Mark had been in The Netherlands a some years ago for work, and when he had a few free hours before leaving, he visited Leiden – a college town, and a city rich in history. I had hoped to visit someday, and when we talked about going to Holland, we chose small-town charm over the bigger, busier tourist city of Amsterdam.
Transportation
Our transportation to Leiden was a little trickier than we had planned, but it all worked-out. It was supposed to be an easy, high-speed Thalys train from Paris to Rotterdam, and then a regional train to Leiden. Shortly before we arrived at the Paris Nord station, tickets were sold-out! We scrambled to purchase tickets on another train, BUT WAIT, there had been a fire in a train tunnel, re-routing many trains that evening in Holland. Got the tickets, and a new itinerary, and were just told to change in Rotterdam on the first available train going to Leiden. This is what everyone else was doing, too. We were lucky to squeeze onto that regional train, together, and have standing-room-only spots in the aisle. This, my friends, is why it is so much easier to travel light (and bring a snack)! We arrived a couple of hours later than planned, but none the worse for the wear.
This town, like the rest of The Netherlands, is all about public transportation. Trains and buses are easy to use, and one can get anywhere in town quickly. (As long as you get off of the bus at your stop. We were so busy looking at the sights that we passed our stop, and had to get off the bus to wait for another going the opposite direction, LOL). The KING of transportation here is the bicycle. All ages ride bikes along the safe, dedicated bike paths on main streets, as well as through the smaller streets next to the canals. Families have bikes with big wooden buckets in front, used to tote little kids, groceries, you name it! Smartly-dressed businesspeople commute to work, and retirees do their shopping – all on their bikes.
College Town
The Universiteit Leiden, established in 1575, has educated heads of state and includes among its Nobel Laureates Albert Einstein. Tulips were first introduced to Holland in 1593 by professor Carolinus Clusius, who planted bulbs in the botanical garden he established in the University of Leiden. This cultivation of tulips led to the Dutch tulip industry.
Saturday Market
Leiden’s bustling Saturday market has stalls in the street along a canal. There are vendors selling cheese, flowers, fish and meat, nuts and olives, freshly-made sweets, and clothing. I tried a local treat, a fresh stroopwafel: two thin waffle cookies sandwiched with a warm caramel spread.
One local delicacy neither of us tried: fresh, raw herring. They’re served at the market with their little heads removed, but the tail is still attached. Folks wait their turn to hold them by the tail, tip back their heads, open wide and drop ‘em in. Just like the trained sea lions at the aquarium! I’m sure they’re delicious, if you’ve acquired the taste, but I couldn’t get past their size (not easily swallowed, these require chewing), and the fact that everyone who ate them had to finish by picking the bones out of their teeth. PASS!
Fish of all kinds were for sale, including some really delicious-looking friend cod and shrimp. Smoked mackerel were also waiting to be someone’s dinner.
Not a fan of fish? How about a traditional Dutch pannekoek? These are platter-sized pancakes, thinner than an American pancake, but thicker than a crêpe, and they can be filled with sweet or savory ingredients. Mark had one with ham, cheese and mushrooms, and I chose sour cherries with whipped cream and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. YUM!
American Pilgrims Lived in Leiden Before They Sailed on the Mayflower
“But now we are all, in all places, strangers and pilgrims, travelers and sojourners…”
~ Robert Cushman, Pilgrim leader, 1622
Words just as relevant today as they were almost 400 years ago. America was settled by refugees, people looking for a safe place to worship, work, and raise their children. The Pilgrims fled England in order to be free to practice their religion. Before sailing for the New World (America), they lived for several years in Leiden, Netherlands. These religious refugees and their descendants were the building blocks of the country we have today. “A number of American presidents have had Pilgrims as ancestors, including Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Bush senior and junior and Barack Obama. Obama’s forefathers, the Blossoms, lived here, on Pieterskerkhof.” (from a plaque at the church)
One of the true highlights of this trip was to see the tiny American Pilgrim Museum, and Pieterskerkhof. The museum is located in two side-by-side homes which have not been changed since the Pilgrims inhabited the area in the 1600s.
Nearby, Pieterskerkhof has a cluster of homes which were originally built for the Pilgrims by their leader, then became an almshouse, and still provides housing today.
Those Iconic Dutch Canals
The center of Leiden’s old town is threaded with canals, populated with tourist boats and the boats of locals who are just out for a picnic on the water with friends and family. And dogs! So many of the boats included the family dog – and they were clearly having as much fun as their skippers and crew.
The canals are a great way to sightsee: pretty, inexpensive, and no walking. We took a tour, which was well-narrated (in Dutch and English) by a Leiden college student. He gave us information about Leiden’s history, as we floated through the old town, past the university, historic windmills, and houseboats.
Leiden was definitely a great spot for a weekend getaway. I’d highly recommend it to people who want a taste of The Netherlands, but prefer to stay away from the larger cities. I think it would be perfect intro to Europe for Americans who have not traveled outside of the US, because just about everyone we met there spoke English. It is a friendly, safe, easy place to be – and everywhere you turn, a picture-perfect Kodak moment!
