In our continuing effort to get to know people, and to further explore our new country, Himself signed us up for a photographic walking tour of Leiden.
To say that I was reticent and sceptical is being far too generous, but I did want to explore. So a bright sunny (grey, rainy) Saturday we packed ourselves off to the train station, and were on our way!
Thankfully by the time we made it all the way out there (a strenuous twenty minutes on a sprinter train, I can tell you!) the rain had disappeared, and I carried my umbrella with me for the rest of the day unused.
In fact, by the time the sun came out, the hat I’d been wearing to keep the rain out of my face was doing double duty keeping the sun out of my eyes! Organisational success!
Leiden is a city and municipality in South Holland, as opposed to North Holland where Amsterdam resides.
Being with a photography walk is worse than being with a tour group for having your pictures photobombed, and having people get in the way of the photo you wish to take. Himself had more patience for it than I, so I split off from the group telling him to enjoy himself and I’d catch up with him later.
Himself burst into laughter at one point, swearing that the clock bells were chiming the opening bars to the Blake’s Seven theme song.
For a city in the Netherlands, I guess we’ve been spoiled by the things we have already seen.
Leiden didn’t strike us as nearly so photogenic as Utrecht had been, and I hate to say it, but without a local around to extol its virtues, or a massive exhibition that I’m unwilling to miss, I’m unlikely to return in a hurry.
They don’t appear to have managed the fine balance between old and new that Amsterdam has either. The number of really (to my eyes) bland, or even ugly buildings seemed to be a really high proportion. Obviously, I didn’t take photos of these buildings!
But we can say that we have seen Leiden, and have experienced more of this beautiful country we call home!
There is just one more post to come about Leiden, because, we did find something there to catch our interests!
ghoti industries 
Oh you went to Leiden! =D
Sounds like you needed a better tourguide to explain all the history and architecture… But I agree, Utrecht is much prettier =)
That _is_ where you went recently! I remember this now! I wish I had thought sooner to go back to your post and see where you went! You’re right, a better guide would have helped. Oh well. I can assure you that we had a much better time in the second part of this trip, to be posted later this week! 😀