Tulips, tulips, and more tulips! Today was the day I had been looking forward to the most on this trip. Keukenhof (known as the “Garden of Europe”) has almost 80 acres of gardens planted with 7 million flower bulbs each year. The tulips are in full bloom in mid-April and it was the primary reason for my visit to the Netherlands.
The gardens are every bit as beautiful as I imagined. Picture manicured tulip beds as far as the eye can see, glimpses of the tulip fields outside the gardens, windmills, fountains, and the scent of flowers everywhere. My (300+) pictures could never do it justice.
Did you know that tulips which are to be harvested are cut before they are fully bloomed? That is to ensure that the energy of the plant goes into the bulb instead of the flower. Once harvested, the bulb is surrounded by several smaller bulbs which are separated and sold. Many of the tulip fields around the Keukenhof had already been cut, but you could still see rows of tulips in some of the nearby fields.
I walked around and took some pictures, ate a focaccia egg sandwich, walked some more, ate some poffertjes (Dutch mini pancakes), and walked some more. I had planned to head back to Amsterdam around noon but couldn’t resist spending more time in the gardens. By the time I headed out to the bus it was about 1:30PM and I was done.
I got back to Amsterdam Centraal around 2:30PM and knew I needed an afternoon treat. I had ordered the child size portion of poffertjes so I could rationalize a small cone of whipped cream ice cream at Van der Linde. Yes, you read that right. And after ordering my small cone, I wished I had ordered a large. It literally tastes like someone made whipped cream into creamy, soft, heavenly ice cream. One bite, and wow! This place is popular for a reason. If I can see my way back there once more before I head home, I won’t be upset!
I went back to my hotel for the rest of the afternoon to relax. There is a happy hour every day from 4PM to 5PM and I decided to bring my laptop down to edit pictures while I enjoyed a glass of wine.
I had a dinner reservation tonight at Eetcafé Koevoet, a small Italian trattoria set in what was once a home. I enjoyed pasta carbonara, a San Pellegrino, and zuppa inglese (some kind of custard/sponge cake dipped in liqueur). It was one of the best Italian meals I’ve had in a long time.
It was such a nice night that I took my time heading back to my hotel along the canals and alleys of the Jordaan neighborhood after dinner. I have plans to get out of the city again tomorrow, but no specific timetable to adhere to so I wasn’t in any hurry.
Traveling with Laura 