We forgot about BOB. It is a great solution to a big, old building in Grand Rapids. The building has several very good restaurants, pubs, and music venues. We enjoyed our best meal yet with a blue crab appetizer too big to eat alone. We vied for best entree with scallops for him and walleye for her. Both won.
As you may have figured out from the names in our blog on Grand Rapids, this area was settled by the Dutch. There are several nearby towns named for cities in the Netherlands. Following a recommendation from neighbors Clair and Tom, we spent a couple of days at the Holland Tulip Time Festival. Dutch costumes and klompen (wooden shoes) are worn all over town by children and adults. By tradition, the town fathers declare the streets "dirty" and it is the job of the local children to wash and sweep them. You can tell that the kids really enjoy the job.
After the sweeping is done by the children a local parade is held down the main street featuring, among other attractions, Dutch dancers.
Our trolley ride along town was long on seeing Hope College but also included chances to see tulips, sculpture and a real Dutch windmill operated by a woman millwright.
The tulips were lovely though a bit past their prime.
The town center has upscale housewares, clothing, and art shops. We especially enjoyed the oil and vinegar shop and found some balsamics that had to come with us. As an interesting note, in spite of the cold, snowy winters here, the sideswalks remain free of snow thanks steam from the local power plant flowing under the walkways by a network of tubes.
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