April and May news from Greg and Amy

Hello family,

Well it's been too long since Amy and I posted anything so....here's what we've been up to the past few months.

Amy and I spent 7 days in the Netherlands in late April. We picked the Netherlands because Amy loves flowers....and.....Keukonhof Gardens near Lisse Holland is the largest bulb garden in the world. We timed our visit to see the worlds longest flower parade (over 24 miles from start to finish) which ends up in Haarlem (a few miles outside of Amsterdam). The parade arrived in Haarlem just at sunset and everyone lined the streets to watch the floats come into town.......and then all the floats parked on the street right next to our hotel so in the morning we were able to walk among the floats and get some great pictures with the morning light.











Haarlem float

We then left Haarlem and drove to a Bed and Breakfast near Keukenhof Gardens where we rented a tandem bicycle and spent two days riding around the area past small farms, small villages/towns, canals, and field after field after field of blooming flowers.











Our Bed and Breakfast near Keukenhof Gardens.

We also spent almost an entire day at Keukenhof Gardens (it's over 80 acres of flowers and trees).....and it was absolutely the most beautifully planted gigantic flower garden I have ever seen.

Keukenhof Gardens











All Amy and I can say is that if you love flowers and smell of flowers on the spring air.....then you need to put a visit of Keukenhof Gardens on your list of things to do before you die.














The Netherlands was just like a post card, canals, side-walk cafes, Dutch architecture, Dutch art and.... no matter where you went in the Netherlands......everyone....and I mean EVERYONE was on a bicycle. Men and women in suites carrying brief-cases and riding a bike to work, mom's and dad's going to the market with their kids (all on a bike), old folks out for a Sunday ride (on a bike)!!! And...... the Netherlands is so bicycle friendly....there as bike trails along almost every road so any where you can go in a car..you could go on a bike, the city, the country, etc. and....the country is relatively flat from Amsterdam south to Belgium so riding is easy!!!!

So after spending seven wonderful days in the Netherlands.......we flew from Amsterdam to London where we joined Barbara and Lance (Amy's sister and her husband) and then flew on to Croatia for our annual holiday trip!!!
















Roman ruins in Split Croatia











Lance, Barbara, Amy and I sitting by the Adriatic Sea in Split

The village of Splano where we rented a house.











Sunset view from our patio

























Amy and I at the gates to Dubrovnik, Croatia











Dubrovnik













Fresh fish for dinner!

Korkula (small town on an island near Splano).

Mostar Bosnia and the famous bridge that was destroyed and then rebuilt after the 1991-1995 war.

Amy on the market street in Mostar

The Bay of Kotar, Montenegro

After 10 exciting and fun filled days in Croatia....we headed home and were only slightly delayed by the volcanic ash clouds over Europe. Now it's back to work and our normal routines....all of which is good!!!!

Love to everyone in our wonderful families.

Greg and Amy