To begin the month of April we went to Annemieke's Pluktuin, a tulip farm. Everyone was invited to pick 10 tulips from their fields, to take back with us to brighten up our cabins in the ship. So much beauty in our arms! I picked ones that were either still closed, or barely opened, thinking that in ten days' time they would all blossom (which they did). I tried to pick pink tulips and purple ones, but also got a yellow, an orange, and a red tulip to take back with me. Finding vases to hold these gorgeous, hopeful flowers was a trick; I used our ice bucket, which served quite well.

     And after visiting the tulip farm we went to Keukenhof, the 79 acre flower park that was once the kitchen garden of a medieval castle.  Known worldwide as the "greatest flower show on Earth," each year over 7 million bulbs are planted in layers, to provide visitors the pleasure of always being able to see flowers in bloom. When the top layer of blossoms has finished, the second group arises; three layers of bulbs are planted in all. Every year. And at the end of the growing season, the gardeners dig up all the bulbs and either destroy them or feed them to sheep, as tulips, related to the onion family, are edible. 

     Surprisingly to most people, tulips are not native to the Netherlands; they were first cultivated in Persia. The name derives from the Persian word "tulban," meaning turban. In the early 17th century all of Europe was obsessed with what came to be called Tulipmania; in current day prices, one bulb would have cost $55,000! And one sad fact, there are no blue shades of tulips.   
 
      At Keukenjof, at first I thought 79 acres would be impossible to see in an afternoon's visit, but my roommate and I meandered through the entire park, seeing and breathing in such beauty that it filled our hearts and souls.  People walked around looking absolutely blissful. There is a playground for the children, a bouncing bridge (for me), a hurdy-gurdy providing music for all who enter, paths that crisscross each other throughout -- in and around all the flowers, stepping stone bridges to carry you over small streams, a windmill (arms turning, but not a working windmill), sticky sweet stroopwaffles available for sale, and, above all, there are acres and acres and acres of tulips and crocuses, a delight for the spirit as well as the senses.    

     Our tour was a little early for maximum tulip blooming, which should happen in about two weeks, but there were enough blossoming in the sun to make everyone happy. And all the crocuses were out, providing so many shades of colors it looked like a quilted blanket, a vibrant rainbow at our feet! Such beauty. It was a cold day, and the wind was a bit strong; I wondered how these little flowers could withstand such harsh conditions and still find the energy to blossom, but they do.

     As expected, my roommate and I were the last ones back on the bus to take us back to our ship; even in the cold we could have happily stayed another hour -- or day or two.