Leiden, 50 kilometers soutwhest of Amsterdam, is like a combination of UC Santa Barbara (bikes everywhere), Caltech (the piece of the Ariane 5 rocket engine being exhibited as a sculpture is a particularly nice geek touch), and some of the nicest towns I've visited in Europe.
Everything is beautiful and cared for in the nicest possible way - not that sterile way you find in some places, but rather, the way that tells you a place is well-used and much loved; it is neat because people care.
Between talk preparations and sleeping, I haven't yet explored as much as I'd like, but it sure looks a great place for a workshop.
Posted by Michael Nielsen at May 25, 2004 04:17 PMI notice that you compare it to two places in California (a.k.a. the promised land. Reference: see Theosophist literature at the beginning of this century.) Interesting, that comparison, heh!
Posted by: Dave Bacon at May 29, 2004 05:16 AMGiven that the only places I've lived in for extended periods of time are New Mexico, California, and Australia, this is perhaps not so surprising!
Posted by: Michael Nielsen at May 31, 2004 03:36 PM