Keukenhof Gardens

I DIED AND WENT TO HEAVEN!

No other way to describe it.  The gardens were pristine, not a piece of paper, a cigarette butt, or anything else that would distract from the beauty.  Surprisingly there was no evidence of workers either, so the visitors did their part and the workers were either stealthy or worked after hours.  We did go on the 8:30 bus, thank heavens.  The annual Flower Parade was that day and as you will see with the increasing crowds it became impossible by the time we left.  Since there isn't a whole lot to say and a lot to look at this post will be mostly pictures.  It is heavy with photos...I couldn't decide what to leave out.  There is no order other than the route we took.

I took this from the bus window as we were coming in, not sure if we would see the windmill and tulip fields again...silly me.  The fields are not only grown for the cut flowers but for the bulbs as well. 

We each have a bulb coming in September!

Keukenhof Gardens host more than 7 million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths over 32 hectares (about 2.47 acres to a hectare).

In addition to the gardens - historical, inspirational, and themed, there are 5 pavilions, a play area for the children, shops and restaurants and picnic areas.

You can take a 45 minute boat ride through the tulip fields for a fee or you can take a free guided tour of the gardens at 2:00 every day.

If you are taking one of the tours from Amsterdam be sure to get the earliest one possible to beat some of the crowds.  Although it was Flower Parade day and the crowds were so large the Amsterdam paper made them a news item, I will still stand by the go early suggestion.

Oh, they will ship the bulbs home for you at the appropriate time. 

Stairway to Heaven

A favorite location to photograph here.  I was able to straighten the right hand photo without trouble, but couldn't the left.  These were taken later in the day as the crowds started coming in and were taken by literally leaning in front of someone's leg. 

Notice the 12 or so other visitors.....

One of the "official" people, as opposed to another tourist, told Pat that the striped tulips such as the orange ones on the left and below are actually diseased...a fungus of some kind.  Wow!  If a fungus could make such a beautiful flower, I wonder if I should add some to my daily diet.

 As you can tell by Pat's hand, this baby was HUGE!

Remember the crowds from when we first got there...12 or so...this is a couple of hours later and it got worse before we left.

A quick break...oh YUM!!!!  Apple cake washed down with hot chocolate and coffee.

Nice design where a grass shadow is behind the sculpture.

One of the pavilions was filled with orchids and other tropical flowers.  Beautiful..just beautiful.

I'm a bad mommy....saw this and thought I had found my Marti.
 

This was the biggest rabbit I have ever seen.  About the size of my dog.  I saw one other along the river that was equally big too.

A couple of shots from special gardens....

Sorry it was so photo heavy, I hope you didn't have trouble loading.  Promise the rest of the trip won't be quite so bad.......maybe.