Huis ten bosch suffers from multiple personalities, as I expressed in a previous post. Before the sun sets, HTB empties of visitors and begins to feel like a ghost town. In fact it is eerier than my impression of a ghost town, since not only are the streets empty, but also the lights are still on and the music is still playing. This combination of vacant streets and eerily alive ambiance might better be described as post-apocolyptic, since the only thing that would be left unaffected by a world-ending plague would be the music in a theme park. Imagine Disneyland after a zombie rampage, and you know the music would still be playing.
Throughout the park, speakers play music, with each zone featuring a unique soundtrack. Near the Huis ten bosch palace, fine classical music fills the air with joyous strains, while contemporary J-pop blasts near the One Piece ship. The less bearable music can be found in other areas, where a looping theme that must have been commissioned for the park plays. There is no other excuse for the repetitive and annoying tune. No one would choose it. The various tunes continue to run through my head even now. They are like Justin Bieber songs – catchy and annoying.
Huis ten bosch at night feels magical (if only the music would stop). Trees are illuminated up their trunks and out to the ends of their branches. Lights hang from the edges of the canals, and the buildings glow beautifully. The Dutch architecture really stands out in the night.
The canal sparkles at night
The romantic lane leading to the Palace
The Huis ten bosch palace at night
In the morning, another side of Huis ten bosch shines. The gardens are full of flowers and herbs that overwhelm the senses. Huge rosemary bushes press against one while walking on some paths, while over one million roses bloom throughout the park. In the morning, the streets are no longer deserted, as a steady stream of visitors enters, the sun on their backs, and makes their way to the rose gardens. Earlier in the spring the tulips must attract similar crowds. Whether these visitors are sufficient to keep the park afloat remain another question. However, for the time being, it is enough to just appreciate the splendor of a morning in Huis ten bosch.
Daisies near the Forest Villas
Yellow rose at Forest Villas
Students photographing the canals in the morning light
A "megane bashi" or "eyeglasses bridge"
A farewell shot to Huis ten bosch. Thank you for the memories and inspiration.