Viewing page 25 of 63

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

44/
[[red underline]] seeds for a possible repetition [[\red underline]] of all these horrors and abberations. To what effect has the whole vaunted Christian religion served in all this?
[[underline]] June 19 [[\underline]] (Sunday). The town center with music kiosk and adjoining streets in the old town are invaded by market stalls served by men and women dressed in fancy costumes varying from peasants to niggers and indians where everything from shoes, and wine to radios and victrolas, boots & suits and pastry are sold. Brass bands are ibiquitous and passage is difficult. - This is a kind of annual Kermis for the permanent inhabitants of the town.
Took a long walk on the well paved shorewalk [[strikethrough]] wher beyond [[/strikethrough]] Southwards, beyond the old Pavillon Royal, built by Leopold II, as the extreme point in his time of the walk. A very pretentious Royal Palace Hotel with extensive Garden and long protected walking corridors parallel to the sea. Everything now is abandoned and looks rusty and unkept and weeds grow in the gardens. Another busted speculation which reminds me of the Florida boom of 1925.  Beyond a row of untenanted villas until I arrived at Mariakerke, which is a modest, [[underline] ]very modest [[\underline]] counterpart of more pretentious Ostende.  Everything still quieter and very few people around.
[[underline]] June 20. [[\underline]] Changed 30$ for 1057 frcs. [[red underline]] Rachel [[\red underline]] arrived with train de Luxe from Brussels and we recognised each other immediately altho' had not seen each other since 1930.
[[end page]]
[[start page]]
\45
[[left margin in red]] Mother died when 87. [[\left margin in red]]
She was very happy and told me she knew she would see me soon because she [[red underline]] had been praying constantly [[\red underline]] for the event. - Took her for a walk on the "dique" and arranged for a room for her at a quiet hotel just behind the dique (Hotel Boulevard) which caters specially to British clientele. Then took her to "Kursaal", where we could quietly talk about everything of interest. My [[red underline]] mother [[\red underline]] died when she was [[red underline]] 87 [[\red underline]] luckily a few weeks before that horrible war started which saved her endless anxieties and agonies. My father died several years earlier and was 75.
Afternoon we went back to the Kursaal to listen to an excellent concert but only an audience of about 25 people in the enormous concert hall. Rachel is in excellent health and in the very best of spirits. [[red underline]] Talked over our mother [[\red underline]] and passed friends and everything of mutual interest. I told her to stay a week at Ostend but she wants to leave Wednesday.
[[underline]] June 21. [[\underline]] Rachel is delighted with her hotel. Went out for an early walk with her along the dique promenade and the hill etc. Then I left with the 11.05 AM. boat for [[red underline]] Dover. [[\red underline]] Very few passengers. Calm sea. At Dover Passport and baggage examination all thru 3.15 P.M. - Was the only Passenger in the Pullman car. No real change in landscape since 1906. As a contrast with the U.S saw very [[red underline]] few [[\red underline]] if any [[red underline]] automobiles [[\red underline]] on the country roads but many bicycles. Arriving at Victoria Station both [[red underline]] Kingsbury [[\red underline]] and [[red underline]] Potter [[\red underline]] were waiting for me, looking both healthy and cheerful: [[red underline]] Hotel Grosvenor [[\red underline]] is the Terminus Hotel of this R.R and