Aug. 31
Honey dear: -
The purser says there's a chance that a bag of mail may get a faster boat at Southampton so I'll write a bit of a note - with a bum pen.
We couldn't wait for the King and the Queen to pass by though they were due by our hotel any minute. The ropes were all up, the crowds against them, traffic stopped and all the decorations gorgeously ready. The old flower women had even cast flowers on the road!
'Twas the gayest show I ever was at. Last night things were about ready and we saw a few strings of lights tried out, but tonight, Sat. & Sun. comes the real illumination of the city. I never saw so many garlands of lights - miles of them! There are poles, mostly red and white, bearing banners or seals of the city or hemispherical green cedar things with red berries, clusters big like apples, whole thing 3-4 feet through.
Oh, very effective. Twined poles, garlands of cedar which is a gorgeous bright green, or of heather & heather wreaths, many, many of them. The huge flags at strategic points, on great high poles, were grand, the flags of Belgium & Antwerp. The Hotel de Ville was as handsome with the flags of all nations as the Paris ministry for Foreign Affairs! And the fols were all there. We took our luggage to the pier early and got the man to drive us over the route of the procession - great fun. We'd seen it yesterday, but much had been added. We got off a mile or so from the hotel and walked back taking pictures. There we stayed as long as we dared for there was a horse cab nearby and we could get around back streets - but of course the procession was late!
However, we heard the concert last night - and what do you suppose they did? 'Tis only on great occasions - maybe once or twice a year that it happens. They took a big band up in the cathedral tower, and band and bells played alternately and together! Most remarkable! And only patriotic Belgian music. We certainly have had wonderful luck in hearing characteristic things this summer. There were several search lights on the tower, and the flag stood straight out in the breeze from the top. The great bell, Carolus, "enveloped the city with its protecting voice" (morning paper) for a half hour or so before the concert.
Our hotel was right under the cathedral so attendance was easy, even compulsory, but we also went out to the square by the Hotel de Ville to see the folks - and they certainly were there and having a good time enjoying the music. It was queer to see them with uplifted faces even though there was almost nothing to be seen of the band.
We went to the Beaux Arts yesterday morning and enjoyed the pictures very much. I've been repacking a little on the boat this afternoon and certainly do enjoy the pictures I've gotten. Your letter met the boat all right and also the "Times" - one with its most timely references to King Albert & the Congo. The abundance of Congo alligator skin bags is one reflection of the Belgian colonial possessions! Thank you, much.
I'm hoping the picture from Vienna has gotten through all right - I liked that picture! And I hoped you would[.] I suppose I have the bill somewhere - I've forgotten the name of the place. Was it Vienna where I got it? I seem to think it was Salzburg.
There are several summer trips I could plan with different objectives - the artists of Belgium & Holland and one sure ought to get to Dresden and Vienna to see some of them! That's one summer. Mountain botany would be another - French cathedrals another. 'Twas interesting to make almost a circle with some of the cathedral decorations, for a Lübeck altarpiece came from Belgium.
We went to the Plantin museum in Antwerp, with its preservation of the wonderful house and printing rooms of 1560-1600+. (I have a book about it to read someday on this boat.) The carvings of the house - the old blocks and type - the illuminated ms - oh, it was all a delight.
We've had a good dinner along a while back - good boat, I guess, but pretty big! It's nice tonight with only a few folks on, and a calm North Sea, but tomorrow there will be swarms at Southampton & Cherbourg.
I'll be going to bed long soon. You may not get this before I get there myself!
Much love, anyhow -
- Abby