I am planning a trip to Amsterdam. My plan is to purchase Dutch products for gifts. I have an hour or two at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport for a layover. I noticed in the past there were tulip bulbs for sale, which I thought would make a perfect gift for friends and families. But I’d heard from friends that they are not of the highest quality and sometimes don’t even grow. What is the best place in Holland to purchase the bulbs?

I had only two days' layover in Amsterdam and wanted to make the most of it. I had a long list of "stuff" to see and do, destinations that I had not had the time to see and experience the year before, when I had a short trip to this charming city of canals, tulips, and bicycles, among its many draws.

Over 26% of the Netherlands is under sea level. For centuries the Dutch have battled against the water and with a system of polders, dykes and weirs have a well-managed way of keeping the water at bay. This creates a beautiful and unique landscape across the country.