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In Full Bloom

By Kevin Meske ’88, MS’91

UW-Madison alumni and friends embarked on a week-long cruise in April 2012 along the waterways and canals of Belgium and Holland. WAA’s Kevin Meske ’88, MS’91 joined these Badgers and shares some highlights from the gorgeous spring getaway.

The Floriade — which some think of as the Olympics of the horticulture world — happens only once each decade and features a wide variety of floral displays, garden techniques, live entertainment and local foods.

Many of our Badger travelers set sail on this particular WAA tour just to catch this special event.

Another favorite among many Badger travelers, the famed Keukenhof garden near Lisse, Netherlands, is the world’s largest flower garden. About 875,000 people visited during the mid-March-to-mid-May window when the park is open.

Belgium may be one of the world leaders in chocolate, but WAA travelers were delighted by the street-side waffle carts in the Netherlands. You can choose from an abundance of toppings, from nuts and Nutella to berries and cream.

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