Visit to Leiden with my parents

My parents are visiting for the next 2 weeks! After 3 months, I get to see them again. We spent their second day here touring the beautiful Dutch city Leiden.

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Leiden is a beautiful city full of interesting history. It is birthplace of Rembrandt, who was interestingly the son of a windmill miller. The pilgrims also stayed in Leiden for 12 years before sailing to Plymouth Rock to become “Founding Fathers”. They have a little 2 room museum stuffed full of period memorabilia and very friendly curators who want to tell you everything about them.



Well, I hope you like history, since this there is so much fascinated history of Leiden.
Also of note, my second time driving in Holland, this time on freeways. Dutch have a lot of signs on the freeway!!

The canal tour took us along beautiful canals lined by stately homes. Each home is unique, with its own carvings and color. As well as looking pretty, this had a reason. Until the early 1800s, homes did not have any address numbers. You would say my house is the one with the pink roof and angry looking gargoyles, third down from the second canal to the left of the church. Image putting that on an envelope!



We also visited the obligatory windmill museum. Did you know you are required to visit at least one windmill before you leave Holland? Yeah, it’s law 2.8876 on the books, really!



One very important time in history of the city is in the 1570’s, when the city successfully defended itself against a siege by the Spanish. At the time, Holland was in a war of independence against the former overlords, the Spanish. After the Spanish were defeated, boats of “water pirates” came into the starving city with food. It was a weird combo of food, white bread and herring. I guess if you are starving even salty herring is good. To this day, on October 3, you can celebrate the liberation of the city with free herring and white bread.



Also in appreciation for the defense of the city, the new Dutch King offered Leiden the choice of no taxes or founding of a university. Counter to what anyone would choose today, they choose for the university.