Travelog post for: Vanilla

Hello again, Mom!  I saw that Wavy Gravy and Clyde had just updated, so I thought I would make it three for you in a row! 

Yesterday was pretty exciting, meeting everyone.  then Buzz took me for a walk to see some flowering trees.  He wanted to ask me about being a voyager, because he will start his travels soon.  He was nervous!  It's funny to think I am the expert here, when I have only traveled one time! 


Last night after a nap, I went with Mel to her work, but she had warned me that if it was a busy night, I would have to stay out of the way and she would show me around later.  It was busy, but at least I got to sit on her desk and keep her company and remind her to drink water once in a while and not panic!  She promised that for being a good helper, she'd take me again when there is time for me to take photos. 

And today, Mel is off work!  So she took Buzz Bluejay and I to see Grand Haven!  Or at least a quick tour of it.  It was fun! 

We started with being able to see almost the whole thing at once, atop Five-Mile Hill.  The story told is that it got it's name because a light placed there could be seen 5 miles out into the lake.  The hill is actually a giant sand dune that had trees grow on it and thus stopped moving.  This is the downtown part of the city!  The Grand River winds through it. 


This is the same spot, just looking a different direction.  The big hill behind me is actually a ski hill in the winter.  Mel says her nephew Tyler is there all the time with his snowboard.  But you can see better that I am on a dune here!


Then we went back down the hill to the beach.  It was really windy and the sand was blowing, so we just stayed in the parking lot for now.  Mel says we can go to the beach and pier later, yippee!  You can see the pier and lighthouses tiny in the background.


Buzz decided that he wanted a better view, and the tallest spot around was ME!  Get off of my head, you silly bird! 


This is looking down the beach.  In the summer, this will be all covered with people, Mel says!  A lot of this is State Park, but there is city free beach beyond it, and past that, a dog beach for animals!


Buzz and I did find some driftwood and play in the sand for a little bit.  The wind made it hard to stay for long, though.


So our next stop as farther inland out of the breeze.  Mel had to go to the post office, and right across the street was the city's Central Park.  Mel told us the story of this old fountain, which is still closed up for winter.  It used to sit in the grounds of a famous resort hotel that was near here, and people came all over to take baths in Grand Haven's natural mineral springs!  Mel says no one is using the springs now and the fancy hotel burned down long long before she was born.  But the fountain got saved and it just finishing being restored.


Buzz said he had seen enough tulips, but I hadn't.  So of all the beds in the park, I liked these best. 


This one was weird, it doubled!  Mel was going to try and explain mutations to us but I think she recognized by our blank stare that we would rather go play in the grass. 


Now we are back home having lunch.  When Meema gets home we are going out to dinner!  So his may have a part 2 later....  Until then, Mom, I'm being good an having fun!