WINDMILL ISLAND GARDENS, Holland, Michigan

Sometimes you can get the flavor of a foreign country without having to cross an ocean. This is the case with Windmill Island Gardens in Holland, Michigan (www.windmillisland.org and http://www.cityofholland.com/windmillislandgardens/windmill-island-gardens-general-information).

De Zwaan Windmill

After paying admission to the park, my husband and I entered Windmill Island Gardens. Flowers were everywhere. What a relief after the long Michigan winter!

We toured the Post House, a replica of a 14^th century wayside inn, and then strolled along the canal on our way to the 250 year old working windmill.  It was almost as if we were in the Netherlands. 

Outside the windmill, several young people were dressed in Dutch costumes and wooden shoes. One by one they introduced themselves and described the costumes they were wearing.  One girl said her dress was shorter because her parents were fishermen and long dresses would interfere with the work of the family. Another girl was wearing a special cap that, depending on how it was worn, could signal whether or not she was interested in a boy.  Another person said that wearing suspenders helped rescue attempts if he were to fall in the water.

For more information about Dutch costumes see http://www.tuliptime.com/dutch-costumes-0.

The park offers windmill tours also, but we skipped that because there was a line.

For those with little ones, there is an antique carousel and a giant checkerboard.

There’s a store with refreshments and Holland specialty foods and gifts.  

Unlike some of the larger parks, Windmill Island Gardens does not overwhelm. You can go for an hour or two or stay longer for a picnic if you like. It was just right for me.