Las Palmas, 1/20/1937
Yesterday we got your letter from Jan. 5 and thank you very much.
In case you still haven’t got our last letter with thanks for the 50 that happily arrived in our Arabian portmonnai we say thanks once more. Tomorrow if the weather is good we start off. Although not as Columbus to discover America but we continue with a southerly course by which we will bump into our beloved continent Africa once more and try to find a little fishermen’s port St. Etienne and from there on to Dakar. We are looking forward to again to make friends with French colonies. At one time I met in Toulouse a young Danish lady who was planning to marry a Frenchmen in Dakar and I have her address, furthermore we are looking forward to go on a binge with the 50 and of course there is no limit to what we are going to get for it. Peter is going to get a windmill for electric lights, I am going to get a snakeskin, not my own but a real one, Lars a little roller and Musen of course the world’s most beautiful baby doll and then we are all looking forward to meet the blacks.
The Arabians were only brown. The decision about Dakar has been taken because it is difficult to stock up on provision in a big way on account of scarcity and then we also now only have Moroccan francs which they refused to exchange here and in the end it is difficult to find a steamer bound for middle America here.
There are still tankers here that go right to Trinidad but you are not allowed to go aboard in any steamer here. We had the bright idea to visit Africa again and maybe we stay there through the summer or stop at the Cape Verde Islands and try to find a steamer there. I write that you can’t provision to a great extent here, that is not quite true though tonight Peter came struggling with a whole stalk of bananas. I also thank you for the prove of our wealthy son and ask to excuse the inconvenience which now appears was needless. I had namely thought that if I should. pay steamer ticket I could have got credit onto the arrival place but I suppose that in Dakar there is peace and order so you without being nervous can get money sent and therefor I would ask you to send 1000 francs to the address La Conslate die Danmark, Dakar, French west Africa. Here we have been living a peaceful life. Gone to the beach almost every day but otherwise without exciting happenings. The mail otherwise even if slow has arrived in good shape and we have got a lot of Christmas mail pen en pen. Only I don’t hear from my beloved brother but when he just comes with the money then you will also have to be satisfied. When I read about all the wonderful goodies, goose steak, ham steak, etc. I really have to speculate about the teeth, Valdemar, the new ones have passed a test or if they are soon worn out. We get one after the other pulled out here so if they ae worn out for Valdemar may we borrow them? Otherwise we really don’t have anything new to tell and on account of the departure tomorrow we have to get early to bunks so I better finish up with the baloney and many loving greetings from your adoring L., A. P. E.
Lars illustrated without shame every one of Valdemar’s boring books.