A Luxurious Private
tour of Keukenhof flower showA Luxurious Private
tour of Keukenhof flower show
Keukenhof garden in full glory is a sight to behold.
Dutch/Nederlandse version.
Keukenhof is situated in the region where the agricultural clay soil fields meet with the fine grain sand of the dunes. Flower bulbs thrive best on the proper admixture of these two soils.
Keukenhof is the presentation garden of the commercial Dutch flower industry. In the Netherlands this industry covers a field surface of more than 23.000 hectare = 56.834 acres. Thus the economic value is astounding - both in terms of bulb sale in cash but also in tourism expenditure and income.
When riding by car from Amsterdam to the fields I can take a nifty back road. As we are walking in Keukenhof I can tell you all about the scientific history, with bulbs in the Hortus Botanicus in Leiden, and also the economic history of bulbs and about the first capitalist investment boom and bust in world history.
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In 1593 the first tulips were sent from their homeland Turkey to the Hortus Botanicus in Leiden, Holland. Within a short time an enthusiasm and then a full size craze - tulpomania - developed and trade people paid fortunes in order to own a single good tulip bulb. For one bulb will have offshoots and procreate manifold. Everybody got rich and richer until the bubble burst (sounds familiar?)
Below: Aerial view of the landscape with bulbfields. The most glorious explosion of colour is in mid-spring.
The flower garden Keukenhof is open in the spring season only. See their web site
There is also a one-day flower parade on floats called "bloemencorso" going through Lisse and other towns. Traffic is a zoo that day.
Both are best seen if we go there by car, to Lisse for instance, leaving WELL ON TIME in the morning, from Amsterdam.
Alternatively we can visit Keukenhof first and then try to catch the tail end of the parade elsewhere.
There is a list available showing the flower parade route and the times.
I would be delighted to be your driver and historical guide that day. My Toyota Starlet will seat 3 (or 4 thinner persons).
Please note I know little about flowers but much about historic and cultural matters connected to flowers.
As an art historian based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, I can transport you to Keukenhof for a personalized guided tour of the gardens.
Together we will experience the beauty and history . Enjoy yourself and learn about history while strolling and discussing the country's flower history, art and culture. In doing so, we may touch many bases - spanning not only fine art and garden architecture but also the city's history and current social issues. See client testimonials.
Read a biography.
Drs. Kaldenbach is chairman of the Circle of Academic Tour Guides of the Netherlands and Flanders (CATON)
Starting at your hotel I will take you on a wonderful private cultural walking tour of your choice. My guided itinerary offers you accessable informative conversation in English, Dutch, or German (my French and Italian are more limited).
All photos on this page are copyright c Kees Kaldenbach 2007, except for the areial views.
You may also arrange this VIP treatment for business contacts or friends. Our cultural tour organisation office will take care of a unique and memorable experience.
Drs. Kees Kaldenbach is your private "scholar-lecturer on culture tours" *.
*Martha Gellhorn, Travels with Myself and another, p. 182.
Please contact me for time and fees of the tailor-made tour you are interested in.
These tailor made tours are available upon request - please contact me to book a date. Minimum group size: 1 person. Maximum group size is limited to about 10 persons. With a megaphone I can also manage larger groups on the streets.
Photo by Dick Martin.
Endorsements
The Rijksmuseum has done me the honor of linking the main Rijksmuseum site to my website. Start at www.rijksmuseum.nl and select Collection. Then choose 'Digital Collaboration' and the 'Digital Vermeer House'.
I conduct Rembrandt walks in Amsterdam for the Netherlands Bureau of Tourism, London and New York City offices. Their clients include important journalists.
The travel site www.luxurytraveler.com has devoted a main feature to my tours and walks.
Read further client testimonials.
Read a biography.
Drs. Kees Kaldenbach has been featured in television and radio documentaries, including BBC2 TV, NTV Japan, Danish TV and Radio Netherlands World Service. In July 2004 he was interviewed about Keukenhof artists by Tetsuya Tsuruhara for the leading Japanese newspaper The Yomiuri Shimbun. In 2004 and 2005 he acted in an advisory role to additional BBC teams. Kaldenbach has written extensively on Vermeer and 17th century Keukenhof, on Vincent van Gogh and on other art history topics.
Drs. Kees Kaldenbach is your private "scholar-lecturer on culture tours".
Further information is available on his encyclopedic web site: www.johannesvermeer.info
Contact
information:
Drs. Kees Kaldenbach , kalden@xs4all.nl
Haarlemmermeerstraat 83 hs
1058 JS Amsterdam
The Netherlands
telephone 020 - 669 8119 (from abroad NL +20 - 669 8119)
cell phone 06 - 2868 9775 (from abroad NL +6 - 2868 9775)
Reaction, questions? Read client testimonials.
Open seven days a week.
Member of the VVV Tourist information and the Amsterdam Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel).
Email responses and bookings to art historian Drs. Kees Kaldenbach.
This page forms part of the 2000+ item Vermeer web site at www.xs4all.nl/~kalden
Launched 2008. Updated Feb 23, 2011.
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