Sign of the times.
These are up all over Amsterdam at the moment as a warning to tourists that 12 people are in hospital and 3 people have died from mistaking white heroin for cocaine, and asking people to not trust street dealers.
Two weeks in …
The signs of January fill the streets.
The weather has been perfect to have guests, and have them indulge in the local cuisine! Would you like to know more?
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 They have been replaced by the daffodils nodding in the breeze along the sides of the roads and canals.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!
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.
Tourist Season
Now that we have begun to get our bearings and this beautiful adopted city is feeling more and more like home, we’ve had some guests come to visit! Showing them around has been a real experience!
We took them on a canal cruise. The same canal cruise that we went on on our first weekend. It was an entirely different experience now that we actually knew where we were going, knew the buldings we were looking at from walking past them every day, and have a better idea of the city.
This is a copy of a bridge in Fance, and is decorated in slave ships.
This is a place in the canal where you can look through seven bridges all at once. Though you have to be on the water to truly see the spectacle.
This is a replica of a floating restaurant in China. Though theirs seats 2500, and ours only seats 700. You can see the city Bibliotheek in the background 🙂
Being tourists, we then headed off to the Bloemenmarkt. I love that place so much, and showing it off is fun too!
The number of bulbs is awe inspiring. All those sleeping little bulbs, just waiting to wake up and burst forth all that colour!
As we wandered around, we realised something was on at the palace, though we didn’t figure out what. Though the spectacle of the roads being closed down to let the motorcade through was an experience!
Finally on Sunday we headed up through the Red Light District. Now you’re not allowed to take photos of the girls in the windows, and I’ve seen people try, and the girls will just draw the curtains on you. I appreciate the fact that the girls are accorded respect, and there is a statue next to the Oude Kerk (that a lot of windows circle) that reminds tourists to respect the girls too.
As our guests come back next weekend, I now have to think of a whole new set of adventures for them! Any suggestions?
The Bloemenmarkt
I have so much fun wandering through the tightly packed floating flower market. Dense in population, produce, and kitschy touristy tripe. I get the same joy from it that I do when I go shopping for Christmas decorations.
So much blue and white pottery. And I haven’t even made it to Delft yet!
Then there’s the vaguely creepy staring eyed dolls in traditional dress.
Of course there’s tulips everywhere which weirds me out only because they are being sold as souvenirs. And of course, given where I’m from, I keep thinking, “but you’ll never get plant matter through the border!”
The orchids are spectacular, and I can’t tell you how much I want to try growing some!
And in living areas where space is at a premium, bonsai are the perfect answer.
I love this mainly because it’s so weird and a carnivore.
This wall just makes me want dozens of window boxes growing everything possible! Just think how much better my cooking will be when I have fresh herbs!
And finally, when you don’t actually have garden space to put ornaments in, they make them in pot size! *squees!* I’ll be getting a flamingo *nods*
Hope you all had a good ANZAC Day and remembered that we still have people out on the front lines. And I hope all our people out on the front lines are safe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
ghoti industries 