More Holland Than Mere Tradition

“Holland” (Traveloguer Collection, 60 minutes, 1990).

Holland offers more than windmills, tulips and wooden shoes. In addition to these traditional sights, Sherilyn Mentes’ fine video journeys through lush farmland, quaint villages and thriving cities.

In the north viewers join a colorful carnival in the charming seafaring town of Hoorn, visit the fishing village of Marken and the capital of Amsterdam, as well as the cheese market at Alkmaar.

In Amsterdam the tour includes shops, canals and the unusual narrow houses along their banks. There are also stops at Dam Square, the Rijksmuseum, the red light district and the Anne Frank house.

Highlights in The Hague include the Binnenhof, where the Dutch Parliament meets, and the Peace Palace, furnished with contributions from all over the world.

There are visits also to Leiden, Rembrandt’s birthplace; Delft’s potteries; Gouda for its cheese market; the divided town of Barre/Nassau; the rolling hills of Limburg, and the commercial city of Maastricht, a walled city dating from the 13th Century.

A tape is available from Traveloguer Collection, 3301 W. Hampden Ave., Suite N, Englewood, Colo. 80110. (800) 521-5104. Price: $29.95, including a reference booklet.

“Grand Canyon National Park” (Rand McNally Video Trips, 50 minutes, 1990).

This is another in Rand McNally’s beautifully photographed and informative video guides to the United States’ national parks.

While the narration gives viewers information on the where, what and how to’s, the film explores the breathtaking panoramas of this 1,100-square mile park and its Grand Canyon--2 billion years in the making.

Information and scenes of the many ways to explore the park include walking tours, free and for-a-fee shuttle buses, horseback, mule and hiking trails, river rafting, bicycling and driving.

Throughout the video there are lists of addresses and phone numbers for specific information.

Occasional interviews with park rangers offer advice and cautions for use of the park and suggestions on where to get the best views and photographs.

There’s information on climate, clothing, pets, fishing and lodges and accommodations outside the park.

Tapes are available from VCRI, P.O. Box 1179, Gillette, Wyo. 82717, (800) 248-7477. Price: $19.99.

“Touring America’s Historic Inns” (Questar Video Inc., 60 minutes, 1992).

Nine inns, selected for their comfort and food as well as their history, are featured in this video. While the narration relates their links to the past, the film shows the antique-filled interiors and grounds plus some of the nearby tourist attractions.

The St. Francis Inn in St. Augustine, Fla., the oldest city in the United States, was built in 1791. The tour of the inn and city is accompanied by a pictorial history. Robert Morris Inn (1710), Oxford, Md., located on Chesapeake Bay, is where James Michener researched his novel, “Chesapeake.” A tour includes the Chesapeake Bay Museum.

Beekman Arms (1776), Rhinebeck, N.Y., in the Hudson River Valley, offers views of the inn where Washington slept, followed by a tour of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s birthplace augmented with old film clips.

Red Lion Inn (1773), Stockbridge, Mass. The inn was a central meeting place during the American Revolution. Nearby are the Berkshire Playhouse, Tanglewood Music Center and Norman Rockwell’s home.

Stillman’s Inn (1858) in Galena, Ill., became famous during the area’s Lead Rush. Also seen are a home of Ulysses S. Grant and the city of Galena, an antique-lover’s haven.

Monmouth Plantation (1816), Natchez, Miss. The home was purchased by Gen. John Quitman in 1826 and noted for its elegant entertaining and as headquarters for U.S. Grant during the Union occupation.