We started the day at All Day Cafe by Minervas. This was exactly what Bismarck needs. It was all about the breakfast and the beautiful options that breakfast should be. I had the OMG French Toast that is a brulee batter with berries and homemade whip cream, Eleanor had a pancake with fruit. Matt had oysters and grits and we all split a yogurt bowl. I took an amazing latte to go and I was happy!While Eleanor napped, we headed to Iowa. We got to Orange City, which is very small. Took a couple minutes to get our bearings and also determine that when the festival is not going on, the town is very sleepy. We did a stop at the airport... which was our second airport of the trip. There wasn't much action and many of the shops were getting ready to close at 2:00. We even attempted the CVB, which is a giant windmill in town, it was closed.
We made sure to hit the good stops right away. First, the Dutch Bakery... we got Dutch letters, St. Nick cookies, an almond pretzel and an almond pattie for later. We also hit up the butcher shop - Woudstra Meat Market. We bought saucijsjes (Pig in the blanket), stroopwafels, 18-month aged Gouda, and some candies. I wish we had a better cooler system to grab a few more items.
We did a little walking around town, specifically windmill park, main street, and around the courthouse. We caught the tulips in late bloom... I can't image how pretty it is when it's the peak of the season!
We did break for lunch. The biggest letdown in the community is that there isn't a place that has a local flair. We were looking for something more than a diner that may have some Dutch food. We settled on Blue Mountain Emporium. It was ok. The best thing that we had was the Guiness Gouda Soup. Matt had the smoked brisket dip sandwich, I had the smoked mac and cheese which was topped with a raspberry sauce. Eleanor had the minicorn dogs. She wasn't too impressed with much of the meal. We headed back to the park to walk around and play... burn off some of the energy. She got a big kick out of the wood chips that covered the ground and insisted that they be taken wherever she was. We found wood chips in her pants later that night.The other bright spot to Matt's day was the little shop we found... he finally got his wooden clogs, Size 40! He also got his little old lady cookbook and convinced me that both Eleanor and I needed some type of yellow wooden clog. I got a pair of garden shoes, Eleanor got slippers to grow into.
We did take a stroll around the windmills in the park. It's a showcase of all the different types of windmills that are made. This combined Matt's love of his Dutch heritage with the geekiness of science. He was very happy. Eleanor and I were just along for the ride... and to check out the giant clog.
We grabbed a couple sodas, had a bottle, and headed back to Sioux Falls. It was a good day, despite the town being so sleepy. Some day we'll get down for the festival!We had tacos that night at Giliberto's... a little taco stand joint bragging of their local flavor. They were good and the
portions were huge. I was the only one who didn't order too much! We headed back to the hotel, did a walkaround the downtown... looking at the art, music, people, and water... and went to bed! What a day!
Best meal: Probably breakfast... not only was the food good, the coffee was to go but Eleanor also was very interested in eating... that makes life so much easier!
ALR: Gawd, there it is again.
MJR: What?
ALR: That smell.
MJR: I don't. uh. wait. Okay, I smell it now.
ALR: You don't realize how many pig farms are in Iowa until you are pregnant with a hypersense of smell.
Driving through town...later on
ALR: Ohh, look a Dutch gas station.
MJR: I don't think it's a Dutch gas st-
ALR: Oh, and Dutch street lights, they look very American.
MJR: har har
ALR: Oh, those people must be tourists like us, they aren't wearing Dutch shoes.
MJR: Are you done?
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