Brussels, 11/13/1934
We have now reached Brussels and got the money – then Lars and I mad. a day out of it, when we picked it up, that is, we didn’t drink up all of it but had fun with free or quite cheap entertainment the first Lays that we drove in with the trolley to the post office, then we went into a department store where Lars of course was about to lose both nose and mouth (vor Erstaunen) over all the lights. There was X-mas or St. Nicolaus exhibition and Lars greeted St. Nicolas, a distinguished white bearded gentleman with a silver hat on his head and a red velvet cape that was carried by I believe a real Negro. Then Lars was permitted to ride in a toy car and riding on a merry-go-round horse, and at last we celebrated by eating an ice cream, so that really was quite a day. I do believe Lars dreamed good that night. Little sister stayed at home and watched her father or the other way around, but she could have been along since there were so many toys for her to look at.
Now we started to organize our winter quarters in Brussels Royal Yacht Club. 25 km from the club there is anchored a club boat which has got bunks where the members can stay at night during Summer (between Antwerp and Brussels). In one of these cabins we found an oven and got permission to use it. There are restaurants on board and the Club’s boats foreman and his wife who arrange the restaurant also live there and we got the impression they were nice friendly people. It will be a good place to anchor and tie up “Restmore”, so everything will be in order when the ocean liner will come to Brussels and he only needs to change his course a little to tie up for Christmas. We have started to fix the boat for the winter. I have made 3 nice warm caps (Kapuzen) for Lars and Anna. Anna’s head is just as large to fill out the whole thing. We have weighed Lars. He is 2 years now and scales 24 lbs., that is just what he should scale by the statistics din the books when he is 2 years old, so Peter says that it will be cheap to feed him for the remaining 4 months. Otherwise nothing special has happened. Now we also have experience what SOS means, if you should get a telegram with these 3 letters one day it will mean: Send spirits (liqueur) (Schnaps), It really was a shame that we were so late in reaching the capital city. I believe with this speed we are making Lars and Anna will have to take the task up after us. About the Amateur Yacht Club, it is probably better just to pay the 25 Krone because it is since we are members that we lay as a guest in all the Yacht Club harbors. Amateur Clubs print a small newsletter that we really would have interest in getting and we wrote to the Club about it but we have not received it as yet. If you, Valdemar, might have some spare time maybe you could call up the Yacht Club and ask why.
Now I don’t have more on the agenda this time and will finish off with the whole family’s loving greetings.
This stamp send along I found in an old purse, maybe you can use it.