Ruth’s Diary

We prepared our own breakfast – onagaga & a sweet roll & then retraced our previous day’s ride for 7 kilos to The Hague. After much running about we finally located the Peace Palace which few seemed ever to have heard of – in particular the police of whom we asked directions. Much to our disappointment it was not open until the afternoon. The rest continued but Florence & I stayed as we wanted to see the collection of Rembrandt’s at the Mauritshuis. We felt that it was practically universal feeling that Germany was preparing for war, whereas it was my experience that just as many felt there would be no war as those who felt there would be. In Venice she had encountered a feeling of hostility against the Nazis. Evening was done on a visit & upon his appearance before the crowd – there was a very audible hissing mixed with the applause. little wooded path beside the main highway. In Leiden we stopped for lunch – we bought pastry & fruit & sat on somebodies’ steps to eat. We debated taking a boat to Amsterdam, but I thought we would be too late, so we went on to Harlem. Just outside we ran into Harold, Phoebe, & Linc eating ice cream so we joined them. In Harlem we went into the St. Pavo(?) Cathedral – not only was the cathedral beautiful but also the wonderful arrangement of cut flowers. There was one marvelous arrangement on the altar – a huge centerpiece in the form of a cross. At four-thirty we all set out hell bent for Amsterdam in order to get there at 6:00 in time for supper. There was a stiff head wind & the pushing was terrific. Then my leg began to act up & for the rest of the way in I suffered the fortunes of the damned. We had a very difficult time finding the hostel & every time we stopped & I got down off my bike my leg pained something frightful. After what seemed hours with Adolph doing the questioning for directions we arrived at the hostel – the worst couple of hours I can remember. I got my bike put away & that was the end. By that time I couldn’t stand on my leg. I got into the wash room & the girls kept my supper down to me. Since the surroundings were not too pleasant the housemother & another husky girl carried me to the common room. The others went out for a boat ride on the canals, but I waited to see the doctor. The doctor was a very jolly person & said that all it was too much biking & to keep off it for a few days.