Holland

We declared today a leisurely day, starting with a hearty breakfast at our hotel.

Since we are in Holland, it was only fitting to visit Windmill Island Gardens, a tribute to the city’s Dutch heritage and the immigrants who settled here. The highlight was De Zwaan (Der Schwan), an authentic Dutch windmill built in the Netherlands in 1761, then carefully dismantled and shipped here in 1965. The city of Holland acquired it for $2,800. Standing 125 feet tall, it still grinds flour today and can be rotated to face the wind. Exploring all five floors and seeing the wooden gears and complicated mechanisms was fascinating.

The grounds were filled with blooming linden trees, whose sweet, honey-like fragrance drifted through the air. Had we visited in May, the gardens would have been bursting with colorful tulips. Even so, the beautifully maintained gardens were a pleasure to stroll through, and the informative 10-minute film about the windmill’s history was well worth watching.

Next, we drove to Holland State Park and spent a few minutes enjoying the beach and lake views with the lighthouse. To explore the entire park, we would have needed to pay the $25 entrance fee. With the temperature climbing to a humid 92°F, we decided to skip the hike and beach walk.

Instead, we headed to 8th Street in downtown Holland, wandered through the charming Main Street, grabbed a quick lunch, and then returned to our hotel for an afternoon nap and a few more FIFA soccer matches.

Today marked the end of our wonderful 13-day road trip. Tomorrow, we fly back to Dallas, departing Grand Rapids at 1:13 p.m. What a memorable journey it has been!Read more