Leiden

What could be better on an icy cold day than to participate in the teacher/advisors outing to the town of Leiden, after taking the kiddy-winks to day four of their conference?  Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and if my fingers and toes had not been falling off with cold, I would probably now remember more of the very interesting information he imparted.  For me the main attraction was that Leiden is the birth place of Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669).  We saw where his house stood - but is long since demolished.  Walking around the town, learning about how the Old Rhine and New Rhine converge in the town, seeing all the lovely canal bridges and houses and boats while listening to the enthusiastic voice of our volunteer guide as he showed us such things as the various Almshouses around the town - quaint and prettily adorned with pots for flowers - each group of twelve (after the Apostles) houses centred around an enclosed court where flowers and vegetables for the residents grew.   What I didn't know about Leiden until we stopped by Pieterskerk (Gothic C12 church) is that In 1609 a group of English religious refugees arrived in Leiden.  Their leaders were William Bradford and John Robinson.  These refugees were to become known as the Pilgrims. There were about 300 Pilgrims living in Leiden in an area bought and developed by John Robinson that became known as Engelse Poort (English Gate). By 1620, some of these Pilgrims started leaving to go to the New World, settling in New England and later being known as the Founding Fathers of the United States.

Stamping feet we all walked in silence the last stage back to the coach where fingers and toes passed painfully through the stages of numb and tingle as I declared to anyone who wanted to listen that I had not felt this bone-chilled cold since playing hockey in eighth grade!  Raised a chuckle but not the temperature.   This discomfiture was not so much that it was -1ºC, but more to do with the fact that we weren't really wrapped up well enough for a two hour walking tour in such conditions.  Still, the vision and experience of this lovely town was well worth the pain.  Would like to visit again - in the Spring!

Afternoon spent watching students in heated committee debates of their resolutions. Point of order.

This evening was a leisurely one at the hotel, staying warm, only popping out for dinner - back to the Thai Restaurant for green veggie curry.  Now that warmed me up!!