Tesselaar Tulip Festival

I headed out to Silvan & the Tessellar Tulip Festival today to enjoy walking amongst over half a million tulips. Possibly attending a week or so too late as plenty of the tulips were looking a little past their best. Nonetheless I was able to capture some lovely photos & I enjoyed walking around the colourful array of tulips, which also included daffodils & wild flowers. I indulged in an ice cream & brought back some traditional Dutch doughnuts to sample later. No doubt the cheapest place to get a bunch of tulips outside of growing them yourself.
Did I think it was worth the 2hr round trip & $ 22 entry fee probably not as I was there for less time than the travelling took. However, it would be a nice day out for families as children 16 & under enter for free & there are enough food stalls selling the usual treats albeit with a Dutch twist. Also a couple of places close by to purchase tulips (of course), plants & various fruit.

Having spent six months living in Amsterdam, I’ve long been suspicious as to the merits of Dutch cuisine. From frikandel (a deep-​fried sausage served with mayo) to kroket (once more; deep-​fried meat with mayo) as far as I’m concerned it leaves a lot to be desired. This weekends visit to the Tesselaar Tulip Festival, didn’t do much to convince me otherwise. It did, however, reveal all that is great about Dutch culture. From traditional dancers in clogs to games and other festivities, it was a day full of kitsch fun. Held annually from September 15^th to October 12^th, the Tesselaar Tulip Festival is situated at a working farm in Silvan, on the outskirts of Melbourne, and is a beautiful celebration of the colour and tradition. There are a number of different events to keep everyone happy, from a Turkish weekend to a Food, Wine and Jazz weekend. If you’re looking for something a little different than your standard weekend outing, head to the tulip festival for a kooky and cultural day out.

Once a year, thousands of people make the drive to the Dandenong hills to revel in the beauty and splendour of the tulip festival. Sure, it might be a bit of a trek out of the main city area, but the easy 1 hour drive is definitely worth it.
Check out the rows and rows of delicate tulips — which are beautiful in a bouquet but in a field full of them, the view is breath taking! Walk through the lane ways and take awesome pictures of these beauties. With a multitude of colours and species on show, you’ll be amazed at the varieties that you’ve probably never seen before. My advice to get the best pictures is to bend down low and get someone to take the picture of your surrounded by the full blooms.
Bring a picnic basket or enjoy lunch at the stalls at the festival. Bring the family dog (on a lead) for a fun filled day out. There are also themed days such as the upcoming RSPCA day (5^th October) where 25 percent of the entrance fees are donated to help raise funds for society aimed at the prevention of cruelty to animals. Hurry though because the month-​long festival is from 15 Sept to 12^th October 2011 and if you miss it, you’ll have to wait till next Spring.