AMSTERDAM FLOWER MARKET IS A FABULOUS FLOURISH OF FANTASTIC AND FANTASTICAL FLOWERS OF ALL SHAPES, SHADES, SIZES AND SMELL!

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

 They grow in Malaysia with no effort but DON'T ever bring the seeds home!

 Each packet of dadah seeds costs RM 26 but are illegal in Malaysia!

 Grow your own cannabis? Forget it! But it is legal in Holland!

Holland is liberal when it comes to drugs and sex!
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Holland is world famous for its flowers and of course tulips. Mind you, the pragmatic Dutch was once so crazy over tulips in the 17th century the bulbs were traded like commodities and were worth more than gold. Housewives and household staff bought and sold the bulbs and when the bubble burst, well, you know the rest. Ironically tulips are NOT even native to Holland but came from outside Europe and the first batches were said to come from Turkey which continues to have the tulip and carnations as its floral symbols.

The Dutch have perfected the art of growing tulips to such perfection it has become its national flower and KLM just raised funds recently by selling tulips in Sungai Wang Plaza in KL, Malaysia two weeks ago!

Ditto for tropical plants found in Malaysia which grow naturally here or are native to our shore---these plants thrive in Netherlands inside greenhouses and are in such healthy, blooming health I feel ashamed to admit they don't look so good or flower so profusely as they do in the alien, adopted temperate climate of Holland!

I love pitcher plants and I bought a pot at between RM 60 and RM 80 at Cameron Highlands. Here in Amsterdam's Flower Market, a big pot with magnificent pitchers sell for RM 30! Ditto for bunga raya and bougainvillea that go for under RM 25 for a pot with flowers about to burst into bloom with samples of the extravagant flowers next to them.

As for orchids, suffice to say if I live in Amsterdam, my house will be a botanic garden as they are so cheap! A pot of white Moth Orchid so beloved of arty-farty types sell for nearly RM 100 in Bangsar Shopping Centre. Here in Holland it goes for as low as RM 25! 

Finding the Flower Market is simple---everyone knows where it is. Located next to Konigsplein and a canal but then almost every other shop or house is next to a canal so it is of not use. The Flower Market is also a quick stroll yo Rembrandt Square and is known as Bloemenmarkt which must mean Blooms Market which makes sense.

It is supposed to be 'the world's only floating flower market' but how it gets this name is beyond me as the flower shops are lined next to the canal and not floating on platforms on water! 

Try resist buying the tulip bulbs which sell for around RM 12 for half a dozen---they won't grow here!

Another temptation to resist AT ALL COSTS is the packet of marijuana seeds! These grow like weeds in Malaysia---now you know why they are also nicknamed 'weed'---but are strictly illegal and you will probably be hanged for producing cannabis, hemp or marijuana or ganja! 

All the shops look pretty much the same unless you are a Flower Power Lover and know the difference between a rose and rose hip. The market is geared for locals so prices are amazingly cheap. Many tourists buy beautiful cut flowers for their hotel rooms so come here upon arrival and transform your 3-star digs into a 5-star boudoir.

This shop ships your bulbs but they will not grow in Malaysia so don't bother!

The Flower Market is next to this historic building

Wonder if you can eat the bulbs once cooked

I never knew you could grow bonsai from seeds!

So tempting

Pretty in a mini pot

The world famous Black Tulip is no longer rare!

Blue tulips are also common now

Typical store

Fresh

Lovely amaryllis 

Erotic and exotic

The flowers look like feather dusters

So pretty they look fake

Blue hydrangea 

I prefer pinks

Note the figurine

These can grow in our highlands

Cockscomb at RM 26

Choose

Stately amaryllises

See, 4 bonsai plants you can grow for RM 43

These can grow in Malaysia

Pitcher plants are so eye catching and unusual and costs only RM 34 for 3 pots!

Lemon tree

Pitcher plants from Sabah

Easy to grow it seems

You don't need to have green fingers

Bougainvillea plants that grow aplenty in Malaysia

Are those mini joss sticks?

I was curious to find out later

Flowery bags are in!

Pretty as a floral picture

Bonsai

Saw this in the shop opposite

Keep your willie warm

The flowers are fake OK!

But a few flowers are real

Pitcher plants

Impressive set up

Great decorations that last!

But you find them here

Very nice and reasonable, your own hothouse

Fab moth orchids are so cheap in Holland!

I was stunned---then was told the orchids have been sprayed blue! 

RM 22 per pot!

Grow your own weed and cannabis! But not in Malaysia where you go to jail or get hanged

Don't even think of it!

The Malaysian Minister of Agriculture will pass out at this sight in KL

Getting stoned in Holland is easy and legit!

Looks like an erotic, furry lan chiau

These Malaysian pitcher plants and Venus fly traps look so healthy in coldish Holland I could die

Carnivorous plants

Grow your own capsicum or chillies

Ooh so nice

Bromeliads from South America though they are now common in Malaysia

Looks like pineapple

Gorgeous

Stunning

The flowers are fake but the actual ones  look like these when they bloom

Cheese shop

Perennially blooming tulips on bedroom slippers

Grape vine in pot

Dazzling

I bought this tulip bag

Bunga Raya for RM 35

2 pots of Moth Orchids for only RM 76! In KL it costs at least RM 90 per pot!

We get these here 

Nice

Golden Shower orchids for RM 43 for 3 pots!

Sunshiny!

Exotic

Nice combo

Bougainvillea 

2 pots for only RM 43! Cheap!

Looks better than mine

Big pot

Luscious Bunga Raya

Lovely

Dazzle

I love red Amaryllis

Grand

Christmassy

Santa in May?

Oh

Inside contain tulip bulbs

Fancy 100 tulip bulbs for only RM 35!

Cheap

I have never heard of Buddha Palm!

Stunning

Orange is the colour of Holland

Sexy

So erotic like tongues

Unusual! No water, no soil needed! And well priced

Great for condo dwellers

Purple passion flowers 

Decisions!

Bags galore

The shops at right seem to float!