I’m going to apologize up front. This post is photo happy! Every single photo I took yesterday turned out gorgeous. It’s like re-living yesterday in pictures. And yesterday was over-the-top gorgeous.

I am in Leiden. I am visiting Zoë, checking out Dutch university life. Catching up with one of my favorite young people. Running Dane ragged till he sleeps till 10. I had no idea that Leiden was this amazing. This beautiful. This perfect. I am head-over-heels in love.

Leiden is a university town. It is Rembrandts hometown. It is a cultural & scientific center. It is quaint. Dutch. Adorable. My camera loved Leiden. I love Leiden! Why have I never been here before?

Leiden is only 25 miles south of Amsterdam, 12 miles north of The Hague. I’ve driven by it countless times. This time I stopped. I stopped for Zoë. I fell in love all by myself.

All I can say is, unless you really, really love coffee shops, the Anne Frank house and Rembrandts actual paintings, skip Amsterdam. Leiden is prettier, cleaner and less crowded. I could spend days walking the streets, riding boats through her canals. Shopping. Eating at one of the many cafe’s on the water.

I don’t have enough words. I do have enough pictures. I’ve given up trying to find a handful of perfect ones, I’m sharing the ones I haven’t been able to cut. Come to Leiden! You won’t regret it.