Stanford Student Letters and Memoirs

Continued in Oldenburg - the evening of 16.3.60

Sitting on a bunk bed in a cool (unheated) youth hostel, having just finished a very pleasant, leisurely meal in a nearby Gastätte (small restaurant - beer hall).

Anyway - back to Rothenburg. It was a lovely sunny day, and we strolled down the narrow streets, saw the Rathaus (city hall), went into one of the churches (which had two beautiful wood carved altar pieces - about 1500, in the German renaissance), stopped by the walls to look out over the river and valley. Then at dusk we found a small wood paneled gastette, had dinner by candlelight.

The next morning we took off about 8AM on our bikes, rode along the Tauber to Creglingen. This was a particularly beautiful stretch, with the river in the base of a valley, clutivated hills rising on both sides, little villages every couple of miles, etc. We stopped about 9:30 on the bank to eat breakfast (a sandwich, 2 eggs, slice of meat, piece of raisin cake given us by Frau Krauter, orange and water), watched a flock of ducks swim by (the river was about 20-30 ft wide, moved very slow and glassy smooth). About this time the sun broke through the morning fog and it was quite peaceful and lovely; and on the hills behind us farmers followed their horses, or walked about spreading fertilizer, farming much as they have for centuries before.

In Creglingen we caught a train for Wurzburg - a little old one with ancient cars with wood seats, almost empty of people so that the conductor had time to drop by and chat with us, find out where we were from, etc. He said we were the first bike travelers of the season, and most people say it's too early in the year; but so far our luck has been pretty good - almost all sunny weather, only cold since Hannover. We had only a couple of hours to ride around in Würzburg - too bad because it is a very interesting old city - university and former bishop's seat. We spent most of our time at the Marienburg castle, on a high bluff, with a fine view of the town and its many church steeples. Then on the train again, on to Hannover for the night in the youth hostel.

Up yesterday morning and right off to the railroad station to go to Hamburg. [We're?] trying mostly in these few days to cover mileage in moving northward, so sightseeing took a second seat in the large cities especially. In Hamburg I had time to wander around for the afternoon, but chose instead to write a letter, take a shower, wash a few clothes, etc, sort of a day off from traveling. The hostel there is very large (400 beds) and new, on a hill above the harbor. This is a fine location, for the Hamburg harbor is huge, much larger than any other I've ever seen, and bustles with activity, day and night. The great dock cranes are as thick as TV antennae on Los Angeles rooftops, and there are ships of all sizes loading, unloading or moving on. The city itself is sort of sooty, industrial, with a sort of smoky haze even under blue skies. This seems to be true of most north German cities. (Hannover, Bremen, Oldenburg too), in sharp contrast to Stuttgart or München in the south.

Well, we're rising early in the morning for a long day of biking - hope to make over 100 km., which is far more than we've done on any previously. The time we save now will come in very handy going up the Rhine or wandering in Holland, so it's worth the effort. Hope everybody's well and happy, and I'm eager to get to Amsterdam and the "mail box".

Love, George

[written] p. 34 29

[typed] Nov. 29 - '96

My dearest Nannie -

Such a jolly time as we had last night at the dance! Theodora came down and surprised me about noon as she had said she wasn't going to come; she went to San Jose in the meantime & made an appointment with Mrs. Mann & came back on the six o'clock train bringing Mrs. Mann with her. Laura stayed with me too so it was all very jolly. I don't know whether I told you I was the chairman of the decoration committee, but I enjoyed the distinction for the last time I served my term which is expected from every one. The decorations were lovely - paper ribbons (Cardinal) fastened up to the chandeliers in the dining room the bulbs covered with cardinal tissue paper to give a cardinal light, & the chandeliers trimmed with mistletoe that grows in such quantities all about here. Mrs. Stanford sent me a wagon load of potted plants that we arranged in the lobby with great (red) berries & hung Chinese lanterns across the rafters. Up-stairs where refreshments were served we had the usual profusion of couches, cushions & screens collected from the girls' rooms & all the dancing was in the dining room lobby & lower hall. Such an easy place for entertaining was never heard of - plenty of men, plenty of room & plenty of very accessible decoration! Theodora looked lovely in her white gown, Laura wore a new beautiful lavender crystal silk with chiffon bodice, & I my little dotted swiss that I made over this summer & that was done up very fresh. Mrs. Stanford didn't come, but sent a very sweet little note with her head gardner which was very, very nice of her. All the spirit & enjoyment of the places seemed so heavily clouded by the sorrow that came to the Maclaren family on Thanksgiving day. The youngest boy - Forrest who was the pride & hope of them all was taken ill Wednesday night with some kind of stomach trouble, but was not considered dangerously ill. Thanksgiving morning Dr. Maclaren preached but at two in the afternoon, the child died. Dr. Miller was the physician and I don't know whether anyone else was called in or not but the trouble is not known. Mrs. Maclaren will be so unutterably lonely for, he was the delicate one of the two boys & the baby whom she was always with. I don't know what Mirriam's plans are as to her return; it is her first sorrow-experience.

The little glimpse of Theodora was so jolly, she looked so well & pretty.

I have completely run out of material to write about except don't worry about me expecially about my over working - for that simply is not in me, it is all together too easy for me to get along with high marks & a pleasant mixture of everything that the college life offers without making a record but as long as I have my work I don't worry and you can't study all the time. I am glad you are having such a happy time in Rome I know you will enjoy it. We have such a good waiter at our table now he does everything for us & rushes , the board seems quite endurable. The weather is simply delicious so frosty cold & bright--good enough to eat & drink.

Bye-bye Toodles

Roble Hall

Belle McMurtry has just been in and told about the sudden death of Mrs. Carrol Gates in Los Angeles. She was expecting to be confined in about a month and while up in the night to tendher little girl who was restless she suddenly dropt dead in the hall. The body was brought ...