In 2013, Amsterdam in the spring was much like Amsterdam in the winter. Cold, windy, humid, rainy, generally unpleasant. Every Dutch person told us this was the longest winter they’d ever had — typically, spring is a lovely time in The Netherlands. Bike through the countryside and you will be treated to an idyllic scene, one full of windmills and a mosaic of colorful tulips. The nation is famous for its tulips, after all, and they take the bulbs very seriously.