"Spring" in Rotterdam

Saturday May 10

After an early breakfast we disembarked into a cold and rainy Rotterdam. A taxi took us to the Hilton Hotel in the centre of town where our hire car company was located. With all the formalities completed we set off with only Google directions to guide us to our hotel about 45 kms away near Lisse. We picked this location because it is close to Keukenhof where the Tulip Festival was finishing this weekend.

To our great relief and surprise we found our hotel without getting lost! Unfortunately our room wasn't ready but at least we could leave our luggage there. So with another Google map we set off and found the Tulip festival, along with thousands of other people. Given the cold and wet weather and that the festival finishes this weekend we were surprised at how many people were there (including bridal parties). We had arranged to meet Bill & Linda (our friends from Dallas) at the festival but the Royal Princess got in late and given the weather they decided not to make the trip out to the Tulip festival.

Noelle at the first tulip beds we came across.

 

So with our winter gear on we headed off to see this amazing garden of 32 hectares which is planted with more than 7 million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths - the colours and fragrance were magnificent. The garden contains various pavilions housing the most magnificent orchids and lilies with different themes and the most incredible flower arrangements and displays, as well as the obligatory souveneir and food shops! At least we could shelter from the rain while taking in all the sights and smells, as well as enjoying a coffee and Dutch Apple tart!

Inside one of the pavilions.

 

It wouldn't be Holland without a windmill and these gardens had one which you could climb to the first level and look out over the fields of tulips - unfortunately we were a couple of weeks too late and they were all gone! When they were at their peak (and on a sunny day) it would have been a spectacular sight.

The old windmill

Where have all the flowers gone?

There were lots of photo opportunities throughout the gardens and we couldn't resist taking advantage of some of them!

Dutch themed pics.

 

We continued on through the gardens and came across various themed gardens and "pop up" stages for different performers to use but due to the weather most of the performances were moved to the pavilions. This created a great back drop for the performers and we enjoyed a few of them during the afternoon.

An ensemble playing Bizet.

A themed garden for us.

Even lovelier in sunshine

Amazingly, as the afternoon progressed the clouds began to part and blue sky appeared in patches and the sun shone for a minute or two here and there. We were able to catch a glimpse of how fantastic Keukenhof Gardens must be on a lovely day in peak season. We had a great time regardless of the weather and were really glad to have made the journey here.

A few glimpses of sunshine changed everything!

 

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