The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-11-09
THE EDwYL REDDING LETTERS
Amsterdam, Sept. II, 1922
Dear Mother and Dad

suitcases at the station over night and
just take our bags) and they wouldn't
let us describe our baggage or any
thing. Finally, after l had gotten
back on the street car to go back to
the hotel, 1 discovered it, carefully
folded up in my coin purse. 1t showed
us how careful they are over here of
baggage, and believe me, it also
showed us that we had better hang
onto our checks!
We left Antwerp about nine o'clock.
There was Portuguese in our COM
partment, who knew few words Of
English and mixed some French, Ger
man and English together (mostly
French) enough to tell us good deal
about Holland-hotels, money, etc.,
and guided us around at the border
(Esschen), where we had to change
trains, have our baggage examined.
and our passports signed (or stamped
guess). This man got off at Roter-
dam. He says there are 100000 peo-
pie there now, which 1 imagine is
larger than when you were there,
mother, isn't it? All these cities look
alike-rows and rows Tin America it
would be blocks, but here there are no
blocks-only winding streets with
now and then little alleys or streets
or arcades running thru from one to
another) of houses, just alike and
all rather tall-two or three stories
but as ceilings are SO high they are
so much taller than two or three in
America would be.
We wanted to stop off at the Hague
but he told US we could go right thru
to Amsterdam to get settled at hotel
as it would be inconvenient stopping
with baggage and we should go back
from Amsterdam But now, we find
it is quite trip back and we only
have two days to see Amsterdam, 30
think we will have to spend the time
here. I'd like to go there and to
Beach, because l have
heard you talk 50 much Of it, but we
have to be In Oberammergau this Sat-
,rday, 70 can't take long here.
Isn't that marvsl0us bridge the
,ther side Of Rotsrdamf It takes five
minutes to cross Il ON TIE train. ~
We are going over to - Hotel AM
tel when we go. to the Gallsry to-
and I'll tell you. hnw il lnoks
low. We would have stayad thafef
MY that il was quite = ways out
rom the station, and we have too
much baggage to get on q street car
With it, and while we could taxi very
easonably in Brussels. they told m
t is very expensive in Holland-in
act everything is much more expen-
i've than in Belgium. The Victoria
s just across from the station, so
'ery convenient. The price is the
ame, they say, as the Amstel. We
lave to pay l3 gulden or florins day
or room and breakfast, and a gulden
S about 40c. We have lovely room,
.ho, twin beds (all over the continent
ire twin beds) hot and cold water
two "setsJ, two stands, table. long
windows with lovely hangings, and
.ven a couch with pillows. We ate.
,ere last night, as they charge more
f you do not eat in the hotel, but to
night we went to an American tea
room and are going to trust to luck
hat they will not know it. 1t is
cheaper outside): We had a lovely
neal at this American place-made
o look like nook in the woods-im-
tation stones and mirrors in the
walls and palms alissaround. They
peak English-in fast more people
10 here than in Belgium. The orches-
ra played Way Down in Alabama'
md other American songs, until we
,early died! And here we have only
'een here week.
People look more different to us
ere than they did in Belgium. Ev-
ry one promenades as they did there.
here are very few automobiles, so
veryone walks in the middle Of the
treet can't understand them at all
s it is neither French or German
lst as you said
Now, must tell you about our trip
oday. 1t was most interesting, ex-
epting for the fact that it rained
o sort of spelling it. We went to the
sic of Marken by boat. First we
vent up the canal (about so to 100
eet wide) from Amsterdam, leaving
ere about 1890. We went into
ock and dropped four feet to go on
nto the canal. We stopped at Brock
n Waterland first, and the whole par
y (about twenty of us) went with the