Thursday - Tulips and Surprises

Today we will see the fabled Dutch tulip fields and show gardens of Keukenhof.  Armand reminds us that this evening we will also be treated to a special "Captain's Surprise" after dinner in Haarlem.

Because the weather has been unseasonably cold, the fields are not in full bloom (though as soon as the plants bloom, the blossoms are cut off to strengthen the bulbs).  We do see a fields of tulips and many other types of flowers.

The highlight of the day is the flower show at Keukenhof.  Here, growers from across the country show off their best flowers in a park-like setting.  An army of gardeners maintains the grounds and millions of plants.

Jayne and Matt at the flower field 

Exhibit hall at Keukenhof    

Field at Keukenhof      

Mill at Keukenhof 

After a couple of hours touring the grounds, we cycle on to Haarlem.  Tonight the boat is docked a bit farther from the city center than usual, near a warehouse district.  We are told this is due to the evening's "Captain's Surprise".

Jayne has a yen for Chinese food, so we decide to skip dinner on the boat and check out the local restaurant scene.  We discover that Chinese food is rare in Haarlem, but after a bit of poking around, we find a place.  We have a very nice waitress who is bilingual - except her two languages are Dutch and perhaps Indonesian, and she is the best linguist in the place.  We've figured out enough Dutch to find "Combination Dinner" on the menu, so we each select a number.  Jayne tries #80 and I opt for #83.  Luckily, we missed the house special of boiled eels in peanut sauce

We make it back to the boat as dinner is ending, and prepare to embark on the "Captain's Surprise".  Armand assures us that the surprise will be suitable for all, and is just a short walk away.

We assemble on the street with Captain William in the lead.  Within a couple of minutes, we are walking trough an area of warehouses and old factories.  William walks up to a nondescript door in a old building - we hear music... it's the Captain's Surprise!