If Solvang Isn't Dutch, Then What Is It?

Last Friday I ignorantly wrote the following on my Facebook status...

...because somewhere in my online traipsing for maps of Solvang, CA, I read that it's a Dutch village.

Well, it's not. And what kind of journalist would I be if I let the mistake stand without correction? I have a dubious blogging responsibility to check my facts and report them to you, dear reader.

But here's the problem. I get so confused when it comes to distinguishing more than one country when referring to Denmark and The Netherlands and Holland. And if they speak Dutch in Holland, then what language do they speak in Denmark? And which one is in Scandinavia? And which one has windmills? And the wooden shoes?

And how could I be so confused when I'd actually BEEN to one of these countries (whichever one has Amsterdam in it)?

Solvang (circa 2009)

So after learning that Solvang is a Danish village which refers to Danish people who are from Denmark and only Denmark, a country that has Danes in it, I find that you can still be easily confused, because I thought Holland was a country known for its windmills and wooden shoes. But no, Solvang would have you believe that they are the symbol of the Danes as well:

And spotting The Belgian Cafe only complicates matters.

I mean, aren't Belgians from Belgia, or Bulgaria or somewhere?

And aren't trolleys from America? Specifically, San Francisco?

And when you see a sign for "Dogtoberfest" in a Solvang store front window, do you think "Danish Pointer"? Or "German Shepherd"?

Excuse me, but is that lederhosen?

Of course, nothing screams Danish culture like memorializing Michael Jackson's death and his virtually-foreclosed Peter Pan property, which I will grant is located within 150 miles of Solvang.

So, in summary and conclusion, I ask you: what is Danish? I'll tell you what it is. It's this bad boy from the Solvang Bakery...

 

And now if you'll excuse me, I've got some blood sugar to raise.






Some of you may recall that I wrote some content for a video game that was released in August called Coconut Queen. Gamezebo interviewed the game's creators who also mentioned me in the article which you can read on the Gamezebo website in this Behind The Scenes Interview.







From the Aww-You-Shouldn't-Have Department:
Some of you insist on upsetting the balance by one-upping me in the gift arena. I sent Paula (who writes a blog called How to be a Cat Lady Without all the Cats) a pen or two and she hurls THIS T-shirt back at me:

click to enlarge

Thank you, Paula! It is so goaty and bizarre and I love it! This shirt comes from the Bully Hill Winery in Hammondsport, New York, where even their mailing labels are crazy!

Also? I would like to thank Plain ol' Bob over at plainolebob answers for awarding me with his very own super customized Hot Dawg Blogger award. Thanks, Bob!