TRAVEL

TRAVEL Experience the Abundance of Beauty on the Romantic Rhine River

By Lisa Martin

This spring, I visited the Keukenhof Gardens for the first time while sailing on the Tulip Time Cruise with AMA Waterways.

After sailing — and five days spent in Amsterdam — I experienced Avalon Waterways’ Romantic Rhine River Cruise with a view of the many beautiful, historic castles built upon the hillsides during the Middle Ages. I got to see so many beautiful sights on both sailings, but what took my breath away -- not once, but twice -- were the tulips in Keukenhof Gardens. I love flowers, and even though tulips are not my favorite, the colors, heights, mixtures, and shear number of these flowers went straight to my heart.

In the garden I spoke with a local grandma while eating my first stroop waffle near the windmill, and she told me how this was a yearly visit with her family. How lucky she is to visit this garden with seven million bulbs and beautiful pavilions filled with cut flowers and orchids! She is a painter and finds inspiration at the gardens.

I too found inspiration and took many photos of the flowers, planning to create my own small flower garden with Keukenhof influences.

I did not get to see every part of the garden, but the parts I did see were meticulously cared for. I went early in the morning. I highly recommend you go then, because although there were many people attending, it did not feel crowded. I had clear vistas of the flowers. By the time I had to leave in the early afternoon, even more weekend family and solo visitors started to arrive.

Keukenhof Gardens is a place I would love to visit each year. There are so many places I want to visit, I would not normally consider going annually, but when what I see is so astonishing I feel impelled to come again and again and place myself at the foot of the gardens to take in this abundance of beauty.

This is a must-see for visitors to Amsterdam.

Lisa Martin is a travel advisor, luxury cruise specialist, ACC, Cruise Planners; Land and Cruise. She may be contacted at (860) 929-0708, Lisa. martin@cruiseplanners.com, TotalTravelToday.com.

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