Ruth’s Diary

Frank awakened us all at 6:30 – we were all packed from the night before – breakfast at 7- We didn’t even stop to finish breakfast as we discovered that we couldn’t get taxis, but would have to go by Metro. After much scurrying we got to the train & ready to go with about 15 minutes to spare. When the conductor came for tickets we were told that we were on the wrong train & were on our way to Germany, after a lot of worrying & questioning we found that we were alright, but would have to change. There was nothing very interesting about the ride in particular. We crossed through northern France, showed our passports at the border, then passed through Brussels, changed trains again at Antwerp & about 2 arrived in Esschen, Belgium. For some reason they held up us at the station 2 hours before they would give us our bikes. When we finally did go then they had been pretty well knocked about. By four we were ready for the Belgian customs & the Dutch customs – investigation of passports was all that was demanded. We then rode to Bergen op Zoom for the night. This was a very nice little Dutch cottage with a thatched roof named Kloever Elden. The housefather was very nice. He & his wife had had the previous year 6 months in the U.S. – through the west, the Rockies, etc. We had supper at the hostel. Afterward some of us went for a short walk & I shinned a birch tree. That night in the hostel they sang Dutch songs & then some of the negro spirituals & songs we all knew.