Monday 24 April 2017

The Bollonstreek Flower Parade

The Bollonstreek Flower Parade

Saturday 22nd April 2017

Well, this was the main event that we'd come to Holland to see and it well and truly lived up to our expectations. Annually, the parade, which is made up of 20 or more floats and about 30 other motorised vehicles, travels 40 kms from the White Church in Noordwijkerhout to Haarlem.  Additionally, there are several marching bands, and lots of other support people, and it would appear that many of them walk all the way!

We marked a spot on the map just outside the town of Sassenheim where we planned to go and view it, and when we first got there we thought we'd picked a quiet place, however as the time neared for the procession to arrive the crowds started to thicken, but we still had an excellent view of the cavalcade as it passed by. And the intricacy of workmanship and the time that must have been spent on the production of these beautiful creations that were brimming with fantastic colours and delicious perfumes just had to be seen to be believed - something that should maybe be on every-bodies bucket list of 'things to before you die' because pictures just don't do it justice!







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These are only a few of the many pics we took and overall the procession took about 2 hours to pass us by so we had plenty of time to see everything, but by the end, even though the sun was shining, we were thoroughly chilled through, so we were quite glad to climb back on our bikes and cycle the few miles home for a warming cup of hot choc!




Sunday 23rd April 2017

Today was our last day in Holland, but as it had dawned overcast and showery we were undecided what to do with it, and initially we thought we might have to stay in to avoid a soaking.  However,  after lunch the sun came out so we didn't need much persuasion to don our bike togs for the last time on this ' holiday ' and potter off  for a final ride through the bulb fields.  Almost accidentally the trail we had chosen took us into Noordwijkerhout and past the White Church where yesterday's procession had started, and once there we found more floral masterpieces, and as well as that, we had the pleasure of seeing the lovely colourful bulbfields for one last time.




Monday 24th April 2017

This morning we packed T4rdis2 up for our homeward journey after spending a lovely 3 weeks in the Netherlands - a country that we will certainly be coming back to in the future because it really has suited us very well.

Now we're once again in France at an Aire near Dunkirk, and tomorrow we'll catch the ferry back over to Dover before setting off on our 240 mile drive back to our home town of Ripley!  But while we were sat sipping our tea a knock came on the door from a fellow traveller who was desperate to hear an English voice.  He'd just completed a 6 month tour of Iran, Iraq, Oman and Turkey, and he introduced us to a German company who arrange such jaunts - so who knows where T4rdis2 may find itself in the future!

Anyway, that's about all for now - another tour nearly completed - and even though we've had a fantastic time we really can't wait to get home to see all our nearest and dearest!

😘

Click here to see our camping spots in the Netherlands