Leiden
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The Galgewater is a part of the Oude Rijn in the Dutch city of Leiden, and also the name of the street in the center of Leiden along this water.
Because Leiden’s historical center did not suffer that much during the second World War, it offers many historical sights to see. The city offers over 2500 historical sights, which of course you cannot all see in one day. However, to make most of your day and get to see as much as you can without rushing it, I advise you to rent a bike. This way, you can easily move around, and you’ll save a lot of time compared to traveling by foot or public transport.
As for which sights to visit, it is impossible to list all you should visit. However, there are a couple that stand out. To mention a few, ‘The fortress’ is definitely worth a visit. This is one of the oldest still existing fortresses in The Netherlands, and is a beautiful ancient sight. Next to this, make sure you sure you visit the Pieterskerk and the Hooglandse Kerk. These are respectively Leiden’s largest church and the largest church that is still in use.
Museums
Leiden offers many sights outdoors, but is does not end there. Indoors there is also much to see, as the city offers many different kinds of museums. Which museum you should visit of course depends on what your interests are. If you are into science, Museum Boerhaave is your best option. If you’re personally more captured by archeology, you should definitely go to Rijksmuseum van Oudheden. Finally, Museum Volkenkunde (‘ethnology’) is definitely worth a visit. If all of these examples provided don’t look appealing to you, there is no reason to be sad: there are still many different museums located in Leiden. There should be at least one that suits your taste ;).
view of Ljubljanski Grad (Ljubljana Castle), Tromostovje (Triple Bridge) and old town from Prešernov Trg (Prešeren Square)
Ljubljana is the capital and largest city of Slovenia, located along a trade route between the northern Adriatic Sea and the Danube region, north of the country's largest marsh, inhabited since prehistoric times. It is the country's cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center.
The exact origin of the name Ljubljana is unclear. In medieval times, both the river and the town were also called Laibach in German. This name was used within the region until 1918 and continues to be used in German. In Italian, the city is referred to as Lubiana, and in Latin, it is known as Labacum.
The German name was first documented in 1144, and the Slovenian form appeared in records as early as 1146. The 10th-century work "Life of Gregentios" provides the Greek variant Λυπλιανές (Lyplianes) and situates it among the Avars in the 6th century. This account is influenced by an earlier northern Italian source written shortly after the conquest of 774.
The connection between the Slovene and German names has posed a puzzle for scholars. In 2007, linguist Tijmen Pronk, an authority in comparative Indo-European linguistics and Slovene dialectology from the University of Leiden, provided strong support for the theory that the Slavic ljub- meaning "to love, like" was the most likely origin. He argued that the river's name likely stemmed from the settlement's name. Silvo Torkar, a linguist with expertise in Slovene names, put forth the idea that Ljubljana's name has its roots in "Ljubija", the original name of the Ljubljanica River. This can be traced back to the Old Slavic male name "Ljubovid", which translates to "the one with a lovely appearance". Torkar also asserted that the name "Laibach" is a combination of German and Slovene, sharing its origins with the same personal name.
Prešeren Square (Slovene: Prešernov trg) is the central square in Ljubljana. It is part of the old town's pedestrian zone and a major meeting point where festivals (like the annual Ljubljana Dragon Carnival), concerts, sports, political events, and protests take place. It was redesigned according to plans by Edvard Ravnikar from a funnel-shaped to a circular form in 1987–88 and renovated in 2007.
The Triple Bridge (Slovene: Tromostovje, in older sources also Tromostje) comprises three bridges spanning the Ljubljanica River. It connects the historical medieval town on the southeastern bank with the central Prešeren Square on the northwestern bank. Dating back to the 13th century, it stands as the oldest bridge in Ljubljana. In the early 1930s, the architect Jože Plečnik redesigned and expanded it. In August 2021, the Triple Bridge was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of Plečnik's enduring legacy.