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De Efteling
So, last Sunday we stocked up on buns and drinks and drove down to Kaatsheuvel, where De Efteling is. De Efteling is the largest and most popular theme park in the Netherlands. We stayed in a small part of the park, namely the fairy tale forest and some attractions the kid would be able to enjoy. Mostly indoor attractions and it was near impossible to get any (decent) shots in there, so I didn’t even bother. I did miss my D700.
There are amazing roller coasters (the Python, among others) and more fun stuff there, but J-man wasn’t nearly tall enough to be able to ride them. We steered clear so we’d prevent any possible disappointment—nothing worse than seeing your little one disappointed on a day like that just because he isn’t tall enough to do the cool big kids stuff.
Here are some of the snapshots I took with the click-clack Nikon. They turned out way better than I had hoped for. The weather was great, sunny and bright. The lines were short, the park wasn’t overly crowded and we were having a blast.
That, and sore feet. Incredibly sore feet.
Just look at him. All hopped up and ready to go. He’ll only pose for me these days when he gets to make weird faces or sticks out his tongue. Hey, at his age I’ll take what I can get. And then I share it here because I’m crazy proud of my son and you are such easy victims. Lucky you!
I felt really bad for some of these people. They wore costumes that looked heavy and warm while the sun was shining bright.
One of these days I’ll win the lottery. When I do, I’ll buy these kind of lanterns and plaster them all over the mansion that I plan on buying on the same day. Maybe I’ll buy de Efteling, kick out sleeping beauty and move into her castle.
This Efteling creature wanted to pull him onto the bench but J-man wouldn’t have any of it. Smart kid. We just had the “don’t talk to strangers’ talk recently.
I told him Holle Bolle Gijs would beat him into submission if he got naughty. He was duly unimpressed. Holle Bolle Gijs is a character from an old children’s song. He says “Dank U” (thank you), when someone puts their candy wrappers or other pieces of paper in his mouth. Probably why the place stays so clean.
Go on… guess what this is! No, guess! It’s an ATM that David Copperfield would have been jealous of!
I shrieked when I saw these. Grobbebollen! They were characters from a tv-show I used to watch when I was still a teeny-tiny Kay, it was about a magician and his daughter, Tita Tovenaar.
And of course there were windmills. How could there not be?
And a money fountain. The profits go to charity, so we tried to hit the little platter quite a few times.
I hate to admit it, but even as a little girl the story of sleeping beauty bored me to tears. My son takes after me, I guess.
Then you step into the fairy tale forest and it really is a different world. A world made of cute little houses.
Of pipe smoking fairy tale creatures. I bet he won’t sue Philip Morris.
More little houses, inhabited by dwarfs and gnomes. Heaven on earth for a little boy.
Long Neck telling his stories. Long Neck (also named Lange Jan) is one of the six servants from the Grimm tale.
Another variation of Holle Bolle Gijs, you’ll see them all over.
Check this out: little red riding hood wearing wicked red clogs and red MAC lipstick while puckering her lips! That’s all kinds of wrong.
The troll king made the ground shake underneath the kiddo’s feet. He jumped a foot in the air. I laughed so hard when I saw the startled look on his face, it quickly turned into pure excitement and I could barely drag him away from there.
This talking parrot has been there ever since I was little girl. When the eye is red, it records everything it hears. And Rapunzel, yet another boring fairy tale.
Sorry for the nudity. I told her to get decent, but that saucy little mermaid just wouldn’t listen.
There can be no fairy tale forest without a dragon.
Think you can guess what fairy tale this is? I’ll give you a hint: he wants to devour her and her seven kids. Well, at least he’s well-dressed.
Hansel and Gretel. No, don’t feel sorry for him sitting there, locked up in that cage, all sad and lonely. That’s what the punk gets for stealing candy. Did he, for one moment, think about his momma’s dental bill? Well then.
All the rest rooms, souvenir shops and even bistros were built like fairy tale houses.
The donkey poops gold coins. No really, I am not making this up!
I kindly passed on Snow White. I mean, come on, everyone with half a brain and two functioning eyes could have seen that was the evil stepmomster. The kid was just being naive. That, and I was getting pretty tired and my feet were hurting, so I stayed put.
Another one of those juvenile delinquents. This one goes by the name of Tom Thumb. If you ever bump into him, keep an eye on your UGGS.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about this. Did they dye the birds? Or did they feed them something with dye in it to give them this color? Either way, it can’t be really good for those feathery little buddies.
This was by far my favorite part of the park, the fairy tale tree. I could have just sat there all day long and listen to him tell stories. Very well done.
He was trying to be brave, but you could tell he was worn-out. He did manage to race towards the only lion there was in the carousel, elbowing everyone in his way. He was the envy of all toddlers. That’s my boy! And there’s that tongue again.
And just when you think he has not an ounce of energy left… there’s a playground. It was heaven-sent. After a glass of chocolate milk, he was off to the playground and I was sitting on a terrace, in the sunshine, sipping a cold drink and resting my poor abused feet.
