PHOTO ESSAY: The colors of spring in Holland and Belgium

By Cynthia Bledsoe, special to Charleston Currents  |  My husband and I recently took a Holland and Belgium river cruise, starting in Amsterdam.  We cruised through canals north to Enkuizen, a formerly important Dutch East India Company trading port, and then south to Rotterdam, Dordrecht and Veere.  

Then we floated into Belgium, with stops in Ghent, Antwerp and overland to Bruges. We were charmed by the scenery, the history, the people, and, of course, Belgium chocolate, beer and waffles. Enjoy these photos:

A small Dutch village as seen from the shop while cruising from Amsterdam to Enkhuizen.

We visited the Zuiderzee Museum in Enkhuizen.  It is devoted to preserving the cultural heritage and maritime history from the old Zuiderzee region.

Here is a portion of the 19 still-functioning windmills built between 1728–1740 at Kinderkirk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A lovely hyacinth field, south of Amsterdam

These tulips are in the Keukenhof Flower Park, which is only open for eight weeks each year.  It has as more than 79 acres and 7 million bulbs planted.

Medieval buildings in Ghent.

Art alley, Ghent.  Home to Ghent University, the city has a thriving student population and contemporary art, side by side with century-old buildings.