Michael Embry's Blog

Destination Amsterdam: Flower Power

On a recent trip to Amsterdam, I ventured outside the city to explore two places that showcase the beauty the Netherlands is known for worldwide: flowers. 
I toured Royal FloraHolland, in Aalsmeer, the largest marketplace for flowers in the world, and spent several hours at Keukenhof Gardens, in Lisse, known as the "Garden of Europe."
Royal FloraHolland
Keukenhof Gardens
Flowers are ready to transportRoyal FloraHolland handles 10.3 billion flowers annually, operating 24/7 to meet the international demand. It's almost dizzying to watch carts of flowers being moved across the warehouse floor and sorted in various places to eventually be transported to numerous countries. You wonder how they keep track of everything.
The plant, which is the size of 243 soccer fields, handles about 100,000 transactions daily and has 3,500 employees to keep things moving smoothly, according to the company. Check out this video from Royal FloraHolland to see what transpires on the floor each day.





Here are a few facts and figures provided by the Royal FloraHolland:23,200 different species of flowers and plants. Legos flower potRoses rank as the No. 1 flower with 2.9 billion annually, followed by the tulip with 1.5 billion and the chrysanthemum at 1.2 billion. The top three plants are phalaenopsis/orchids (106 million), kalanchoe (83 million), and potted rose (49 million). The top export countries are Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Poland; the top import countries are Kenya, Ethiopia, Israel, Belgium, and Germany.Royal FloraHolland is an association and cooperative with about 2,300 buyers, 3,000 members from Africa, Asia, and Europe, and 4,800 suppliers. It's probably a surprise to many people—and it was to me—but the tulip is not the national flower of the Netherlands. That honor goes to the daisy, which was selected in a public vote in 2023. The reason is that the tulip isn't a native plant; that distinction goes to Turkey. It's also the national flower of Hungary.

In my home state of Kentucky, tulips are in bloom on the state capitol grounds until early May. And they come from the Netherlands!
More than 7 million tulips, daffodils, and other bulb flowers display their glorious spring colors at Keukenhof Gardens. The grounds cover 79 acres of beautiful blooms that you can view by walking in the gardens, three pavilions, and exhibits; on a 45-minute boat ride through the fields surrounding Keukenhof; or by bicycle (the Dutch love their bikes). Guided tours are also provided.

The gardens also include a petting zoo and playground for children, a windmill, shops, and a food court. The facility is open through May 11.
This year is special as it marks the 75th anniversary of Keukenhof Gardens. Click here for more information about the history of the gardens.

Until the next time . . .

Destination Netherlands: Amsterdam

 Amsterdam is celebrating the 750th anniversary of its founding in 2025.

750 years old 

I recently spent five days in the Dutch city of about 925,000 residents and found it easy to navigate, friendly, and charming. It's cosmopolitan, home to 180 nationalities although about half the population is of indigenous Dutch origin. I found it to be a colorful, and perhaps underrated, city to discover because of its rich history and diverse cultures. About 90 percent speak English, making it easy for this American to communicate with its citizens. At times, when in shops and restaurants, I almost forgot I was in a foreign country until I looked at the signage, menus, magazines, and other printed matter. But during my brief stay, I learned a few words (straat for street, hallo for hello, etc.).

Bike racks Bicycles are one of the first things you'll notice. They're everywhere and they rule the roadway. Pedestrians have to watch their step or they'll get beeped at or run over. I got beeped once, along with a dirty look from a woman, for inadvertently getting in her path. You learn early to look both ways before walking across a bike path. You'll see bikes with front carriers to transport children and goods. There are regular bikes, electric bikes, tricycles, and scooters zipping along the streets. And bike racks are everywhere.

One of many canals

Amsterdam is nearly as famous for its canals as Venice, Italy. One hundred sixty-five canals cross the flat-surfaced city, providing an interesting way for tourists to gain a historical perspective of how it changed through the years. By the way, Venice has 150 canals. Hamburg, Germany, has the most in Europe with more than 2,500.

Let me add that Amsterdam has an excellent transportation system, aside from boats and bikes, with buses, trams, and taxis.

Van Gogh Museum If you're into museums, Amsterdam has 85 that cover everything from houseboats to sex to microbes to botany. My visit included stops at the famous Van Gogh Museum and the impressive Rijksmuseum, the national museum of the Netherlands that also houses a few Rembrandt paintings.  They are located on a large campus called the Museum Square that includes the Stedelijk and Moco museums. You could spend a week or more exploring the treasures.

