Tulip blossom – Small ideas matter
Hi players,
I only wanted to see the famous tulip blossom in Holland (Netherlands).
Still, as often happens to me, when my curiosity and playfulness kick in, I experience more than I planned.
I used to think that innovation was this big thing associated with bigger-than-life inventions that changed the trajectory of society, such as electricity and computers.
My travel taught me that minor acts that may seem unimportant at the time, born out of the necessity of ordinary people like me, could bring so much joy in the future.
A Brussel street
We landed in Brussels. A two-hour wait at passport control reminded me that all beginnings can be challenging, but soon as we stepped out of the train (a more accessible and cheaper ride from the airport if you travel light with only a trolly, as we did) and smelled the sweet scent of Belgian waffles and chocolate, our rough beginning was forgotten.
Street art in Antwerp
Our goal was simple. We had only one day in Brussels and one day in Antwerp to try as many chocolates as possible and squeeze in between the waffles and the Frites (French fries), also considered one of the best in the world.
We took a two-hour free walking tour both in Brussels and Antwerp.
I strongly recommend taking a tour upon arrival in every city as it highlights the most important attractions and lets you decide better on what you want to focus on later, depending on your taste. (‘free’ means you pay as much as you want as a tip, usually 10-15 euros)
The challenge began: How much chocolate can one eat in one hour? (Hint: a lot), It was hard, but you know me; I love to challenge myself.
The first stop in Brussels was the Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert, a gallery of beautiful chocolate and waffle stores.
One of the chocolatiers was Neuhaus, whose store sign read “the inventor of the Belgium praline.”
Street Art in Ghent
Neuhaus was a pharmacist. He noticed that children didn’t like taking medicine, so he created a chocolate mold and filled it with the medicine. This was a success. In 1912, his grandson evolved the idea and thought, why not fill the chocolate with tasty things rather than medicine, and the Belgium Praline, a worldwide delicacy, was born. It may not be electricity, but who doesn’t like pralines?? The
Sometimes, we have an idea that seems small and insignificant, and we quickly brush it off out of fear of being ridiculed, but you may be the new Neuhaus creating small pralines of joy.ridicule, but you may be the new Neuhaus,
Mmmm …
Before heading to the next sweet station, we had to change our palette, so we looked for the best frites (French fries).
Belgium claims the success of this high-calorie street food, but so far, food historians (yes, there is such a thing) still debate what country deserves the credit for the extra pounds I gained during the trip.
Belgium’s version is that the French fries’ birth and name were coincidental.
The local story is that they have been frying frites since 1680 when the river Meuse froze, and there was a scarcity of fish that they used to fry before, so they started to fry potatoes instead. During World War two, American soldiers who served in the area first tasted the frites.
As the official language of the Belgian army was French, they called it ‘French fries’ by mistake and the name stuck. I can tell that any French fries I have ever tasted worldwide are a very pale version of the Belgium fries, except for Holland’s fries which are as good as Belgium’s., and the name was
Your invention is probably already cooking in your head. Think about what you need right now, and go and do it. You may hold the answer to the next significant invention in the world that waits to be discovered.
Amsterdam
We were ready to take our sweet journey (literally) to the next level. We drove to Amsterdam. As we crossed the border from Belgium to Holland (totally unnoticeable unless you consider a small sign on the way.),
We started to see the famous windmills of Holland.
We stopped at Kinderdijk ( https://bit.ly/42I8qjx), a UNESCO World Heritage site where 19 (out of 20) giant windmills were built in the 18th century. This place is a big piece of Dutch history. Holland is called a” low country,” meaning it is under sea level. For centuries, this whole area was trapped between raging rivers and the fury of the sea and was safe for people only in summer when the water levels were low.
Dutch Windmils
By their willpower and innovation, the Dutch built windmills to harness the power of the wind, pump water, balance the water differences, and avoid flooding the fields.
This innovation didn’t happen in an instant. It was a slow process of trial and error.
We often think our idea is not good if it is not perfect from the start or not accepted immediately. In most cases, only a slow and determined process can take us from “low” to “high” ground, leaving behind giant evidence of our long journey to success.
Keukenhof Gardens
After the inspiring and sweet journey, it was finally time for the Tulips. We pre-ordered a ticket online to enter the Keukenhof Gardens (https://bit.ly/3AUtSFM). During the spring festival, there is high demand, so I encourage you to buy your ticket ahead of time.
Keukenhof (Castle’s Kitchen in Dutch) was built in the 15th century. The park, as it is now, was established in 1949 by a consortium of bulb growers and flower exporters to support the industry. This amazing spring celebration was born from their need to showcase and promote their products. The gardens are beautiful, but the place was very crowded. I would not miss the site if it were your first visit, but I had more pleasure when we occasionally stopped in the tulip fields around the area, where I could run freely, embraced by the color and beauty of flowers, and breathe as deep as possible.
Big things can start small with a common interest.
Find the people who share your vision and start brainstorming what inspires you to do together to make the world more beautiful.
LOVE in Keukenhof Gardens
We had one more day in Amsterdam, which we spent wandering in the streets.
As it was not our first time here and it was raining, we took it slow, allowing the tulips’ beauty to sink in before rushing to the next thing.
Tulip fields
Innovation, small or big, should be celebrated.
When you reach your desired destination, pause, enjoy, and acknowledge yourself.
You did well.
A rainy day in Bruges. The rain can’t erase the beauty
We headed back to Brussels for our flight home. We stopped in Bruges and Ghent; both are beautiful cities (I loved Bruges more).
We ate more French fries and chocolate.
More Tulips. The more the merrier
We were now ready to return home with beautiful memories and the understanding that small acts can become significant and make a big difference in our lives and others.
Chocolate, Frites, Waffles, and fields of Tulips didn’t change society, but they created so much joy.
Every small idea matters.
Playfully yours,
Rina 🙂
Belgium
Our Itinerary -7 days
Brussels, Belguim
Antwerp, Belgium
Kinderdijk -Windmills historic site, Holland
Keukenhof Gardens – Tulip Spring Festival, Holland
Amsterdam, Holland
Bruges, Belgium
Ghent, Belgium
