Photos, photos...

I haven't had much access to the internet, so today I will post mostly photos with comments.

Yesterday was just a beautiful day weatherwise at Keukenhof, Holland's famous tulip gardens near Amsterdam. Thousands take advantage during the 2 short months it is open during the spring time, to visit this amazing parkland filled with mainly tulips, but also other bulb based flowers like hyacinth, daffordils, jonquils etc. There are also halls filled with, tulips or gerberas, or orchids where farmers compete for the best flowers.

So here are some of my pics.

At the entrance to Keukenhof

At the entrance to Keukenhof. Here is where I found my jacket at the end of the day (after I had lost it in the late afternoon), hanging on the gate.

Admiring the beautiful trees and gardens.

Beautiful displays and layouts around every corner

Clogs for photo opportunities,

An old fashioned icecream cart. This a called a 'bakfiets'. (Bike cart)  I remember buying an icecream from this kind of cart when I was a child,

Having a little shut eye after walking many kms through the gardens. This is a hall where the various farmer's flowers are judged. One of 5 halls.

The colours are just glorious

Another gorgeous corner. Everything is immaculate. Not a blade or flower out of place and zero rubbish anywhere.

We bought lunch here, but ate outside. Dutch people are hardly inside if there is even a minute chance that the sun might shine. :-)

Inside one of the show halls. This one is for Orchids. The variety was enough to blow your mind.

I love this. It is so contemplative and set in amongst the cherry trees which were shedding their blossoms over everything surrounding them.

The Dutch tricolour blowing in the breeze over Keukenhof as I arrived, somehow pulled at my heartstrings.When I was a child, I always remember my parent's putting out the flag from the top story of our house on every birthday of a member of the royal family.

At the Friesian display. Lots of cow photos, clogs and daffodils here. Friesland is where I was born.

The cherry trees were spectacular. Shedding their blossoms which looked like snowy rain. Thousands of people were there,

The new queen of the Netherlands. Here she is with her footman, golden carriage and velvet chairs.

I think I'm in the red light district here...haha. Don't quite look the part.

Tulips from Amsterdam. I would like to dedicate this to my amazing husband Ross ...it's his birthday today. Happy Birthday Rossy love from me in Amsterdam.

what can I comment...more tulips :-)

A wood carving of the composer Haydn. A rather stern statue for such a pretty garden don't you think?

Lovely idea. I think I'll bring back a dozen pairs!

Another fun idea, Daffodils in milk cartons.

Brilliant colours. Loved my day at Keukenhof.

Reflections...

Constantly planting new bulbs...the gardens are open till mid May, then they shut down until next spring.

When I came around the corner to see this scene (in the late afternoon) it blew me away. The white swans, the fountains, the deep colour green of the grass and the flowers in the foreground...just WOWWOWOWOWOW!

This was one of our fave sections.

A panaroma at Keukenhof (with my sis Mieke) looking away from the photo below.

This is what Mieke was seeing. Just a stunning setting. The flowers here are yet to bloom.