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European Holiday and River Cruising Memoirs

Tag Archives: Keukenhof

Amsterdam – Last Photos before joining our Viking River Cruise

13 Friday Sep 2013

Posted by KidazzleInk.com in Amsterdam, Amsterdam to Budapest, River Cruising, Uncategorized

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

100 New Longships, Amsterdam, Amsterdam Maritime Museum, Amsterdam Pancake Boat, Europe, Keukenhof, Longship, Nemo, Viking River Cruise

Anticipation elevates the excitement of the journey to another level.

                                                                                              Kidazzleink, 2013
Floral Arrangement Keukenhof

Floral Arrangement Keukenhof

With last opportunities for sightseeing in Amsterdam swiftly drawing to a close, our restlessness was once again building. We’d been so looking forward to this wonderfully luxurious 15 day Viking River Cruise. We’d originally booked it so many, many months ago…some twelve months or more in fact; an absolute eternity ago. Ah but finally the big day was drawing near. We would soon be sailing off down the Rhine. Less than 24 hours to go now. We couldn’t wait!

Macro of Tulip Keukenhof

Macro of Tulip Keukenhof

We would soon be boarding our practically brand new Viking Longship called “Tor”. And it had only just been christened in Amsterdam one short month ago. Indeed, Viking had evidently broken all records on March 20, 2013 when they’d christened a total of 10 brand new Longships on the same day. This was reported to be on the back of them having also christened an incredible 8 Longships the previous year in 2012. I believe they’re now striving to break their own record yet again in 2014, when they hope to christen a further 14 Longships.

The world is obviously  hooked on cruising…or so it would appear. Only having to unpack the once as you travel luxuriously through the meandering waterways and in and out of so many different countries certainly adds to the appeal for us.

Viking makes no secret of the fact that they are hoping to introduce a total of 100 new Longships by 2020. They evidently have more and more people seeking to cruise through Europe than ever before.

As a lead up to this exciting Holiday (my very first holiday in Europe), dearly beloved and I had already been surfing, bookmarking and watching many of the Viking promotional videos as well as the Longship christening ceremonies of 2012 and 2013. Isn’t the internet such a wonderful medium (when its working properly that is!) It makes it just so easy to get all the information you could ever possibly want within the comfort of your own home. (I’ve actually included some of the Viking promotional video links here for anyone who, like myself, would like to pursue a little armchair travelling.)

02-AAA_6757-001

More Tulips Keukenhof

More Tulips Keukenhof

I often try to include links to interesting videos, Wikipedia Information and many other major tourist destination websites in my blogs. I do this especially for those of you who might enjoy the comfort of the armchair travel scene. I myself often love to travel to the other side of the globe and back without having to even leave my street let alone the country.

Anyway for today’s blog I’m simply posting the very last of my favourite photos from our sightseeing in and around Amsterdam and the beautiful Keukenhof Garden. I hope you like some of them as well! I’d really love to hear which ones happen to appeal to you the most and perhaps why. Drop me a line …… let me know.

Amsterdam- National Maritime Museum

Amsterdam- National Maritime Museum

Amsterdam Maritime Museum

Amsterdam Maritime Museum

Globe at National Maritime Museum

Globe at National Maritime Museum

Amsterdam Pancake Boat -Yummy

Amsterdam Pancake Boat -Yummy

NEMO Science Centre

NEMO Science Centre

NEMO Science Centre in Amsterdam

NEMO Science Centre in Amsterdam

NEMO Science Centre - Amsterdam

NEMO Science Centre – Amsterdam

Beetles Exhibit Keukenhof

Beetles Exhibit Keukenhof

Related articles
  • Viking Increases Its Longships Order to 14 Vessels (USA) (worldmaritimenews.com)
  • Viking River Cruises Host To A Surprising Mix Of Cruise Travelers (chriscruises.com)
  • Viking on the Mississippi in 2015? (o.canada.com)
  • 8 Memorable things to do while visiting Amsterdam (goldenthoughtspot.com)
  • Keukenhof Garden – A Kaleidoscope of Spring colour (kidazzleink.com)
  • From Austria to The Netherlands – From Mozart’s country to the land of the tulips (kidazzleink.com)

