Great sandwich idea from Keukenhof

Long walks always make me hungry and not even the wonderful tulips from Keukenhof change that, so between two species of flowers we had to stop for a quick snack. The loooong lines kept us away from the restaurants, so we had to be grateful for some sandwiches (Broodjes) with ham and curry mayo. And quite a discovery they were. Then I heard that the Broodjes (sandwiches in English) play such an important role in Dutch culture that they organize not one but two Tastiest Sandwich of the Year competitions.

Since I came back I’ve been eating them every day as I created my own version. So if you are curious here is my recipe for two sandwiches (depending on the size of your bread).

Ingredients

3 tee-spoons of bio mayonnaise

½ tee-spoon of mustard (you can add more depending on your taste)

a pinch of curry powder

ham cut in fine slices

Cut the ham in medium sized slices and grill it in a pan without adding anything else for 2 minutes. Mix the mayo, mustard and curry and spread it on a slice of bread then add the grilled ham. If you have time, you can prepare your own curry mayo, by adding a pinch of curry in the normal mayo recipe. Enjoy!   

The Dutch seaside at Noordwijk

I’ve been always fascinated by the idea of going to the beach just to hang out, despite the lack of warm weather, to read a book, take a long walk (with your dog if you have any) or just listen to the waves. After my tulip afternoon at Keukenhof I have just discovered the perfect place to do this. It’s located in Noordwijk and has an atmosphere that reminds me of Etretat in Normandy (minus the spectacular rocks). 

And the strong wind didn’t keep people away from the beach so there was quite a show there –two brave surfers plunging in the freezing sea, children playing barefoot with the kites and me shivering with a red nose drinking hot chocolate.

Apparently the weather gets warmer in summer considering that the resort attracts around one million people each year. But regardless the season it’s well worth a 10 minutes drive if you are going to Lisse. 

My dream place

It’s been on my bucket list for two years and last weekend I finally got the chance to live my dream. Ever since I saw the first pictures of Keukenhof, the famous flower garden from Netherlands, I had been wanting to set foot in the park. And moving to Luxembourg helped a lot. So after checking the weather situation (yes, the smart phones transformed us in AccuWeather freaks) off we went.

We first saw the huge fields of tulips and experienced the amazing smell, but nothing prepared us for the picture perfect piece of land in Lisse where 7 million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths are in full bloom.

Don’t worry about the parking, you’ll find a place because everything is wisely organized. And don’t forget to buy the parking ticket from the ticket office where you also pay for the entrance – you will need it at the exit. 

There’s a plan available for purchase, but I just prefer to wonder and be surprised by the discoveries I make. So just keep your eyes open and be prepared for the show. And yes, the numbers and data are amazing, the most photographied park, a record number of tulips and so on, but once you’ll arrive the only thing that will count is the capacity of your memory card.

You will instantly feel the energy

Smile

Take a deep breath

Walk on water

Fall in love

Discover the windmill

Fight the big crowds for a perfect place

Meet my Josephine’s sisters 

 And a cute black pug that appreciates beautiful things

And just enjoy the show

There’s a boat trip available every hour, but as it was such a busy period we could only find place late in the evening, so we have one more reason to come back.

The coloured fields of Netherlands

Hurry up and head towards Netherlands where the tulips, hyacinths and daffodils are blooming. It's only a 3 and a half or 4 hours ride from Luxembourg and it's well worth it. Just wonder around with the car and admire the huge beautiful smelling fields in the Lisse/Leiden region, between Hague and Amsterdam. And don’t forget to open the window for your car will be instantly “invaded” by an amazing natural perfume.    

Netherlands never ceases to amaze me for its inventiveness, ambition and hard work. Last weekend’s wonder was the sandy soil more suitable for the beach, but the Dutch grow amazing flowers and plants in this soil. For example, they provide 75% of the global tulip production. It is amazing!