After the gloomy winter months of coronavirus blockage, spring shoots of hope have sprung up as restrictions have been relaxed on a Dutch flower garden and other public places.
As part of a government-approved pilot scheme, the world-famous Keukenhof Garden has opened its gates to let a few thousand people at their feet cross the 7 million tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and countless other meticulously planted flowers. -along its lawns cared for by a small army of gardeners.
A maximum of 5,000 visitors were allowed to enter the garden, nestled in the middle of the fields with rinsed light bulbs between Amsterdam and The Hague, if they could prove that they had just given negative results for COVID-19.
Minke Kleinen, who visited the central city of Arnhem with her friend Ilse van Egten, said it felt like “their first legal day”. Friends took quick tests before leaving and got negative results via email while driving.
Limited opening
“It’s weird that we can sit next to each other,” Van Egten said, giving Kleinen a quick hug. “It’s beautiful!”
Keukenhof lost an entire season last year to the pandemic, as the first deadly wave of infections swept across the Netherlands. It is scheduled to open on March 20 this year due to the strict blocking of the virus in the country.
The limited opening – six days spread over two weeks in April – is welcome for the 40 gardeners who spend months preparing for the annual spring season. In a normal year, the garden the size of 50 football fields can accommodate 10 times more visitors every day.
The director of Siemerink Park had mixed feelings.
“It simply came to our notice then. It is the first day of the Keukenhof 2021, “he said, but added that the park still feels different with such a small number of visitors.
“So it’s a good feeling we can open up, but this is not the Keukenhof as it should be,” he said.
In the pre-pandemic years, the paths, park benches and Keukenhof cafes are crowded with visitors from all over the world who take photos and selfies with one of the most iconic products in the Netherlands – the tulip.
On Friday, small groups of visitors were scattered around the lawns. You could get a plate of poffertjes – a Dutch treatment with tiny pancakes covered in icing sugar – without having to wait in a long line.
The Dutch government announced this week that hundreds of public places will be allowed to reopen under strict conditions to assess whether rapid testing can certainly help the country ease coronavirus restrictions amid rising vaccination levels and warmer weather.
According to the scheme, Keukenhof visitors – as well as museums, zoos and other places – are allowed to enter if they order a ticket online and receive a negative virus test within 40 hours of the visit. All antivirus tests are free and a result is emailed to a person being tested. This code, in turn, can be scanned at locations.
The tests come against the background of stubborn infections, which began to decline in the last week, after months of blockage.
The Minister of Health, Hugo de Jonge, sees the limited openings as a way to return to normal life, as vaccinations reach more and more people.
Visiting the Keukenhof was a privilege for those who entered.
“This is a gift,” said blogger Berry de Nijs. “It simply came to our notice then. It’s nice weather anyway … but walking among the tulips is fantastic! ”