It's been a while since I visited Solvang. On January 31st, me and my friends headed over to Solvang to celebrate my friend's birthday since it was her wish to do so. I remembered Solvang during my childhood years as this bustling, tourist town. There were so many tour busses and tourists by the hundreds were walking around, shopping and doing the sightseeing thing. I think I was 9? I'm not even going to begin to remember which year it was. Anyway, prior to my recent visit, I've been to Solvang a handful of times. All before my teens and I'm 31 now so you do the math as to how long it's been since. I remember vividly the times I went, there was this ice cream/bake shop that had their waffle making machine next to the window and every time me and my family visited, that machine was churning waffle cones like there was no tomorrow. Now, as a young kid, this amazed me. I was always awestruck by the simplicity of the machine and how such a simple machine could produce something so beautiful (to a kid) and oh so delicious at the same time. Not only that, but this machine was constantly making these waffle cones! There was also a tender to the machine. Always vigilant and on guard. Spreading the batter on an empty mold to which a few seconds ago, waffle cone goodness was produced and thoroughly enjoyed by some stranger...delighted in it's sugary goodness. You know what the funny thing is? It's a bit sad but of all the times I was a kid, visiting Solvang, I NEVER had a taste of that waffle cone. Moms and pops were too busy being tourists and each time I asked they said it was bad for me or we'll be eating soon and it'll ruin my appetite etc.
So here I am, 31 now. Haven't been in Solvang in probably 20 years and I'm inside the store. Everything has changed. Not many tourists or people were walking around in that quaint and cute town of Solvang. And as you can see in the photo, the waffle machine sits still and motionless. No batter. No waffle cone making goodness. No one tending to the machine. It was a bittersweet reunion. I'll tell you what though. This time, I had my waffle cone goodness and I had pistachio ice cream with it. It was fucking delicious! It was a long time coming...