Yearning for Europe

Stephanie and Ben moved their family to Paris, France in August of 2017, and I was yearning for the day I would be able to visit them there and spend some time being a tourist in Europe.  Stephanie nudged me in that direction by inviting me along on a family spring break trip to the Netherlands to see the infamous Holland tulips which have a limited viewing season.  I was on a flight to Paris on April 23, 2018!  The Johnson's picked me up from the appropriately artistic airport the morning of the 24th, and we were off on our first of many European adventures.  The vast fields of yellow rapeseed blossoms brought sunshine to our morning drive.

Our first stop was in the cute little city of Ghent, Belgium.  From the colorful rows of stacked houses along the canal, to the immense cathedrals and bell towers, this was the Europe I longed to see.  Shops were filled with trinkets to delight and ornate ornaments adorned lampposts and rooftops.  I'd love to see more of this quaint destination.

We stopped in the town of Delft; famous for it's blue and white pottery.  It was a cute little town where bridges, windmills, and homes draped in purple wisteria painted a lovely emerging portrait of the Dutch region.  Of course, we found a few souvenirs we couldn't live without!

  

The Johnson's had some friends living in Rotterdam and had made arrangements for us to have dinner at their home.  A hotel nearby provided a much needed rest that night. Emma, Paige and I curled up on one bed, while the others slept in a room down the hall.

Keukenhof, the famous tulip park near Amsterdam was the highly awaited destination the morning of April 25, 2018.  It did not disappoint!  I had never imagined so many gorgeous varieties of tulips existed. And the park had them all so beautifully arranged for us.  It was truly a picture perfect day to be in Holland.  But first, we had to stop in town for some lunch.  The bike lined streets reminded us that we were in the most bicycle friendly city in the world, with 4 times more bikes than cars!  And what better way than pedaling the countryside to see tulips fields which grow everywhere!

 Now here's the part where a picture is worth a thousand words!

(But who can limit it to one?)

 

Keukenhof gardens also had a fun area featuring wooden shoes, a windmill, a petting zoo and a playground to explore.  As you can see, it was a photographers delight!

 What a colorful beginning to my European holiday!