spring means romance in the netherlands
that first burst of daffodils and crocuses is a reminder that one of the most romantic places in the world to celebrate spring is the netherlands.
kathleen almost wept with joy — OK, she did shriek with gratitude — when our plane landed in amsterdam after a long slog in india.
“it’s so clean! it smells so fresh!” she cried.
before kathleen could fall to the ground to plant a kiss (which she vowed to do), hadi grabbed a cab, mumbling about the rain.
after a month of searing heat in northern india, even a downpour in Amsterdam felt like a blessing.
it seemed to heighten the senses, so that when we arrived in keukenhof the next day, we were elated by the arrival of spring.
the “spring garden of europe” bursts with color and romance, from its graceful swans on quiet ponds, to its phenomenal gardens (7 million bulbs planted by hand every year).
we had never seen anything like this: miles and miles of spring flowers, in all colors, different shapes, various sizes.
there were tiny, grape hyacinths and lemony daffodils, flowering trees, and tulips in varieties that jolted all the senses.
ridged tulips, ruffled tulips, multi-colored tulips, and tulips in bold, primary colors — even black tulips boasted a velvety lustre in the rain.
we walked for hours in wonder, marveling at the power of blossoms to lure us to europe for romantic travel.
