April 1, 2014-Keukenhof Gardens

Had another warm, hazy, somewhat sunny morning at the Keukenhof gardens, where the tulip is king.....and hyacinths, daffodils, and other bulb plants are princes. The tulip fields were only just coming into bloom on our way to the entrance of the gardens, but inside the gate the colours and blooms were quite spectacular, especially inside the glass houses. Holland has had a mild winter, so the plants are a couple of weeks ahead, luckily for us. Here are a few photos for your viewing enjoyment.

Last night was the "Captain's Dinner" - even more food and drink than previous dinners. There were about six courses including "Beef Wellington Deconstructed" whatever that meant, but it was delicious. The entire staff - all 52 of them- were introduced and walked around the dining room to applause. I don't think I mentioned that night before last they put on a special buffet, some of which was served in the galley, so we had a tour of that......quite something. The running of a ship like the Viking Jarl takes lots of coordination of services from housekeeping, food service, and docking to waste removal, fresh water procurement, and onshore tour guides and bus reservations. Tomorrow everyone must vacate their staterooms by 9 am so that all can be cleaned and readied for the next bunch of travelers who will board at 3 pm or earlier. The staff work long hours and for weeks at a time, and have about 3 months off in the winter. Our cruise is the first of the season for this particular tour.