Tulips - We Meet Again (Amsterdam)

We were in Amsterdam for the tulip festival last year. And it was one of the most beautiful things I've seen in the entire world. When we were planning our trip back from Finland, we decided to fly out of Amsterdam so we can go see the tulips again. 

This is my third trip to Amsterdam. The first time I went in 2017, I was blown away by how awesome it was. The canals are beautiful! The food is AMAZING. (This is where I discovered oat milk.) It has great history and art and culture. 

But the whole world also discovered Amsterdam. I've read multiple articles in recent years about how the city is over-touristed and the residents are fed up with it. So when we went back last year, the residents were less friendly and not helpful. I am also low key terrified of bikers. There are so many bikes and the bikers are AGGRESSIVE. You are far more likely to be hit by a bike than a car in Amsterdam. Sometimes it's hard to tell which part of the sidewalk is the pedestrian walkway and which one is the bike path. You will figure it out very quickly because someone will be yelling at you. 

Amsterdam is still a great city. And the tulips are worth it. We went to Keukenhof Gardens again. There were brand new flower exhibits. This year, we went during "early" spring so the flowers were also a bit different. We saw a lot of daffodils and hyacinths which were beautiful. 

We also saw cherry blossom trees! 

And a special guest - Miffy! 

The boat ride. which we didn't get to go on last year. was beautiful and serene. 

The food at the park was good too! They had something called cookie crumbles on the menu. We asked what it was and they are scraps from the stroopwafels which they cut in a perfect circle. Stroopwafels are two thin waffles sandwiching a caramel syrup. They are my favorite Dutch cookies and they actually sell them worldwide including the US. But they can buy them warm and freshly made in Amsterdam! The "crumbles" was a huge bag of waffle scraps which were delicious and I appreciate the effort not to waste food.  

Did I mention the food and coffee was good in Amsterdam?

We also ate at Choux which has been on my list for a while now. It's a well known veggie forward restaurant with creative menus that change with the seasons. 

I was a little hesitant about Amsterdam because last year's trip was stressful. But this year's trip was much better. We stayed outside of the central area and the people were friendlier. The train system is so good and you don't need a separate transportation card. They accept ApplePay so I just tap my Apple watch. The food is really exceptional, fresh and creative with a huge emphasis on sustainability. 

Amsterdam is a beautiful city with lots of canals and green spaces. Just watch out for the bikers and be mentally prepared to be yelled at by said bikers.