That was a small part of everything we did and saw that day, but at least it gives you an impression. He was allowed to pick out a souvenir before we went home. Out of a huge store, filled to the brim with stuffed animals and other gigantic plastic useless stuff, he picked out a teeny tiny dragon and hasn’t parted with it yet.
I love seeing and experiencing the world through my son’s eyes. The sheer excitement, the anticipation of something new. The interaction between children when the color of their skin or the language they speak don’t matter. I can’t regress to a time where I actually can see the world as he does, but I can live vicariously through him. He brought a bit of magic back into my world and for that I’ll always be grateful to him.
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Oh! I’ve been at De Efteling twice — once while traveling in Europe with my family, and another after highschool with some friends.
The gold pooping donkey was always a favourite, as were all the polite rubbish bins asking for ‘papeer heer’.
I’ll be 30 soon, but still haven’t become tired of amusement parks! :)
Glad you had fun…
Photos turned out beautiful! Looks like you guys had a great day.
Wow. And wow again. It really looks like a magical day.
Can’t believe all the detail on everything! The little houses are absolutely beautiful. I love the talking garbage container. I’m amazed by the detail and everything is so well taken care of.
Truly a kids paradise and I would have loved it too!
Your son must have been in absolute heaven! He’ll never forget it I bet.
And he’s so adorable. I can tell there’s rarely a dull moment with him!
Thanks for sharing. You and your camera did not disappoint.
(evil stepmomster haha….)
What fun! I really love it when you show photos of where you live and the places you visit. Everything seems so beautiful there! Now I want to go to De Efteling!
Really great pictures Kay!! De Efteling puts our little Storybook Forrest park in Ligonier, Pa to shame. I can’t wait to show your pictures to my 17 yr old son. I bet he’ll agree with me when he sees De Efteling.
Wow I love all the cottages and characters. They are so undisneyfied. Everything here in our theme parks is so cookie cutter looking. I really like the trash men too such a great idea. We don’t really have anything like that here. J-man looks like he had a fantastic day. your pictures turned out really well. The camera did not disappoint!
So that is where evilstepmomster comes from Humm! :)
http://sprucehill.typepad.com/
Oh, that is so cool!! I love it! Love how “Brothers Grimm” everything looks, compared to our shiny plastic disneyland here. :-)
It looks like so much fun! I love that ATM machine! and the tree. My mum would love to have that tree in our back garden.
It reminds me of a park in the Isle of Wight called Blackgang Chine (but De Efteling looks about 10 times better). We went over there quite a few times when I was younger.
I want a Holle Bolle Gijs in my house!! Amazing looking place and what a fun memory for the little guy.
Your photos are great! We loved De Efteling.
Oh, wow, that looks a million times better than any Disney park. I’ve never been to such a quaint, lovely theme park (or, you know, the quaint lovely ZONE of a theme park) in the US… great photos!
@Spruce Hill:
There’s no Disney here, no. Just the old-fashioned fairy tales.
I was wondering if you guys would pick up on the stepmomster thing :)
Oh, what a lovely, lovely post. So delightful! I really appreciated how you closed the post about seeing life through your child’s eyes. If only children’s way of thinking, at least in the regard of seeing beyond skin color and language differences, could stay that way as adults.
I would absolutely love to go to this park!! One of my favorites was the Holle Bolle Gijs hanging out the door with the rolling pin. I would be so afraid of it haha. I laughed at what you said about Red Riding Hood hahahaha. You are too much! Great post, Kay. Thank you for making me smile today.
I have no desire to go to Disney (either one) — but I would love my guys to see this! The older two have been to the *bigger kid* part and ridden the Python (on a very rainy day). Wow, it is SO enchanting! What amazing pictures you have taken and shared!
De Gekleurde Duiven van Genoveva krijgen twee a drie keer per jaar heel eventjes een duifvriendelijk verfbadje. De dierenbescherming houdt het in de gaten, dus geen zorgen! :)
Overigens geen slecht idee om je kleien nog even weg te houden bij het kasteel van de stiefmoeder van Sneeuwwitje..
Wat daar in de spiegel te zien is, is tamelijk griezelig: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0Vqnr6DkuI&
Kleine, dus. :)
Wow! It’s like stepping into a real life fairytale!
@Ilona:
Hij is er wel eventjes in geweest met zijn vader, maar rende weg toen hij de spiegel zag :)
What a great way to spend some family time, the kids must love it there!
Amazing place…
Thanks for sharing this beauty!
My dad took my brother, sister and I here a couple years ago when we were visiting. We did more of the “big kid” things, but my sister was still quite young, so we ventured to the kid things too. When I told my brother that I was reading a blog about the park, all he could say was “OMG I LOVE THAT PLACE!” :D
I so want a Tree that tells Fairy Tales. Especvially in their original forms.}:P
When I was little ( back in the sixties!0 my family was a Canadian military family posted in Germany. We spent our summers being lucky enough to travel through the Netherlands! This was one of my all time favorite places to come! Thank you so much for the beautiful pictures that I can show my children and grandchildren! I never could explain the magic just right !