Up early loading cases at 06:30 this morning! We are leaving at 07:30 but I prefer to have the cases on the coach before enjoying my breakfast.
The reason we are leaving so early is that I am taking the group to the nearby Aalsmeer Flower Auction, the largest of its kind in the world.
We arrive at the Flower Auction just before 08:00 and I walk the group to the entrance, which isn't far from the coach park, and into the auction. To see the auction and warehouse you walk along viewing platform that over looks alll that is going on. The flowers are loaded on trolleys and taken around the warehouse at a frantic pace. The trolleys are puleed by little electric tractor units driven by one person and from above the colour and speed of these trolleys is mesmerising. How they do not bump into one another I don't know but it is fascinating to watch.
You can also watch the auction in progress which is interesting if a little confusing, I prefer the dodgems down below!
It is a few years since I have been here and had forgotten how exciting and colourful the auction is and am really glad we all made the effort to see it.
We have another sunny day as we leave the auction by 09:30 to begin our journey back to Calais. Once again the roads are pretty quiet except for the hundreds of lorries we seem to overtake.
W have time for an hours stop at a Belgian motorway service area whwre I think most of the group enjoy plates of chips, some even have two plates!!
Our booked ferry is at 16:45 and I arrive at the docks two hours early at 14:45. It is fortunate that I did as there is the usual long queue for the English Border Check. There must be a quicker way to process the coaches, there are certainly enough staff milling about!
After passport control I was optimistic that we may catch the earlier ferry but no luck as it finishes loading as we drive onto our loading lane.
I had forgotten to take the group photograph in Holland so we all pose by the bus on a windy quayside.
Our ferry leaves on time and docks in Dover on time.
The return journey is very incident free and I am dropping off in Guildford by 19:30 and an hour later am finished in Petersfield.
I have really enjoyed the weekend especially the tour of Amsterdam and the hotel, which is one of the best I have stayed in and will look forward to returning in the future.
Tot Ziens!
Jamie
1 comment:
Sounds like you had a `blooming` good time!!
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