De Keukenhof 2013

The local crocuses have bloomed and are now withering in the turf, waiting to be carved up the next time the lawn is mowed. They have been replaced by the daffodils nodding in the breeze along the sides of the roads and canals.

With this in mind I was aware that we’d have to be getting our butts to de Keukenhof shortly! I didn’t want to miss the massive explosions of colour like we kind of did last year. If you remember, we saw it in its dying stages only, and a lot of it was being dug up when we were there.

I knew this year all the tulips were running late because of the extended cold weather we’d been having, and I was trying to time it just right while still being anxious about missing it!

As our tour bus drove us past the flower beds which should have been full of riotous colour, they were still desperately trying to come into bloom, and hence, a little lacklustre. Though you can see the red beginning to peek through here, and some yellow off in the distance. Through the rain. Yeah, did I ever pick a good day to go!

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Yes, apparently this year, not only did I pick a rainy day to go, but the flowers still weren’t in bloom yet!

Interestingly we thought, knowing that Keukenhof is only going to be open for such a limited time, and the weather wasn’t playing ball, they had brought in “ring-ins” to put down the walkways. You can see them here with the still green flowerbed to each side.

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Language Course – Week 12

Not really an auspicious start to the week when your head cold prevents you from going to class. I feel like I’m so far behind! So I rectified this by applying myself to my books and listening diligently to my CDs on Wednesday in the hopes that by Thursday, some of it would have stuck.

Then I looked at my calendar and realised that there were only two lessons left for this semester. Revision time! How has this come up so fast? I knew I must hit the books in order to pass on move up to the next course!

I now have pages and pages full of notes. I just hope when I go back to them, I know what they mean and I can read them!

Thursday’s lesson. More new information. With a test in just 4 days time to assess how much we’d absorbed in the course, we were learning new information. I’m sure you can picture how much this filled me with joy, and not apprehension at all!

We began with “Hoe zie je eruit?” (How do you look?) and “Hoe ben je?” (How are you?) then moving on in difficulty to “Hoe voel je je?” (How do you feel?) Where for the first time those of us that speak English were using a reflexive pronoun. Yeah baby! “Ik voel me ontspannen en blij!” (I’m relaxed and happy!)

There were games, which I’m sure were meant to be cementing things in our heads, but most of us were “moe” (tired) and “zenuwachtig” (nervous) about the coming “toestje” (small quiz – not a test!).

So now I’m trying to cram. I have 4 days. Wish me “success” (luck)!

Today’s Table – Crown Prince

I have picked up the Crown Prince shawl again after a year and a half. Last seen here. I thought it was about time I finished it.

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I have just the top half of the sixth cross up the side to do, then the row of crosses along the top. Then I get to cast on for the edgings, graft them on, and then block. Not insurmountable, but from here it still feels kind of epic.

To fill out this post a little, and because I said I would, here are the flamingos on my balcony. They fill me with near endless happiness.

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I am just waiting for the weather to warm up enough for me to share my coffee with them each morning!

Kermis

Reasons I love the Netherlands number 1654764513 … 5

Did you know there’s a moving Fair? It’s called Kermis, and you can track its progress around Holland here.

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And we went! It was in Dam Square! You can’t keep me away from a fair!

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But I was a bit sick, so we only went up on the Ferris Wheel, as I think spinning around, upside down, in 3C, with wind-chill factor, and no hat, wouldn’t have done my blocked ears or head cold much good.

We watched other people be upside-down on the fun rides though.

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House of Bols

I had wanted to go to the House of Bols almost since we arrived in Amsterdam. Having said that though, it obviously wasn’t overly high on my list, as I hadn’t been there yet. All that has now changed.

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The House of Bols was founded in 1575 and is one of the oldest distilled spirits companies in the world. It is here that they make genever. Genever is the juniper-flavored and strongly alcoholic traditional liquor of the Netherlands and Belgium, from which gin evolved.

I attempted to go a few weeks earlier when I was being a tour guide, but when it was explained to us that you had to do a tour before being allowed one cocktail and some “tasting” shots, we passed on the idea.

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