Travels to a Different Time: Travels of My Mother:? February1970: Amsterdam, Holland: Smelly Trouble Causing Hippies in Long Fur Coats

 Dear Boys:

I am taking a rest before supper. I don’t know when I will have it but it will be later. I have a lousy cold wouldn’t you know it.

I ate lunch at 3:30 so dinner will be light. This morning after the breakfast of cold ham, salami, cheese, butter and coffee I walked to the main station. The trams all have mailboxes in them. They all seem to end up at the main station. The mail is removed every time the tram returns to the main station.

I looked at the store windows and had a coffee and then took a trip on a big glass bottomed boat through the canals. It was quite something to see al the buildings from the canal. There was a tour through the harbour and I saw a boat I have seen before called the MISTAL. There are houseboats moored in the canal that people live in. Many hippies live in the houseboats and they all wear long fur coats and stink. They have had a lot of trouble with hippies in Amsterdam.

My hotel is in the centre of the city and the main square right outside my window. There are thousands of pigeons with many people feeding them some right from their hands where they eat food right from bags. Robert if you remember save my letters and it will be the start of a record for me. They say that at one point hippies were sleeping in the square and the police had to chase them away.

I did not sleep well last night as there are two town clocks that go BONG BONG every hour then on each half hour they play a tune.

There are no Canadian papers I can buy on the newsstands so I haven’t a clue about the weather in Montreal.

The streetcars are very modern here consisting of two connected cars and you enter on the back car. They are soundless and comfortable. Every time you enter you get your ticket stamped. A ticket can be used on two trips if they are no greater than 45 minutes apart. Brother, I hope I get used to the clocks.

I’m very lonely for you and home. I don’t know how I have stayed away so long so I must keep busy. I just say to myself you may never have another chance. So stay!

I had a haircut today and it is very short and very dirty. I am afraid to wash it as I don’t want to worsen my cold.

I have no exact idea when I will return home but it will be in March. I want to stop in Germany and in New York next.

Love you much.

Mum