12/6/10 – Solvang Revisted

While we were at 1000 Trails Rancho Oso, we went to Solvang.  I’d been there when my cousin Charlotte lived in northern California and I was a teenager. 

Solvang is like Leavenworth, WA, except where Leavenworth redefined itself to look like a Bavarian Village, Solvang started out that way.  It was created by Danish immigrants like a Danish Village so their children would know what it was like in the old country.  There are windmills and half-timbered buildings, and signs that look they came straight from a European shoppe. 

It’s cute, and quaint, and touristy—and I like it!

 When Charlotte took us there in the 60’s, we went to a bakery and they served a tiered tray of petit fours and pastries; you only paid for what you ate.  I dragged George into every single bakery in town looking for that.  Apparently the bakeries don’t do that anymore—or maybe health regulations won’t allow it.  We had lunch in one bakery—and dessert in another. 

Monday in early December is a good time of year to play tourist in Solvang!  There were NO crowds anywhere. 

We passed a little nursery as we were going from bakery to bakery.  There was a banner across the back that read “Rent a Christmas Tree Here”.  Only in California…