Just got back from a week in Holland, which was a wonderful experience. It was mostly about tulips (a business trip … hell of a job I’ve got where going to Holland for a week to immerse myself in tulips for a business trip, eh?), but also did some sightseeing in and around Haarlem, where we were staying, and Amsterdam, which is 20 minutes away by train. Plus met Coldfire and Heloise for lunch yesterday in Amsterdam (though I stupidly forgot to get someone to document the moment by taking a pic – and since there were about a bajillion people in Amsterdam yesterday, it wouldn’t have been that hard to find someone). Yes, I’ve got pix – hundreds of them, I’ll throw the best into Photobucket when I’ve got a chance.
Had a really fabulous time – but missed y’all – only signed in to check on the DWtS thread on Wednesday. So between that and going cold turkey on my Diet Dr Pepper addiction, it wasn’t all beer and skittles. (And, BTW, there were no beer, skittles, dope, or hookers involved in this trip – and I loved every minute anyway.)
Anything interesting happen while I was gone?
Did you see the Apollo Theater? Any Globetrotters?
Welcome back! Did you bring me a present?!? 
No Hookers?! When a friend and I were there, we got lost in the red light district. My friend was a nurse I worked with. She was a 45 year old virgin. The sidewalks were so narrow, I walked ahead of her. I kept hearing “Oh My” behind me. She was much wiser by the time we left. Heck, so was I!
We stayed in Den Haag/Scheveningen. It’s so much different than Amsterdam. So CLEAN!
Did you bring back bulbs?
Anyway, welcome home.
Don’t need to – I get all the bulbs I want for free. (Though the one I fell in love with – a looker called [no shit] “The Mounties” – doesn’t seem to be available in the U.S. 
)
Stayed out of the red light district, though I did walk through a major “coffeehouse” (wink wink nudge nudge say no more) area on my way from the train station over to the Dam to meet Coldie and Heloise.
And FCM – I got you the exact same thing you got me when you went on vacation – only a Dutch one. 
Everyone (read “me”) is yammering on about their gardens. We (read “me”) are less than thrilled that you left when we needed your gardening expertise the most. All is forgiven since you decided to return. 
Sounds like a great trip! Let us know when the pics are up! That tulip you mentioned – I’d like to see it. Will you be posting a picture and info on how we can get it?
Isn’t global warming a bitch.
Are the women over there as hot as people say?
So – does the smiley signify consumption of beer, skittles, dope, or hookers?
Yes. Especially the hookers. The hookers are lookers, almost (but not quite) all of them.
twickster, your post has inspired me to consider visiting Amsterdam again. It’s a wonderful city, and Holland is a beautiful country in so many respects. Not bothered about the hookers or the drugs, but the culture, night-life and museums and restaurants and … oh, my! Twenty years has been too long to avoid a lovely place that’s only an overnight ferry trip away.
You brought spring! Thanks! 
So, how did you find your way from there? Just walking by a “coffeehouse” back then, about put me on my knees from the second-hand cloud.
I meant did you bring any bulbs back that you couldn’t get here. I was tempted, but I didn’t want to end up in jail over a tulip.
Nah. If I’m too staid to do beer, skittles, dope, or hookers, you know I’m too staid to take up smuggling.
Did you threaten to pop a zit in front of Coldfire?
Welcome back, twicks!
Man, I wondered why it’s been so quiet around here.
Finally uploaded some pix, here.
Oh, WOW! Thanks for the pictures. I have always wanted to go to Holland at Tulip Time… When I was in school for Floriculture, we were told that it was a “Right of Passage” for any serious student… but I was leaning more towards landscape at that time.
Oh, now I have to go someday…
Yes, you definitely should – it was amazing.
(And yay – someone who will understand how geeked I was by those real Rembrandt tulips at the Hortus Bulborum – yup, virus-ridden tulips. Each one is different from the others, which you can kind of see in that picture – the effect is way more amazing than the “Rembrandt” tulips that are available commercially.)
Well, since twickster visiting was the final boost needed to get me to sign back up to the boards, I thought this should be my first thread back.
We had a great time and my only regret was that it was such a short day! Oh, yes and also that we didn’t get any pictures.