Chapter 19 – Tulips
Before going back upstairs, Martin ordered full breakfast for the two rooms, their own and Morwenna's, then picked up James from the highchair and headed to the reception.
'Good morning sir, hello young man, how can I help you?', the receptionists opened the conversation, giving James a broad smile.
'Ehm, I would like to order a taxi for my wife and son while I attend the medical conference, but I want to be sure the car will have proper safety-measures for my son – a child's seat, that is'.
'Where does she wish to go sir?'
'That's none of your bloody business, why does everybody always want to poke in my private life!'
'Well sir, you are a doctor, isn't it? Don't you have to ask questions to make the correct diagnosis? I need this information to offer you the most appropriate service. Now, allow me to ask it again: where does your wife want to go today, on this sunny day?'
'Hmm, that's a point for you', Martin admitted. 'Well, she, our friend and my son planned to visit the flower fields near Lisse and perhaps the Keukenhof. Seems to be the right weather to do that, isn't it?
'Yes the weather will be quite good. Will they also make a bike tour through the fields?'
'That's the idea, yes. And maybe visit the North-sea beach near Noordwijk too'.
Martin didn't really understand why Louisa wished to go to the beach – she saw the sea all year round in Portwenn, but she had insisted on having a coffee or lunch break at the beach.
'Well sir, I conclude from what you just told me, that they need a car all day, is that correct?'
'Yes, what's the best option for that, given my prior requirements – a safe child's seat?
'The best choice seems to be a personal driver, who drives your own car. We have a contract with a company that provides that service. They have a driver that has a lot of experience with driving British cars – with the wheel at the right side of the car, that is. Would that be an acceptable option?'
'Someone driving my Lexus?' No, he thought, but then he considered that confiding his family to a random cabdriver with a car that could be in any condition, wasn't a good choice either.
'OK then, but I want to see him before. Let him meet me here at 8:30, he'd better not be late!'.
'I'll try my best, sir, I'll let you know if he is available today'.
Martin considered the conversation was done and went upstairs. They quietly entered the room. Louisa was still slumbering peacefully.
'Let's wake-up your mother, James', he whispered in the boy's ear. He knelt down, put the boy on the bed and kissed Louisa softly on her cheek.
'Good morning Louisa, rise and shine..', he said softly.
'Mummum', James babbled and crawled over the duvet towards his mummy, snuggling close to her.
Louisa finally opened her eyes and looked straight into the grey eyes of her husband and the blue ones of James. 'Well, that's a nice wake-up', she said, while she stretched and hugged James with one arm and stroke Martin's cheek with the other.
'It becomes even better, there is your breakfast', Martin replied, when he heard a knock on the door. He stood up to open the door and let the waiter in with his big tray carriage full of delicious food.
The three of them had a nice moment, enjoying their breakfast together. Martin went to the bathroom to have a shower and a shave and dressed in a nice dark grey suit, a light blue shirt and a dark blue tie.
'My old tied up Doc Martin is back', Louisa said, smiling broadly.
Martin scowled.
'I was joking, Martin, you look great in that suit and you wear the tie I prefer most'.. Louisa patted the lapel of his suit coat and rushed to the bathroom to prepare for the day.
Soon everybody was prepared for the day, James baby bag stuffed with nappy's, extra clothing and everything you could ever imagine needed for a baby's day out. Martin assured himself that the newly bought bike helmet was part of the equipment too. At exactly 8:30, Martin went downstairs to meet the young driver.
'Good morning sir, are you Dr. Ellingham by any chance?', a blond young man said. He was dressed in a suit of fine quality, an immaculate white shirt and a modest tie.
At least he dresses well, Martin thought.
'Yes, I am and you are…?'
'Edwin de Vries, sir, nice to meet you. I am driver for Students on the road. The hotel asked me to be here to meet you and to offer our driving service for today.
'Have you ever driven a Lexus Mr. de Vroos?'
