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Cindy wanted to visit her Aunt Joyce. Joyce lives in Holland Michigan, so Cyn decided that she go for the Tulip Time festival, which coincided with her birthday.

We arrived late Friday night, and stopped by New Holland Brewing, the home of our favorite beer, Dragon's Milk.

Saturday morning, we met Aunt Joyce plus her daughter Pam, and two other cousins, Bonnie and Carla. We went out for breakfast, then went to the festival. The first event was the Klomepenstompers, er, Klompen dancers. The Dutch dancing with the wooden shoes. They had a couple hundred high school girls in costume (as both boys and girls). Then we walked around the art fair for a while. I picked up a tulip welded of silverware. After a while, Joyce was not feeling well and asked to go home. On our way back to the car, we took a detour to New Holland for a tasting flight of four different versions of Dragon's Milk.

After a rest, the cousins and I went out to another park to view more tulips. Then dinner where I had an odd burger. It was topped with onion rings, cheddar, maple/bacon sauce and served open-faced on a waffle. The very sweet waffle, and maple sauce didn't go well with the cheese or onion.

The next morning we met for breakfast again, and then split up. Cyn and I stopped at South Haven and walked out on the pier. It was sunny but about 45 degrees and very windy. Painful. Then we went on to Three Oaks, where stopped at Journeyman Distillery for lunch in their Staymaker restaurant.

I noted the outfit on the right. This is real clothing, not a costume.

They take the dancing class in phy ed class, and are drafted to dance for the festival. It looks like they're all having fun.

The leftmost "boy" looks like Brent Spiner (Data).

I wonder how many costumes the organization owns. Hundreds.

Try high-kicking with blocks of wood on your feet!

Each area of Holland had its own distinctive style of bonnet.

Carla discussing her purchases with her cousins.

Carla took tons of photos of the tulips, and other flowers.

I can't help but think they'd have more fun if they just turned around so they could see the tulips.

From left, Dragon's Milk (standard), Mexican Spice Cake, Brewer's Select (extra nice bourbon barrels), and Tequila-something.

Enjoying the sun and fifty-five degree spring afternoon.

There were a lot of people taking pictures of their kids in among the tulips. Some of the kids weren't even cranky.

Pam, Cindy, Bonnie, Carla.

Cousin Pam.

A couple of streets are lined with tulips.

This side of the pier was sheltered from the wind and waves. There are two piers, with a ship channel between. On the opposite side (to the right), the waves were crashing over the pier.