Iowans on the Go: Ames couple tour Europe - in Iowa
Imagine! A quick trip to the Netherlands in the morning ... visiting Paris in the afternoon ... checking into peaceful accommodations in a quaint inn ... dining on sumptuous French food at a small Parisian cafe ... returning to the inn for a peaceful sleep ... then enjoying a delightful European breakfast before the morning drive to Rome!
We did this recently ... all in Iowa! And in a mere 24 hours.

The details of the plot: On a hot August day, my husband, Bernie, had an afternoon appointment in Pella and I accompanied him. We love to travel and haven't been to France since November 2006. So, why not pretend?
We arrived in Pella, 80 miles from our home in Ames, eager to catch the Dutch spirit.

The friendly hostess at the visitor center (in a small windmill, of course) directed us to the Historical Village and the large Vermeer Mill. The huge working windmill, 100 percent wind-powered, built in the Netherlands and assembled in Pella, grinds flour for local bakers. It is the largest windmill in the United States, 124 feet high. And the stone-ground flour makes delicious almond-filled Dutch letters.

DesMoinesRegister.com, IA