Keukenhof, Part Two

Because I'm oh-so-excellent at narrowing down pictures, a few more flowers...

Keukenhof also has a hedge maze with a platform in the middle. It seemed like there were about 15 kids running around screaming in there, and one kid in particular was trying to jump out of the hedge and scare people. Mark snuck up behind him and got him back.   :)

There were a couple big cages of different birds, including Mark's favorite - finches. He likes to hear them honk.

Shhh...secret!

Keukenhof also has a small display of farm animals, including, apparently, pigs that are evil and take a little too much pleasure in biting fingers. At least that's what I got from this sign.   :)

We eventually made our way out of Keukenhof (after a false exit left us backtracking through the entire garden, not that I minded one bit!), and after spending a few minutes in the car inhaling some Dutch cheese that we picked up along the way out, we started making our way back to Amsterdam.

Not without driving around some of the flower fields first, though! There were miles and miles of tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths.

We pulled off to the side of the road at one point to get a closer look.

Wheeeee!!!

We made our way back to Amsterdam, parked the car, took a tram to the hotel, and walked down the street to grab dinner. The food was ok but the service not so much; the restaurant was slammed and even though I ordered a beer I never got anything to drink. We decided not to stay for dessert, and instead walked the other way down the street for...

...my first REAL Belgian waffle (which over here is just called a waffle). With chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and powdered sugar. And a hot chocolate with whipped cream and rum. And after having a waffle like that, I don't know if I can ever order a Belgian waffle in the US without being sorely disappointed. I don't know if they brush the waffle iron with sugar water or what the magic secret is, but the bottom of the waffle is crunchy with sugar and it's AMAZING.

After inhaling the five pounds of sugar I called dessert, we walked back to the hotel along the canal. It was going to be our last night in Amsterdam for a couple days...off to Belgium in the morning!