In the land of tulips

We saved the best for last. Our last day we traveled about an hour outside of Amsterdam to go to the Keukenhof tulip gardens. This place is amazing and a must see for flower lovers. My favorite flower just happens to be the tulip so I was really excited.

The only problem was the crowds. Me and Ben really do not like crowds and we usually try to avoid them when we can, but in this case it was impossible.

Front entrance to gardens.

Main front entrance fountain.

Even when I was taking the picture I would pause and think, "This doesn't even look real." I think my pictures of the gardens and flowers almost look fake because the colors are so vibrant. So, in all honesty none of these photos have been photoshopped.

It's a requirement that while you are on vacation
you should get ice cream or some sort of dessert
at least once a day. :)

The fields of tulips looked like the way I had always imagined them. We were not allowed to walk in the fields for obvious reasons--they don't want a bunch of tourists trampling the flowers. But they were beautiful to look at regardless.

Enjoying a quick lunch while at the gardens.
 

These orange flowers were really different looking.

If you haven't caught on by now most of this blog entry will consist mostly of pictures of flowers.   :)

This was probably my favorite picture
I took all day.

It looks like a D---in flowers. So naturally I had to pose by it.

Flowers/tulips from not just the Netherlands could be found in the gardens, but from all over the world.

Tulips from the U.S.A.

Inside the flower market.

 This picture looks like one of those cheesy motivational posters
you might see. The title would be: "Be different: follow
your own path." Ha, ha.

A closer shot of the fields.

We see these cars everyday in Hungary, but in the Netherlands
they apparently make for a nice plant holder.

Look its my new car. 

The sun was in my eyes. Ben did a nice job of not getting anyone
else in this picture too.

The gardens had a windmill, but the line to go up it was really crowded. Besides we had just been in one a few days earlier. 

This flower was called, "The Happy Generation."
I thought that was a cute name.

Last tulip picture. 

When we traveled back to Amsterdam late that afternoon we strolled around town and then got ready for  dinner. We ate at the oldest pancake house in Amsterdam. We were really unhealthy and ordered a chocolate pancake and a cinnamon pancake. Both pancakes had ice cream, whipped cream and more powdered sugar than anyone should ever eat. They were delicious, but Ben had too much of a good thing and was quickly in the bathroom taking care of business.

All the bikes at the train station. I wonder how you find yours
at the end of the day?

Ben's pancake--yum!

Getting ready to dig in. 

While Ben was in the bathroom, I waited patiently outside and took a few random pictures.

Amsterdam Loves Bikes.

Later that night we took a canal cruise as a final farewell to the city. The cruise was great except we were surrounded by a group of pre-teen boys, who thought it was fun to shout at people from the boat and do football/soccer chants at random (ah, so romantic). 

Oldest chinese restaurant on the water in Amsterdam.

The city is wonderful at night with all the canals lit up and the crowds more dispersed. We had a wonderful time in the Netherlands and Amsterdam. This is probably one of my new favorite cities in Europe. 

"If you want just romance go to Paris, if you want just tradition go to London, if you want just to relax go to Rome, but if you want all three go to Amsterdam." --unknown