Day 8 - Keukenhof

We toured Europe in the late winter but luckily for us, our last day was the first day Keukenhof opened its doors. The gardens are open only 60 days in a year from mid March to mid May.

Keukenhof (English: kitchen garden) aka Garden of Europe, is one of the world's largest flower gardens. According to the official website for the Keukenhof Park, approximately 7 million flower bulbs are planted annually in the park, covering an area of 32 hectares (79 acres).

There are more than 800 species of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, orchids and lilies!

Inside the Willem Alexander Pavillion

The variety of the tulips in all shapes, sizes and colors is dazzling.

These fringed ones are most unusual!

Flower Power
The theme for 2019 is Flower Power - The Strength of Flowers.

You can't tell from this picture but the Flemish rabbits in this park are huge. They are the size of a Shih Tzu!

Keukenhof's official video


Adorable tulip bags in a souvenir shop in the gardens

Our last group photo with Marios, our driver from Poland.

That really was an amazing trip and I loved every single second of it! I was so high on life during those 8 days that even an injured foot couldn't hold me down!

The 30 of us left Malaysia as total strangers but we returned home as close buddies. During those 10 days (8 days + 2 nights on the plane), we bonded over meals and newfound common interests. We shared big laughs and a couple of misadventures like one big family.

Along with our souvenirs and photos, we brought home wonderful memories we made together that will certainly be relived over and over again.

Ours was a pretty mixed group. We had a lady from Singapore, 2 Indian families, an elderly couple who were in their 70s and 6 sisters-in-law who left their kids behind with their husbands for this trip so they could take a break!

Throughout the trip, we always got each other's backs. When I hurt my foot, my travel buddies were really concerned and took good care of me. When M was in shock after discovering her bag was stolen together with her passport, we calmed her down and comforted her. We worried and fussed over Mr. O (the septuagenarian) when he fell in the glacier cave. Thank God, he was alright.

We came home totally exhausted but euphoric; our passion for travelling well and truly reignited.

In fact, our whatsapp group is already planning our next trip!!