Today was an early start: 6am to be exact. We hopped on our bus and ate some bagged breakfasts on our way to Royal Flora Holland, aka one of the largest flower distributors in Europe. Here is where we walked around and got to see thousands of flowers being transported from one place to the next. We also got to learn about the world’s biggest flower auction, which takes place at Royal Flora Holland in the spring. It is a very fast paced and high stakes event, where distributors from around the world come together and buy and trade flowers. 

Our next bus ride took us to a little town called Aalsmere. It was nice to take a break from our busy morning and get a cup of coffee from the local coffee shop.. and get out of the cold! So far, Dutch coffee ranks high above anything from the states. 

We quickly hopped back onto the bus for our long awaited trip to Tuliperij Tulip Farm. For me, the first thing I thought of when it came to Amsterdam was their beautiful flower fields, so I was really excited to see one in person. One of the owners of the farm toured us around and told us the history of their business, which has been passed down 3 generations. I learned how tulips were grown, harvested, and sold, and how they enter the supply chain. It was interesting to learn that at the end of the tulips full bloom, farmers cut off the flower in order to get the best bulb possible, and then compost the flower for fertilizer. We got to take pictures in the fields (which will definitely be featured on my instagram @hailey.krawczyk) and ended our visit with some shopping in the little greenhouse market. Overall, it was just as beautiful as I had hoped!