Here are the pictures taken the “day before” the storm in Amsterdam. Sometimes, the weather can be benevolent: the event could clearly not have taken place as easily the following day during the blizzard.
The event in question was the Tulpendag, or “National Tulips Day”, on the 19th of January. I heard about it when we arrived at the Amsterdam train station, at the tourist office: “at 1:30 PM, head for the Dam Square: a huge field of tulips will be set up for the occasion, and you can pick your bouquet for free” … Nice!
I played along as an “improvised florist” amongst the Amsterdamers and the tourists, all eager to partake in this colorful festival.
Bundled up as I was, I was able to roam through the city all day long without faltering: to admire Vincent Van Gogh’s sunflowers and other impressionist works at the Hermitage museum (The Van Gogh Museum is being renovated: you can spare yourselves a fruitless trip there, unlike me), to visit Anne Frank’s home in recollection, to take shelter in the cheese and tulip museum and to take long breaks in the city’s tea houses.
Yes, yes, my gourmet spots are coming soon, be patient, I need some time to write it all! (English translation by Bleu Marine)