Keukenhof Garden – A Kaleidoscope of Spring colour

30 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by KidazzleInk.com in Amsterdam to Budapest, Keukenhof, Time flies when you're globe trotting and river cruising, Travelling in Europe, Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Amsterdam, Australia, Ditty, Double Peach Blossum, Floriade, Hainaut, Jazz, Keukenhof, Lisse, Netherland, Nick Lucas

Double Peach Blossom Tulip

Double Peach Blossom Tulip

Tulips blossom

birds sing;

Keukenhof’s pretty magical every spring

With petals delicate,

And colours bright

There’s always so much to delight

For all who visit

These flowers incite

A “joy de verve”… AND spirit light.

Playing with rhyme – A Ditty: KidazzleInk, 2013 (Inspired by a recent visit to Keukenhof in Spring).

More Colourful Peach Blossums

More Colourful Peach Blossums

Every year from around late March to mid May the Internationally acclaimed Keukenhof Gardens burst into their kaleidoscope of spring colour, with millions of tulip flowers, themed pavilions, fun family activities, musical events and a grand manifesto of different exhibitions. International visitors flock to these gardens from all around the world to visit the colourful floral displays and spectacular array of other activities on offer, which at different times have included Cultural Tributes, Folkloric Groups, Bird Exhibits, Easter Fun and lots more.

Red Tulips

Red Tulips

I’m told Keukenhof has now been opening to the public every year for just over sixty years. It was first established way back in 1949 and is believed to be the biggest garden in the world.

Being located in Southern Holland near the small town of Lisse, it is only a short journey of just under an hour from Amsterdam. The garden was created on what was once a 15th Century hunting ground. Back then it also provided a source of herbs for the gracious Countess Jacqueline who lived at nearby Hainaut’s Castle. Today this same Castle is known as the Keukenhof Castle and it too is open to public at different times.

Keukenhof on a Wet Day

Keukenhof on a Wet Day

My dearly beloved and I travelled out to see the garden on a very bright and  colourful, flower themed “tulip bus” that conveniently left right from the centre of Amsterdam.

Despite the chilly, wet weather that day, I totally enjoyed the whole experience. Mind you, my dearly beloved was probably not quite as enthusiastic as I was! But even he showed some amazement at the enormous variety of tulips on display. I absolutely loved the Double Peach blossoms. Everyone back here in Australia is amazed that they actually belong to the tulip family as they look more like a delicate rose!

Red and White Tulips

Red and White Tulips

Oh and I must say dearly beloved, seemed  quite taken by the dark velvety richness of  the Black Tulip.

As you can see, I took sooo many photos. And I could truly have taken a whole lot more had it been a nice sunny day. I would have liked to have been able to photograph more of the outdoor garden as well, but never mind.

Pink Tulips

Pink Tulips

It was fabulous and  I know I’ll go back again one day. I’ve already started planning on a visit for Floriade (another Netherland’s spectacular) in 2022! Yes I know it’s some way off  but I’m learning it pays to plan ahead! Takes my mind of the more mundane things in life!!

Daffodils and Hyacinths

Daffodils and Hyacinths

Gorgeous Red and Gold

Gorgeous Red and Gold

White and Yellow

White and Yellow

So soft and delicate

So soft and delicate

HERE ARE SOME Other Recent Tulip BLOGS I FOUND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHECK THEM OUT ALSO:

Keukenhof, Amsterdam (retired2travel.wordpress.com)

Nick Lucas (American jazz musician, 1897-1982) – Tiptoe through the Tulips, 1929 (fincheswings.wordpress.com)

The secret to growing tulips (metalroofingcolorshq.com)

What to do in Amsterdam (pressedwordsat.wordpress.com)

From Austria to The Netherlands – From Mozart’s country to the land of the tulips

28 Wednesday Aug 2013

Posted by KidazzleInk.com in Austria to the Netherlands, Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Austria to Amsterdam, Dr Seuss, Keukenhof, The Netherlands, The Places You Will Go

“You’re moving on to new places! You’re off and away…

Your journey is calling, today is the day!