'It's de Vries sir, the most common name in the Netherlands – I can't help it… No sir, I have never driven a Lexus, but I have experience with driving other cars with the wheel at the right side of the car. Up to now, I have made 60000 kilometres since the beginning of last year. I have lived in England for six months. I did an exchange program at the university of Bristol. Now I am at the university her in Amsterdam – I try to become a doctor, like you.'
Martin asked the young guy several more questions. He came to the conclusion that the young fellow could do the job.
Fifteen minutes later Louisa, James and Morwenna gathered in the hall of the hotel. Martin kissed his wife goodbye, stroke James' blond hair, nodded at Morwenna and headed towards the conference room to confirm his presence there.
'Mr. de Vries, let's go, I want to see as much as I can today.
'Please call me Edwin', the driver said, 'we Dutch are not very formal'.
He smoothly lead them through Amsterdam. It was the rush hour, but Edwin took alternative roads. It became crystal clear that he knew the city inside out. Louisa and Morwenna enjoyed what they saw. Occasionally, Edwin showed them a special building or explained them a cultural particularity.
As suggested by Edwin, they went to the Keukenhof first. It was still very early, so the park wasn't invaded by tourists. After their visit to the park, they would rent bicycles and make a tour in the surroundings.
'What will you do in the meantime?' Morwenna asked the young student.
'I brought my books and I will study for the histology exam I'll have next week. It's about the anatomy of cells and tissues. Rather interesting, if you ask me'.
'Very good', Louisa replied, 'My husband would appreciate that'. They exchanged telephone numbers and Louisa promised to stay in touch with him.
'Don't hesitate to call me, Mrs. Ellingham, if you need help with the Dutch language'.
Louisa, Morwenna and James entered the park: 32 Acres of tulips, Hyacinths, Daffodils nicely arranged in a beautiful park were spread out in front of them. Louisa had done some research on the Internet. While strolling through the main lane of the park, she explained to Morwenna the origins of the park:
'In the past, the park that is called Keukenhof today, was part of the estate of Teylingen Castle. During the fifteenth century, game was hunted and food collected in the region's untamed woods and dunes, for the kitchens of the castle. This is where 'Keukenhof' gets its name, which means 'kitchen courtyard' in Dutch. In the nineteenth century, famous landscape architects Jan David Zocher and his son Louis Paul Zocher redesigned the castle gardens. That park, in the English landscape style, still forms the basis of Keukenhof. Since 1949, every year a flower exhibition is organized. It opens mid-March until mid-May. Every spring, Keukenhof now attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the world'.
They walked through the park and visited the different buildings and glass houses and enjoyed the different exhibitions of as many as 500 growers that present their prize blooms at Keukenhof. There were also model gardens of the size of an average Dutch garden, where visitors can get inspired and can learn how to design their own nice spring garden. Louisa noticed that all the buildings had names of the Dutch royal family
'It's beautiful', Morwenna answered. She took a lot of pictures, from the flowers, from James and Louisa with the flowers at the background.
'Now some of you', Louisa decided. She took some photo's with her own smartphone. Morwenna's young face looked so happy on them. Louisa sent the photo's to Morwenna's cell phone.
'Can you send me some of the photo's you made of me and James too, Morwenna?'
'Of course Louisa!'
She sent the best ones to Louisa and then decided to send one to the doc. She chose a picture where Louisa crouched near a flowerbed holding James between her legs to steady him. James bent towards a beautiful red tulip fully opened and reached out to the flower with his little hands. Of course, Louisa kept him well at distance, because it isn't allowed to pick the flowers in the park. James' face was worth a million. He looked just like his daddy when he was diagnosing a patient, but disturbed by the chit chat of the villagers around him. Morwenna had captured the scene just at the right moment. She loved the contrast in the picture – Louisa's perfect motherly smile and James' nearly grumpy, frustrated scowl, altogether in the sunny flowery scene of the Keukenhof.
'You know what, Morwenna? I think we have to find a place where he can pick some flowers, let's go!
To be continued
I hope that this glimpse of the Keukenhof inspires you to have a look at the website of the park.. More tulips will follow soon.