Holocaust names Another place to see is the , which commemorates the approximately 102,000 Jewish victims of the Holocaust from 1940-45 during the German regime. The names are printed on bricks, showing the date of birth and death.  Not far from the memorial is the Anne Frank House. I would advise ordering tickets about 4-6 weeks in advance of a visit to the home where Anne and her family hid from the Nazis for 25 months before they were found and deported to a concentration camp.

Royal Palace I also went to Dam Square, known as "the Dam," which contains the Koninklijk Palace (17th-century royal palace) and the National Monument that honors Dutch soldiers in World War II. I was disappointed because I thought the square would be more regal. But there is renovation going on that perhaps will return it to its former glory as the heart of the city. A short distance away is the architecturally impressive Central Station, a Neo-Renaissance building opened in 1889.

I've only touched on a few things to see in Amsterdam. It's a great city to explore if you're an urban hiker (or biker). I also made a trip to Royal Flora Holland, the largest marketplace for flowers in the world (it handles about 100,000 transactions per day) and the Keukenhof Gardens, known as the "Garden of Europe" with its countless varieties of tulips and other flowers planted on 79 acres. More on those places in another post.

I also saw a few iconic windmills when venturing into the scenic countryside. 

Until the next time... 

On the Road: A Short Trip to Greenville, S.C.

There are some cities and towns that fall under the radar and should be visited by curious travelers. Some folks refer to them as hidden gems. 

Occasionally my wife and I take long weekend trips to various areas within a reasonable driving distance and we discovered a gem in Greenville, S.C. The small city is about 365 miles from our home in Frankfort, Ky., about a six-hour drive depending on the route (we took the scenic route through eastern Kentucky, crossing parts of southwestern Virginia, and east Tennessee). 

Main Street 

While Greenville proper has a population of about 72,000, the metropolitan area has more than one million, making it the largest in South Carolina. It's the hub of the prosperous and growing Upstate South Carolina, an economic and cultural region of more than 1.5 million.

Greenville, founded in 1797, is located in the foothills of the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains. Falls Park on the Reedy

We focused our trip on activities in Greenville, although there are many things to do within a short driving distance such as Furman University, Paris Mountain State Park, and numerous golf courses and hiking trails.

We stayed downtown, close to tree-lined Main Street and the several places that attracted us to the city in the first place. 

The downtown is well-preserved and a pleasant place to walk to shops, restaurants, museums, and performing arts venues as well as unexpected outdoor sites. 

The Liberty Bridge  The Liberty Bridge, which crosses the Reedy River and waterfalls, was our first place to visit. The pedestrian bridge is about 345 feet long.  Falls Park on the Reedy was a bonus that we enjoyed, relaxing next to the falls on a warm August day in 2023.

Cancer Survivors ParkThe Swamp Rabbit Trail, an old railroad corridor, snakes through the heart of the city for 28 miles. We saw about as many bicyclists as we did hikers. We walked along the path from the bridge for a little more than a mile to the charming Greenville Zoo. We stopped along the way at the inspirational Cancer Survivors Park.

Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum

If you're a baseball fan, Greenville is home to the Drive, a High A-East affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. They play at Fluor Field, which has dimensions similar to Fenway Park in Boston.  Right next to the stadium is the Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum. Be sure and check times for when it's open if you plan to visit. 

Check the official Greenville website for things to see and do. We got an excellent visitor's guide (it's free) in the mail that helped us find places to visit, eat, and stay. It even suggests a pleasant and informative self-guided walking tour of the city.  

Greenville, needless to say, is well worth the visit. 

Until the next time . . .

Unfocused in 2024

It's been a while since I've posted a blog. That's going to end today.

I'm unsure why there's been a drought since Dec. 7, 2023. It's been frustrating. I've had things to write about, especially travels to various places, but I haven't been inclined to put those trips down in words. Maybe it's a little laziness on my part. I plan to rectify that in the coming weeks.

I have been writing, though. I'm working on the seventh novel in my John Ross Boomer Lit series. I also post book reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, and other sites. 

I also edit the monthly newsletter from Wings ePress. You can check it out here. I encourage you to subscribe, too! 

