Taking a barge bike trip to Holland when tulips would be in bloom, arranged by friends, seemed like an interesting trip! So I signed up for it.... a year ahead! I never plan that far ahead!
As the barge trip would start from
Amsterdam it seemed a great idea to spend a few days there first....
So we booked into the
Hyatt Regency there..... and as the rooms booked were Club rooms we were able to eat and drink at leisure in their club room between 6 and 8pm....
This was unexpected and on the first night we already had a dinner reservation. But it was so good we stayed in the next few nights and just had lunch out!
So we did the Museums..... starting at the
Rijksmuseum.............
with a great lunch at the
Rijks restaurant...
then on to the
Van Gogh museum where there was a special exhibition with David Hockney's works.
.....sneaked this.....before hearing no photos allowed!!
Wandering around Amsterdam and its canals is always interesting!
......... the fine for drinking on the street is less!
and you can even hang out your wash in front of the
Nemo museum.....
The barge went north from Amsterdam, dropping people off for a short ride to the first night's stop.
This was in the small village of
Zaanse Schans with its old, still functioning, windmills.
We visited one which still mills wood. Fascinating!
...and we got to see clogs being made.......
Next night was in the city of
Alkmaar ... the mooring was not quite as peaceful as Zaanse Schans!
The ride there however did allow one to see the actual tulip fields.....
....we heard that a big problem at the moment is that some tourists are trampling on the tulips to get selfies!
We also got to see the
polders.......low lying reclaimed land....
Next stop was Haarlem, via the North Sea ......... which was a little flat and grey......
...and was followed by a day of rain, torrential at times! So exploring Haarlem was a wet experience......
In need of keeping somewhat dry first stop was the
Frans Hals Museum....
which is opposite the St Elisabeth hospital ....
... whose Regents at that time are in this painting by Frans Hals!
The amusing Satire of Tulipmania by Jon Brughels the Younger is also there...
Tulipmania in the 17th century was akin to the financial bubble of the more recent dot.com era or present day Bitcoin.
Heavy rain meant we spent quite a time also in the
Grote Kerk/ Cathedral!
Where we were able to check out the organ played by a 10 year old Mozart.....
and see the beautiful wooden ceiling......
...the restaurant
ML was great that evening!
At this point I should say that most of our meals were on board the barge and we had an excellent chef and team!
The following day included a visit to
Keukenhof. Anytime I mentioned I was going to Holland in tulip-time I was always asked if I was going here! I had no idea!...its like Disneyland! Millions of tulips and only open once a year for around 6 weeks! So .....many, many visitors!
The park itself was beautiful.......
The tulips were amazingly beautiful....
....the crowds not so much!
Then on to
Leiden .....an old city!
This is where the
Pilgrims who joined/arrived in the
Mayflower came from! Who knew!!
I came across
Pieterskerk almost by hazard! I was wandering around somewhat aimlessly......
...enjoying the buildings.....
... when I came across the doors......
I had no idea before visiting it that Leiden was where the Puritans who had left England had moved to...... and later on having decided that the Dutch society didn't meet their puritan morals they left and met up with the Mayflower in Plymouth!
However various plaques within the church told the story!
I was surprised by this plaque ........the next photo gives all the info needed!
Lots of history there!
A boat ride around at dusk was great!
Next stop was
Gouda.....which if you are Dutch you pronounce more like HOWda!!
Our day there coincided with the King's birthday....celebrations were evident.
Celebrating the
House of Orange....
On the King's birthday the Dutch flag is flown with an orange pennant above it!
Our next stop was close to Shiphol airport and we were there to go to the
Aalsmeer Flower Auction early morning! We left at dawn.....
It was amazing....totally automated!
Decisions Decisions! Prices go down with time but best may have been bought online!
...and off they go.....
The last night was back in Amsterdam which allowed free time to visit a few areas not visited earlier!
The Golden gate entry to the main Palace temple...
Then on to the Pottery square....
... these people were displaced from their original home...no longer safe.....
We did not stop at any of the fast food places en route!
