The small town I’m going to live, Leiden. It is a peaceful student town with small stores, big windmills, long canals and walls with poetry in different languages written all over them. As there used to be the house of Siebold, a Dutch botanist, physicist and biological researcher, and Leiden University where the Department of Japanese is very well-known, Leiden is a place that is strongly related to Japanese culture and history as well. The whole city comprised of academic buildings and museums.
Leiden Centraal
The gateway of Leiden. It is 30 minutes away from big cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam, and just 15 minutes away from Schipol Airport.
Overview of Leiden
Leiden is a peaceful academic town, surrounded by many canals running across it.
The key symbol
Leiden in known as the City of Keys. The oldest town in the Netherlands, Leiden used the symbol since 1293, when the city was established.
Canals
If anyone asks me about the best thing about Leiden, I would answer the view of the canal over the bridge in spring and summer time.
Corpus Museum
Apparently a science museum... but all I remember is this creepy wooden man figure that stands tall even in the darkness at night.
Museum Volkenkunde
Museum Volkenkunde is one of the biggest museums in Leiden. It’s a museum of ethnology, collecting items that define culture and ethnic groups.
Dutch words
I heard that Dutch words are linguistically the closest to English. To me, it sounds like a mix of German and English
Hooglandse Kerk
A beautiful Gothic Church in the city. It is said to be built in the 15th century.
Cultuurfonds Leiden
Leiden has a rich history, culture and art that citizens are proud of. It has its own foundation to support the legacy to today.
Pannenkoekenhuis
Although the Netherlands is never famous for its cuisine, I was deeply in love with Dutch pancake and its thin layer of dough smeared with maple syrup, cooked with cheese and bacon.
Dutch words
I heard that Dutch words are linguistically the closest to English. To me, it sounds like a mix of German and English
