After over two months of sunshine and no rain, we discovered the tulip season peaked early this year and is officially over (in our expert opinion). We made it to Keukenhof today but it was a shadow of its former self. It was probably spectacular three weeks ago but today there was a disappointing lack of tulips. However the weather held up and the place was still stunning and I have included a flickr link to today’s photos and a few pics here so you can share what we saw.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mkjago/sets/72157626595007397/

Our day started with some comedy.  Inside the entrance, while we were looking at the map, we noticed that Mia was having her photo taken by a Japanese tourist.  The next thing we know, Mia is having her photo taken by dozen Japanese tourists with one squatting down next to her pusher to have his photo with her.  And do you think she would smile for all these cameras?  Not a chance.  We tried our best but Mia just wouldn’t perform.  It didn’t seem to matter, they just thought she was cute.

The Keukenhof Gardens are beautifully laid out with enormous trees and mass plantings of tulips. Unfortunately the tulip heads had all been pulled off by rampaging gardeners and what was left were just beds of green leaves.  To keep the tourists happy, they had trucked in pallet loads of late-blooming tulips and daffodils and dumped them in the middle of paths.  The flowers were perfect as long as you didn’t mind the wooden crate at their base.  They were fine for photos, as you can see.

I’ve also taken lots of videos but that will take me a while to edit and post.  I’ll add it here eventually.