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| Another view of Keukenhof Gardens |
In order to
stay awake and make the best use of my time, I arrived at the airport and,
after a breakfast of an awesome caramel cookie and a soggy undercooked piece of
apple cake with good coffee, planned to go directly to Keukenhof Gardens. I’m
still a little amazed that the incredibly busy Amsterdam Airport actually has
luggage storage in these days of terrorism, but was plenty grateful to not have
to lug around my suitcase and backpack. I struggled with the baggage lockers
for half an hour before I figured out that American credit cards don’t always
come with a pin code—mine didn’t (though it’s possible to get one), and the
baggage lockers don't operate on cash. So I ended up walking to the opposite
end of the airport to take my luggage to a physical luggage check in the
basement. Seven euros (about $9) for 24 hours—it beats rotator cuff injuries
any day.
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| More Keukenhof eye candy |
The Dutch
are so friendly and eager to help a stranger--EVERYONE went out of their
way, up to and including the nice man who showed me how to work the rather
confusing ticket system for the train and Metro, explaining, “I understand you,
but I don’t speak much English”. I learned pretty quickly that there are the
trains—like the one that runs from the airport to other cities and the
outskirts of Amsterdam—and the Metro system, that includes the subway system,
trams and buses, and functions inside the city and its suburbs. Tickets will
work for one or the other, but not both. I had pre-bought a ticket to Keukenhof
Gardens and that included a bus from the airport. The gardens are only open
from mid-April to May 20 each year.
Keukenhof
was grand; it may be the most outstanding formal planting I’ve ever seen. The
garden area itself covers many acres, well-kept (not one dead flower—not ONE—in
literally millions of blooms). The color combinations, the multiple garden
“rooms” with different types of tulips intermixed, fountains, and an
outstanding orchid house were superb; themes included a Japanse garden,
windmill, and a display honoring British gardens that was in the process of
being built, among others.
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| In the Orchid House |
Keukenhof exceeded my expectations; I wandered around for four hours and revisited my favorites—a fantastic must-see for those who love gardens, and of course, tulips.
And of course, I had a herring sandwich for lunch in the excellent little cafe there.
To be overwhelmed by color, tulips, and the ingenuity of the Dutch, go to the album "Keukenhof" on my Pinterest page, here. I will upload a video (featuring Keukenhof's working windmill and player organ) in June.
I hoped to see flower fields, and they were visible from the upper level of the windmill, across a small canal: row upon row of glowing red, yellow, white and purple under the calm grey sky.
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| Walking on water? Nope - a clever water feature: |
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| Less than an inch below the surface, these "lily pads" allow visitors to follow a path through the pond |
I hoped to see flower fields, and they were visible from the upper level of the windmill, across a small canal: row upon row of glowing red, yellow, white and purple under the calm grey sky.
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