Bavaria: Garmisch via Austria

Diane went to a conference in Garmisch, Germany.

To get there we drove through part of the Austrian Alps.
Garmisch is beautiful. It is a great area for hiking and skiing.

http://www.garmisch-partenkirchen.de/en/db41673c-3301-78c8-8a27-52cc9b4d45f6.html

Holland: Keukenhof Park

Southwest of Amsterdam there is a large park open only during the spring to celebrate tulips.

There are indoor displays and outdoor canals. There's an old windmill.

Art pieces can be sat upon.

A family oriented place... little ones can try on the wooden shoes.

Swans can be fed.

Keukenhof is clearly a place for reflection.

http://www.keukenhof.nl/nm/english.html

We were able to go up and back on the same day. The only downside was that the Friday traffic was horrendous.

Holland: Keukenhof Flowers

Holland: the countryside

Think of Holland and you think of windmills, fields of flowers, irrigation ditches, butter and cheese from black and white cows and wooden shoes. On our recent trip, we were not dissapointed. We went in April during the height of tulip season.

It is a common pastime to walk the fields with the family dog or the family.

Everywhere we go we see large displays like this giant ice cream bar display.

Here's a house with thatched siding.

Goodbye Holland (officially known as the Netherlands)