Travel Secrets Monsoon Issue 2016 | Page 31

3 COVER STORY Tulips The Dutch are famous for their tulips, all colours and varieties. You buy them as bulbs and they bloom for years and years when properly taken care of. My secret: In the spring you can cycle or drive along the tulip fields in Flevoland. From April until May there is the Tulip Festival. You can pick your own tulips or buy bulbs. They are impressive and colourful, and cost around € 5 or more. I could go on and on but do try the Dutch liquorice, the ‘bitterbal’ (crunchy deep fried meatballs), or the Dutch cheese. All to die for! meet Mariel Mariël van den Donk lives with her husband and two sons in the city of Almere, near Amsterdam. She is a journalist specialising in travel, fashion, human interest stories and interviews. Mariël runs Ditha Bonita, an online fashion boutique lovingly named after her stylish mother. It takes things as simple as a beautiful sunset and a walk on the beach to make Mariel happy. travelsecretsmag.com monsoon issue 2016 Travel Secrets  31