You’re sad to be leaving, Yet glad to be going,

Your flight is awaiting. Keep moving…keep going…

“Be off now, just go” ….Get on your way.

Set up that Sat Nav and keep going I say”

― Adapted from that wonderfully philosophical little Dr. Seuss book, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”

Amsterdam Harbour

Amsterdam Harbour

Isn’t it funny how our lives can be such a mixed bag of feelings and emotions, even on the most exciting of days.

Afterall, today was to be a big transition day for us… shouldn’t we have actually been more excited (far less introspective) about the prospect of moving on?

Bad Gastein

Bad Gastein

We were going to be travelling from lovely little Bad Gastein, in the Austrian Alps, to the extremely busy Franz Joseph Strauss Airport in Munich (by car …er oh no!!!), then on by plane through Oslo Airport and into Schiphol in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It was a very big day!

The Eye Film Institute Building in Amsterdam

The Eye Film Institute Building in Amsterdam

YES, we were a bit keyed up about leaving; YES we were looking forward to exploring new countries. YES we were interested in becoming acquainted with both the contemporary and the historical aspects of Western European culture …… and….. YES we actually did want to continue exploring, and “to be on our way”!

Tulips at Keukenhof

Tulips at Keukenhof

More Beautiful Tulips

More Beautiful Tulips

I was particularly looking forward to discovering Amsterdam’s Spring landscapes which I’d only ever seen in photographs and movies before. My camera was ready and waiting. I was also looking forward to seeing the canals, the historic windmills, lots and lots of lovely golden daffodils, the colourful flower fields and the amazing splendour of the tulips at the Keukenhof Gardens.

Colourful flower farm.

Colourful flower farm.

But you know deep inside….. both of us were also “kinda sad”…. (maybe even a BIG BIT SAD).

After all, we were now going to be leaving this new, magical, mist-shrouded country where Mozart was born and we’d really only just started exploring it. We were going to be leaving this Austrian landscape that had already created such beautiful memories and rekindled our work-weary spirits (well – except of course when driving in the car as you know– and you’ve already heard way too much about my tormented “wrong side of the road scariness” and all that stuff)! Anyway, we knew we would even miss the village church bells ringing through the wilderness AND….., sadly it was going to be a very, VERY LONG TIME before we could return.

Over our past four night stay at the comfortable alpine resort called the “Bellevue Mondi” we had started to feel like we’d found a new home away from home. We had great views, peaceful surroundings, plenty of cooking facilities, and some wonderful hosts downstairs who were able to provide us with anything from a light cuppa to a full buffet, depending on our fancy at any particular time.

Staff at BelleMondi

Staff at the BelleMondi

For the past few days we’d been able to pull back, to relax, to unwind and to spend time just expanding our significant connections….both with each other and with our inner selves. We were able to take on a whole new aura… a completely new and invigorating focus… able to kick back and explore who we were away from the usual ho-hum of the daily routines back at home.

Everything around us had slowed to a much more relaxing pace. For the first time (in quite a long time) we had been presented with moments where we could just sit and ponder…..to really look at the clouds…..to discuss and marvel at snow on the mountains in the distance, and to restore personal inner peace….we were quickly developing a less work intrusive sense of personal perspective…reacquainting ourselves with who we really are.

However, I have to say, my dearly beloved probably wasn’t able to fully relax just yet. After all, he was still working, working, working,…. not all the time….but certainly at various times throughout the quieter periods of the day and even sometimes even in the wee small hours of the morning.

Bakery down below the Bellevue Mondi.

Bakery down below the Bellevue Mondi.

