friends and family at the festival only imprinted how Disney horrific the event was.  We enjoyed only the complete awfulness of the day when we returned home after a 2 hour drive.  I think perhaps the restaurants and others have gotten savvy on how much they can make off of you while you are there.  So check, Tulip Time accomplished. Now I know for sure that to experience Holland you have to leave American soil.


Notice how everyone is taking pictures by the only rows of tulips on the island, it deserved a laugh.
De Zwaan (I'm guessing "the swan") a true Dutch windmill
 
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