It's tulip season!

The sun is shining and the flowers have come out to play!

Keukenhof is 'the' place to go to see all the tulips in Spring. It is open for about a month or two so the crowds flock in that short space of time... Today was our turn!

We set off after a bit of a sleep-in to see what this flower bizo is all about... half way to the train station I realised the weather was in fact warm enough to wear jandals, so with great excitement I ran back home and changed into the old faithfuls.

Anyway, the gardens were absolutely gorgeous... definitely worth the trip. There were all kinds of different ones, but the main show was, of course, the tulips. Some were truly up to my waist... gigantic! Just like the people.

I have posted some pics from the day below... enjoy!

More mania

Me and Georgie, basking. Note the jandals. Outside. I was in heaven!

Freaky cool tulips.

Gorgeous.

Deliriously happy from the sunshine, nature and good company.

Ah, sweet love.

Celebrating our Dutchness

This was the most delicious waffle I have ever eaten. Hands down.

A great beginning to our day of celebrating the Netherlands.

The first thing we all thought when we stepped into the gardens was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Except we couldn't eat the flowers, and we had no chocolate. But it was awe-inspiring!

Some of the tulips were up to my waist (I know that's not that hard to achieve).

More tulips.

A field of flowers!

Sunny pictures

How happy is everyone now that the sun is out?

Now that the sun has come out cafe's have put chairs outside... everywhere.

It's an odd sight!

BEACH!!!! Last Sunday it reached around 30 degrees! Hottest April day on record... ever!

A Dutch bogun.

Adhering to the universal code of small shorts, exposed beer gut, tattoo, mullet and eskie.

BEACH!!!!! (I'm still in shock)

Spring is in the air

Please read the following to the tune of 'love is in the air':

Spring is in the air...

Everywhere I look around....

do do do do do do do do do do do

Spring is in the air...

In every sight and every sound...

do do do do do do do do do do do

And I don't know if I'm being foolish,

Don't know if it's the sun in my eyes,

But it's something that I am seeing,

Or the pollen stinging my eyes...


Yes! You are hearing it here first folks! The weather is warm! The animals have come out to wade in the canals! The children are on the streets! The trees are blossoming! But there are still only apples and bananas in the fruit section of the supermarket? Nevertheless, spring is here and it is fantastic!!

Today as I stared whimsically out the train window on my way home from Amsterdam I was heartened by the sight of little kids playing with each other in the lush green grass or going on bike rides, young couples cuddling on picnic blankets, and people even fishing in the canals (okay that is totally gross and I'm sure they would only catch mutant fish or plastic bags). For the first time, I walked around the city, without a heavy winter jacket.

Tomorrow, I think, I might even be able to pull out the jandals (thongs, flip flops etc etc).

Just had to share the love...

Nick is even watching the cricket on tv... ahh it's a beautiful thing.

This ones for Ash...

It's always exciting when Nick has the day off work and hangs out on a weekday(!) with me. Unfortunately, today, the poor fella is sick... currently lazing on the couch about three metres away from me drinking some flat lemonade. Some kind of stomach bug.

That is about the most exciting thing that has happened in the last five days.

We did go to a BBQ in Amsterdam on Saturday which was entertaining, since it was pretty much the entire Philippino community of this country coming together in this one guy's little place. It was most amusing when the karaoke (of course) was pulled out and all people of Asian persuasion flocked into the lounge room for some sing-a-long while the rest of us "white" people hung around outside doing the BBQ thing.

We even had "down under" sung to us in honour of being Australian!

What did you get up to... Ash? :)