Flowers, more Flowers, and Windmills

Update: Due to an enormous cloud of volcanic ash that insists on lingering over London, Rob and I have to spend a few more days away from home...which presents a great opportunity to catch up on the blog! Hooray for volcanic ash clouds...I guess.
After Belgium, we caught a train to Amsterdam to see the Keukenhoff Gardens, where my sister-in-law wants to have her final resting place. And, after visiting, I want to be right there with her!
Keukenhoff is a magical place of music, trees, water, swans, sculpture, and...over 7 MILLION flowers (with an emphasis on tulips).
I kept wishing I had Suzannah next to me, telling me what everything was called.
I slowly strolled through the gardens while Rob got busy taking flower pictures from every conceivable angle (and now, seeing the fruits of his labors, I'm glad he did!).
Then we took a break from tulips to walk through the Orchid house. And WOW. It's mind-boggling to see how much variety there is on this earth, just within the Orchid family!
My favorites were the ones with dangerously voluptous lips. They seemed to be calling to me, daring me to stick my finger in so they could take a CHOMP. Orchids aren't actually carnivorous though...right?

Can't you just smell these Lilacs?

After we had our fill of tulips, we took a drive to find some windmills, Holland's other national symbol.
If we had been a few weeks later, the fields behind the windmills would have been full of blooming flowers. But, you take what you can get. Now we have a reason to come back!

P.S. The tulips will be in bloom until mid-May, so if you have some cash to burn and need a little extra spring in your life, DEFINITELY take a trip. If not, watch Rob's awesome slideshow and start planning for next year. :)