Tues 2nd May 8° Keukenhoff - Aalsmere - Keukenhoff

Very cloudy, overcast grey day, so glad we did the gardens yesterday.   About an hours drive East takes us to Aalsmere, the world's largest auction flower market, bit of a mis mash car park with lorries parks and bus parks, round and round we go...again..., eventually found a good park big enough for Bessie, Tony went in to see the flower market in action.

The auction clock

The bidders at work

New career maybe...............

Busy warehouse

Some stunning facts and figures include:
Turnover €9.6m a day, 34.5m flowers sold per day, biggest seller is roses 3.7 billion a year, tulips 1.7 billion a year 200 million other varieties each year.

There are 38 auction clocks, processing 100,000 transactions per day, 3,500 staff, over 220 football fields in area. Grossing €4.4 billion per annum.

I stayed with Bessie and did some forward planning, a huge lorry pulled up alongside with TRD plates...Turkish...it was fascinating to watch them, opened their side locker, got out chairs, a large box which had a little gas burner in it, fry pan,  plates, various food jars, coffee and utensils.  They sat using the locker door as a table preparing their meal while stiring the cook up.....a right royal feast for late breakfast or early lunch.

Showers again as we headed back to Keukenhoff, decided to stay another night, very quiet and relaxing on the side of the canal....and it's free...

What a difference a day makes .canal boat with umbrellas 

Found a camp at Kinderdijk for our last night in Holland and only an hour to the Rotterdam Ferry for our crossing tomorrow.

After a painfully night with my finger throbbing from the wasp sting, itching in the morning it is now swollen and warm.....antihistamines and ointment keeping it under control........

Stir fry Asian beef with noodles for dinner.