But today was the day….we were going to be on our way. We arose early…… (no make that extremely early…. Around 4.00am Austrian time in fact)!!

We were soon brushing the sleet from the windscreen of the glossy little black beamer and loading her up..… this beautiful but temporary little BMW would soon be ours no more. We would have to say our goodbye to it later in the morning.

As we drove off into the darkness our thoughts became more taken up by practicalities. Where were we going, how were we going to get there and how long would it take? We were soon wishing we’d spent just a little more time really getting to know how the Sat Nav worked!! Maybe, with a little bit more forward planning our unfolding driving adventures back to Franz Josef Strauss Airport in Munich may have been a little less stressful and eventful! At the very least, let me say that when one is in Germany, it is highly advisable to take a little time to plan out your trip and to really sort your Strauss’s from your StraBes….especially if you are hoping to arrive at your desired destination in a somewhat calm and timely fashion!

Munich Airport

Munich Airport

Oh well just look on the bright side….we actually got to do a little bit of extra, unplanned sightseeing!!

Singapura and a very comfy transit hotel

31 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by KidazzleInk.com in Amsterdam to Budapest, Holidays, River Cruising, Time flies when you're globe trotting and river cruising, travel, Travelling in Europe, Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Brisbane Airport, Danube, Gold Coast, Keukenhof, Netherlands, Queensland, Rhine, Singapore, Singapore Changi Airport

3.15am and the alarm trilled in the darkness but we were already wide awake. Little sleep had been achieved by either of us during, what had seemed to be, the long and never-ending night before.

1-Michelle Davies_Foggy Morning on the Gold Coast_Light Aware_2

Our big day had actually arrived and our enthusiastic anticipation was now filling the pre-dawn air with an exciting and magical quality.

Today was the day! We were leaving our home on the ever beautiful Gold Coast (in Queensland, Australia – aka God’s Own Country as can truly be seen in the photos both above and below.)

Michelle Davies_Gold Coast 2

We were heading off on our extended four-and-a-half week adventure through Europe to visit the historical, culture-rich, northern hemisphere. Our minds were alive with all of the coming adventures….Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Keukenhof, Slovakia, Hungary and, of course, our grand 15 days of river cruising along the Rhine, the Main and the Danube.

Within 20 minutes we were locking our doors and heading off to the Brisbane Airport  for our long-awaited departure. First stop would be the multi-award winning, Changi Airport in Singapore.

Michelle Davies - Orchids in Singapore

Sad to say, it wasn’t long before we found out that we had way too much luggage. As always, trying to juggle it though the airport and customs was the usual agitating and nerve wringing experience…. Surely this part of a journey has much room for improvement in these modern times! With all of our 21st century technologies and scientific advancements, the airport experience and, particularly customs experiences, could be greatly refined and improved I believe. Perhaps someone just needs to give it a little thought and then give it all a major overhaul.

Anyway, before long we were up in the big blue vastness and being totally spoiled by our gracious air hostesses. We were catching up on movies we’d missed, discussing places we could visit, enjoying just having our meals brought to us for a change and trying to catch a little shut-eye whenever possible. The later, I must say, proved to be a bit difficult to achieve with all of that was going on.

Nevertheless, time passed quickly and soon we were landing at Changi.

Michelle Davies - Changi Airport Tropical Garden Singapore

So many beautiful orchid displays, water features and even goldfish. Changi is always a delight to visit. There were new technologies to explore and entertain us, along with the many bright and bountiful shops and Duty Free Outlets.

But after yet another tasty meal, and a brief sticky beak around to see what was new, it was certainly time to head for our transit hotel which was right within Changi airport itself. There were no windows at all in our room, but what a delight it was! And even more so, as it had only cost us just one Aussie dollar each for the next six sleep filled hours! There was a comfy bed, clean soft towels, in-room amenities for showering and glorious fresh sheets and soft pillows. At last it was time for a little bit of shut-eye!

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