jamikins

Well Bikerscott and I were off on another weekend trip - this time to see the tulips in the Netherlands! Thanks to our cold spring the flowers were at their peak this weekend, a little later than normal, so it worked out perfectly!

We took the Stena Line Dutch Flyer train and overnight ferry (details here: http://www.seat61.com/Netherlands.htm#London ► Amsterdam ) and would highly recommend this way to travel.

We opted to stay in Leiden to be closer to the tulip fields and it was an excellent choice. It is a lovely smaller university city with lots of charm. We cycled the tulips, took lots of photos, spent a day in Amsterdam, ate some great food, and spent a lot of time drinking wine in the sun. All around great weeekend!

Some pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gir...th/8719027674/

Happy spring everyone!

aussie_10

Wow beautiful flowers!

Thanks for sharing. A visit in Tulip time is always on my list.

annhig

Jamikins - what a great trip and nice pics too.

did you go to the Keukenhof?

it was a visit there 10 years ago that inspired me to start growing tulips, and now parts of my garden are full of them; this year because of the cold winter and spring they are only just properly out and they look magnificent, though I say it myself.

I can't wait til later in the year so I can buy some more!

jamikins

Thank you! Annhig, we didnt go this time, just rented bikes outside the gardens...we went in 2008 and I think Bikerscott would have revolted if I asked him to go again. And to be honest the size of the lines and crowds outside definitely put us off so we were happy to just cycle through the fields!

annhig

we went again last year jamikins, and we must have been lucky as we walked straight in.

I had reserved in advance though, as we had my mum with us and as it was her first trip there, and she's 80+, i didn't want her to be standing around in queues.

I wanted to stay in Leiden or Haarlem but couldn't find anywhere suitable so we ended up in Delft - rather further away but it gave us the chance to see some of the countryside on the way there and back, nd cycling with my mum in tow was not an option.

if we went again just the two of us I'd love to do what you did, but I think that I would still want to go to the gardens which from a gardener's point of view are unmissable.

hetismij2

You certainly chose the right weekend for your visit. The weather was glorious and your timing perfect. This weekend is yet another holiday weekend here and the weather will not be as good.

Love the photos.

jamikins

We completely lucked out on the weekend - between the flowers being in bloom to the gorgeous sunshine - perfection! And we booked about 6 months ago so it was just luck!

Glad you are enjoying the photos - the fields were just beautiful!

sf7307

My son and DIL took their bikes on the train from The Hague to Keukenhof (I think the weekend before last, but it may have been this past weekend) and had a fabulous day!

jamikins

This weekend was perfect...we were so lucky!