Day 12 – Sunday 25/3:

Today we started our explorations at Kinderdijk, the largest collection of windmills in the Netherlands. Once upon a time, such windmills were called upon to draw water from the dikes that surround the village of Kinderdijk, preventing flooding from the surrounding rivers. These days, their job has been taken over by electric pumps and the windmills now provide a wonderful spectacle to passers by. 

Jenny then took us to Delft, a large town with a very Dutch CBD with canals crisscrossing the streets and alleyways. Charming old buildings abound. 

We had a traditional Dutch lunch of croquettes and chips in the main square. Our final destination was Kerkinhoff. This, the world’s largest garden, has around seven million bulbs planted annually, with a differing theme each year. This year’s theme was Poland, so reds and whites (its flag colors) were prevalent. We spent quite some time exploring the grounds, including a windmill and greenhouse. Despite the earliness of the season, meaning many beds had not yet flowered, the gardens were still extremely beautiful. 

We returned home quite late and I cooked dinner/delegated.