Monday, May 5, 2014

Hot Times in Holland!

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you might think we only go on vacations.  This is sadly untrue.  We do have more vacations than you might expect because we are embracing the Danish holiday mindset.  But the shameful truth is that having lived here for almost 4 years, we don't see much to blog about.  This is just our life now.  It's not that weird or special or exotic.  It's just us, B and E, and little C, going about our business.

Last week we took a little break from the routine and headed down to the Netherlands for our almost-annual tulip pilgrimage.  It didn't disappoint.  Holland is just about the best place on Earth in the springtime.  We set up a home base in Haarlem but also traveled out to tulip country, visited the famous gardens at Keukenhof, and prowled around Amsterdam.

A fine start as we ride the bus out to the airport.  C gets into the Dutch spirit with an orange sheep sticker on her nose.


A genuine "kermis!"  We were in Haarlem on King's Day and enjoyed the festivities at De Groote Markt.

St. Bavo's Church in Haarlem

I think Holland beats Paris any day.  The weather is warmer, the food is better and cheaper, and there are tulips!

Holland continues to be perfect.

Even though we were a bit late for prime tulip viewing, some fields were still dramatically stripy!
Extra-patriotic orange tulip fields just outside of Keukenhof.
But surprise!  Up close they're actually red and yellow striped tulips!

C digs the tulips.
C's mind is ever-so-slightly blown by the sheer riotousness of Keukenhof.
Ahhh!  We love the tulips!
We love them so much!
Tulips speak for themselves.
C demands to see the view from above.  It's not always easy being shorter than a tulip.
As far as the eye can see!
Tulips in the Vondelpark in Amsterdam. 
Also in the Vondelpark.  See the crown on the A?  That's for King's Day!
If you weren't sure how big a deal King's Day is--it's so big, there are special edition orange M&Ms.
Just toodling around Haarlem.
Toodle toodle toodle toodle.
Early morning in Haarlem.


Almost home again.  At the train station in Vejle.