 I plan to get back to the writing here. I've even had a few folks ask me when I was going to start posting again. 

Well, I'm back!

Until the next time . . . 

Back to the Keyboard

 It's been quite a while since I've posted something here. My apology. 

I could use the excuse that sometimes life gets in the way, but that would be a cop-out. A writer should write, regardless. I have been writing, but not on this platform since last May.

First, I had the sixth book in my John Ross Boomer Lit series, Cradle of Conflict , published on Dec. 1. Anyone who has written a book knows that there's a lot of writing that goes into the final product, from drafts (I had seven), to edits, to rewrites. So that took up a lot of my time until I wrapped it up in early November with my editor and graphic artist. It's also available, in ebook and print, from Amazon.

In Madrid I also traveled to Spain, spending two marvelous weeks in September and October, starting in Madrid and ending in Barcelona. In between, there were stops in Seville, Granada. Valencia, and Ronda. My wife, Mary, and I even made a day trip to Gibraltar. More about marvelous Spain in a future post.

My wife and I also drove to Greenville, S.C., in August. It's always nice to discover wonderful places near home. I can see why Greenville is a hot destination in the American South. It's a walkable city (we're urban hikers) with lots to see and do, from baseball to museums. And more about Greenville in a future post.

Since November of last year, I've taken on the position of marketing director for Wings ePress. I put together a monthly newsletter and manage social media, trying to attract attention to a talented group of authors. Check out the newsletter here and subscribe.

I'll be getting back to regular posts, revisiting my trips, revealing future travel plans, and pontificating about music, photography, and writing. 

Until the next time... 

Alive and Well, and Writing

 I haven't posted a blog in about three months. That's a long time in cyberspace. It was my plan at the start to have a minimum of one post per week and usually exceeded that number.

 But sometimes life gets in the way of intentions. It's not like I've been in a vegetative state, even though I'm a vegetarian. 

I'm still working on the third rewrite of the sixth book in my "John Ross Boomer Lit Series." It hasn't come along as smoothly as the previous entries, but still, there's progress. I'd like to finish it in a few weeks to submit to my publisher for publication later this year. It might be wishful thinking on my part. I hope not, but we'll see.  

I've also taken on some responsibilities with my publisher, Wings ePress. The primary job is marketing coordinator. I promote the authors, books, and the publisher through Facebook, Twitter, website, and other venues.

 I also handle the monthly newsletter that made its debut in April. Check it out here, and if interested, subscribe. 

Also, query the executive editor at Wings at executive-editor@wingsepress.com if you have a complete or near-complete manuscript. You should visit the website to see various genres and submission guidelines. Tell them I sent you! 

That's it for now. I do hope to get back to posting on a semi-regular basis. 

Until the next time . . .

 

The Writing Life: Difficult Restart

A week ago I returned to a manuscript that had been in a file folder for nearly a year.  I had put it aside for various and sundry reasons. 

For those who don't follow my blog, I'm working  on the sixth book in the John Ross Boomer Lit series. 

I confess that it's been a rocky return to the manuscript. I work on a chapter each day with edits and rewrites. The problem is that I'm still not sure I like where the story is headed.

I originally thought I could build on the 40k words and finish the first draft in a couple months. Perhaps that'll happen once I get into a groove. 

My big concern is that I may be developing a case of writer's block with the manuscript. I've wondered if:

Maybe I was away from the story for too long to get back into it? I should simply put it away and come back when I can devote more time to it?I'm putting too much pressure on myself to complete the manuscript with my self-imposed deadline? The one solution I see right now is to quit fretting about rewriting, editing, and word count and simply read!
So that is what I plan to do. I'm going to re-read the manuscript, take a few notes along the way, and then get back into it with renewed energy and focus.
Don't you like reading thought processes of a writer? Kinda crazy, huh?
I'll let you know in a few days how things worked out.
Until the next time . . . 

The Writing Life: Back to the Keyboard

 It's been nearly a year since I saved the manuscript for my next novel on the hard-drive. I put it aside for reasons that I'll keep to myself. 

But on Feb. 1, I reopened it to begin work on the sixth book in my John Ross Boomer Lit series. It's my hope to have a complete draft finished in two months. 

I've written more than 41k words so my first task is to read what I've already written and go from there. So far it's been almost like going over another writer's words. That's good because I'm giving a reader's eye to the story.

