Amsterdam, day one

Our first stop after a not very long drive (and a 2nd breakfast stop at McDonald's) was at Keukenhof.  I never knew that there was a tulip amusement park.  It is divided into 'lands', just like a theme park is.  There are different traveling shows, a great big organ playing really loud music, and people dressed in traditional Dutch costumes.  It was a colorful and unforgettable day.  

 From the Park Guide, "Keukenhof is the international and independent showcase for the Dutch floricultural sector, with a special emphasis on flower bulbs.  In the space of 8 weeks Keukenhof shows what the Dutch floricultural sector has to offer.  The focus in the park is on the 7 million spring-flowering bulbs, in which the 100 participating companies show their living catalogue.  In the 30 flower shows, 500 flower growers present an enormous variety of cut flowers and pot plants."  I think they meant potted plants.  But it is Amsterdam, so it might have been pot plants.
I think we were about 1 week early.  There were many beautiful flowers in bloom, but I think one week later would have been slightly better timing for the maximum amount of beautiful things to look at.

 There was a children's map/treasure hunt.  Brigham and I were reading about the man who was the first answer.  See the man that brought the tulip to Holland below.

 There are little signs that accompany each different type of tulip, each with individual names and individual beauty.

 This is Amsterdam, made up of bluebells and not quite bloomed tulips.

 Such a poser.

 Here is Brigham in a box hedge maze.  When we first stepped in the maze, there was the cutest woman (not English-speaking) who was hysterically laughing and wanted to know the way out of the maze.  She was alone and found out (apparently) that the maze was more difficult than expected.  She might have been laughing so she didn't cry...I'm not sure.  She did seem super grateful that we were there to point her to an exit.  I wish I had her picture.  She was darling.

 This man was (insert funny comment here).  Actually he was filling up a watering can from the river.

 Brigham, with the gorgeous fields in the background.

 Another boys in wooden shoes picture.  (see post from Brussels.)  This time, an Asian man stopped to take their picture while we were taking this one.

 Do you know what the famous Holland windmills were used for?  To drain the fields (because the country is below sea level).  Interesting, right?

 More posers.

This about explains each of my boys.

 A family picture with the beautiful fields in the background.

 There was an employee who was wearing wooden shoes.  I pointed them out to Brig, and the man asked if Brigham wanted to wear them. So, he slipped them on, shoes and all.  (Why wooden shoes in Holland, you wonder? Because the land was so wet-it's below sea level, remember.  This was way before rubber boots or galoshes were around, so they made shoes out of wood to keep their feet dry.)

 There were activities for the kids, and waffles for their mama.

To be continued...