Thursday, February 16, 2017

The Flower Market

The Amsterdam Flower Market, floating on a line of barges along one of the large canals, was one of many highlights of our trip, and probably the most colourful!  And there were hundreds of tulips for sale, surprise surprise!  We were in Holland after all.  It was raining, and the umbrellas were almost as colourful as the flowers, but we enjoyed it regardless.

Cut tulips are obviously a favourite of Dutch households, bought fresh if you live close to the market.

Lots of Tulip bulbs too, as well as bulbs of many other flowers.

Wooden Tulips seemed to be almost as popular as real ones, in a wide variety of styles, perhaps so the tourists can take some home.  We did not succumb, but enjoyed looking.

Judging by the walls of colourful wooden shoes, they must be good for gardeners - unless of course you're opening a refreshing cold drink after working in the garden!

We learned quickly how you have to duck and dive while walking a narrow pathway full of umbrellas!  We successfully avoided spearing anyone else with ours, or getting speared in return. There's a lot of up and down motion to carrying an umbrella here, to miss other heads!

This is the Flower Market, or 'Bloemenmarkt' from the back, a long series of barges floating in the Singel Canal, facing the sidewalk.  Tomorrow the Botanical Garden.

*****

I can drive again!  Today I got to use my temporary glasses for driving for the first time, and though they drove me dizzy when I first put them on, they worked fine.  Now I can start getting out and maybe even getting some pictures.  I'll be able to bring you back to the valley and share the wonderful snowy winter we're enjoying!

14 comments:

  1. I am so happy to hear that you are driving again! And I love the tulips, one of my favorite flowers. :-)

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  2. Tulips are my favourites as well. Having had tried walking in wooden shoes, I can say that I vastly prefer regular ones!

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  3. tulips in so many beautiful colours. And driving... this is the best news. Snow, heard there has been a lOT.!!!

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  4. Yay! Glad you got your steering wheel back!

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  5. Congratulations on your being able to get back behind the wheel. I imagine you were gradually going bonkers with the enforced idleness.

    The flower market certainly is colorful, thank you for sharing it with us.

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  6. I guess if you want tulips , you go to Holland. Very colorful.

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  7. Wow - I would want one of everything - I do so love tulips - and what an adventure to see all those barges docked there with the flowers - amazing. Thanks for sharing - I love to learn things like this - things I had no idea are happening.

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  8. Such a colourful post and amazing scenery there.
    Nice to be able to drive again too.

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  9. I love tulips! Great photos of the colorful flower market!

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  10. wow, wow, wow, i would really love this!! it's so colorful and i like the variety of items for sale!!

    i am so happy for you about the driving - i wish that would happen for me. it's so difficult to not be able to drive!!

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  11. All those tulips are just gorgeous.
    Glad to hear you can drive again. : )

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  12. Wow! A rainbow sea of tulips! How lovely & I'm sure you are so happy to be driving again

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  13. I bet you are so happy to be behind the wheel again! The tulips are just so colorful that it makes me smile. Spring must be coming soon.

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  14. Love the colorful flowers, as well as the photo of the colorful umbrellas!

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