I'll be making edits and rewrites along the way as the story comes back to life. Of course, I know the story in my head; just not the details from what a wrote a long time ago. I've put drafts aside in the past, but they were completed. I've never returned to a partial draft after almost a year. 

I've made mental notes and a few physical ones about the novel. I'm sure there will be more notations in the coming weeks. 

My editor at Wings ePress has reserved a spot to publish the book later in the year so I'm on somewhat of a deadline to get it to her in plenty of time for the edits, copy edits, proofreads and everything else entailed in transforming a manuscript into a novel.

Until the next time . . .

No More Thinking About the End

It may seem odd to many boomers and other old folks, but I don’t fear death.

Now in my mid-70s, I’ve reached many of the goals set many years ago. I never expected life to go on forever — and wouldn’t want it to. After so many trips around the Sun, it can get kinda boring.

But have you ever considered a few of the positives about kicking the proverbial bucket?

No more filing state and federal income taxes. That means no longer have to keep track of everything you do during the previous years before filing.No more having to replace vehicles, appliances, and other devices.No more grieving over the passing of relatives, friends, and pets.No more visits to various doctors for whatever procedures to keep you from dying.No more telephone calls from spammers trying to sell you a car warranty, medicare supplement, or life insurance.No more worries about political polarization, climate change, and pollution.No more concerns about the price of gasoline, groceries, and prescriptions.No more reading about mass murders and senseless gun violence.No more worrying about getting rid of the clutter collected over the years.No more upgrading smartphones, computers, laptops, and tablets.No more having to deal with toxic people.No more seeing and reading about the atrocities of war.No more having to take your vehicles in to be serviced or repaired.No more thinking about home security.No more contending with those who have road rage.No more having to face rude, disrespectful, and pretentious people.No more answering the front door and seeing religious missionaries, political aspirants, or strangers collecting money for various fundraisers.No more deadlines because you’re finally dead.

There’s more I could add to the list, but you get the idea. I bet there are a lot of things you would include.

In the meantime, I’ll wake up each morning and do those things I find challenging, worthwhile, and fulfilling. And then go to bed each night, hoping I accomplished something. But I won’t lose sleep over it — unless it’s getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.

Maybe death is a final blessing from the pain, the mundane, and the insane we’ve encountered throughout our lives.

Until the next time . . .

(This post originally appeared at Medium.com)

Looking Ahead

 Embarking on another year, it's my intention to make it better than the previous one. 

It's not always the case because most things are beyond my control. So, in that case, I simply try to go with the flow and encounter things as smoothly as possible, although bumps along the way can snap one out of a stupor. 

So here are some of my goals, not resolutions, for 2023:

Get back to my novel, the sixth book in the John Ross Boomer Lit series. It's been sitting dormant for about eight months. I've written more than 40k words so I need to read and rewrite from the get-go.For many years, I've planned to work on short stories. For those who know or follow me, I've intended to do a follow-up volume to Laments, a collection of short stories published in 2012. I may not do a follow-up on the same theme, but plan to write a few stories that have been lingering in my head for the past several years. As noted in my previous post, I want to delve into poetry. I'll let everyone know how that goes.I want to get back on the road to places I've never seen. Travel invigorates me with the sights, sounds, and tastes that one encounters at destinations. I'm considering Spain. Maybe Machu Picchu. Of course, there are places within driving distance that I'd like to experience. Perhaps Key West? Philadelphia? Boston? Washington, D.C.? Oregon, Idaho, and Washington are the only states in the lower 48 I haven't visited, so they are a possibility if gasoline prices stay somewhat reasonable. I hope to see a few friends along the way.While not necessarily my goals, my wife has some things on her list she'd like to see for the house, such as a bathroom remodel. Depending on how much that will cost, it could have an adverse effect on other things, such as travel. And you never know what appliance is going to need to be replaced in the house. We also have some outdoor projects to complete this year. These are on the "honey-do" list.At my age, time is of the essence. I may not have three or four years to do these things—give or take a year or two if I'm fortunate. It's not like when I was in my 30s and 40s and had 30 or 40 years ahead of me, which seemed almost like an eternity, to reach goals. However, a few things I made plans for back in the 1980s and '90s, I accomplished as I got older. It just takes time and determination and savings and luck. 
I hope you realize your goals this year.
Until the next time . . .