After we left Amsterdam, we paid a visit to the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens on our way back to Nijmegen. Now this might have been the most disappointing part of the trip. I wanted to go to the gardens so I could see fields of tulips and take photos - but, as it turns out, you could only see the tulip fields on the bus ride there. Also, the fields were less than spectacular at this point; many of the bulbs had been snipped off, or had withered in the sun. As for the gardens themselves - let’s just say it was a haven for old people tourists. Not that I didn’t expect this, of course, but for some reason I had thought there would be open fields of endless tulips and it wouldn’t much matter. In enclosed gardens, the throng of old people in socks and sandals, families with screaming children, and large couples with cameras, was far more bothersome. We tried a maze, but I wanted out not too long into it because I was starting to get quite claustrophobic.

Pond in the tulip garden.

See that sign? That sign says “keep off the grass.” I kept accidentally disobeying the sign because I am a stupid tourist.

Tiptoe through the tulips.

Those Dutch and their windmills!

The closest we ever got to seeing fields of endless tulips. Le sigh.

At a petting zoo in the middle of the tulip garden (:?:)

I think he was getting hungry.

A cool fish (?) patterned flower bed.

When we got back to Nijmegen, we had dinner at this lovely restaurant I have forgotten the name of- something unpronounceable, with few vowels (surprising, as the Dutch seem to like to cram superfluous vowels wherever they fit). They ordered some salmon that was absolutely fantastic, probably one of the best salmon dishes I have ever sampled. I wish I’d ordered it, but oh well.

The next morning, E’s mother showed us around Nijmegen, the Roman walls and ruins, and the area near the major bridge in town. Apparently Nijmegen was accidentally bombed by the U.S. during WWII, in a kind of Dresden-like incident; there is still a cloud of suspicion about how “accidental” the bombing was.

Bridge over the river in Nijmegen, rebuilt after the bombing obviously.

Statue to commemorate the bombing.

We visited the bicycle museum, yet another quirky museum of, well, bicycles, and fun interactive things (including some sort of weird black booth that, when you climb in, blares the French national anthem as you look upon a scene of French soldiers passed out next to their bikes. (:?:))

Entrance to the museum.

Ye olde bicycle (quadcycle?)

I’m still not sure how this was supposed to work.

We then strolled through the market, where we picked up some delicious fried fish, the name of wish I have also forgotten. So much good food.

Open air market (we sure saw a lot of these), where one can buy cheap scarves and fish!

Crazy fries! I can’t say this statue made me very hungry.

Major movie theater in the downtown area.

The next morning, we said goodbye to Nijmegen and drove back down to Germany - to Hohr-Grenzhausen, and E’s grandmother’s house.