Skip to main content

  • Walter E. Dandy Letter 01/19/1923

    Here I am again in Paris, but only for a few hours while en route to Vienna where I hope to spend a little longer time. It is a beautiful day, like spring with little showers.

    Yesterday in Holland it was very cold, about 10 above zero. It was great to see them skating along the canals, which run everywhere. They can run from one city to another in a short time on skates. By train, great cities are about 15 to 20 minutes apart. The Hague with the famous Peace Palace is very beautiful and the city itself is very pretty. It is wealthier, but not quite so beautiful as Amsterdam, though both are so clean and beautiful.

    Holland is a wonderful country throughout and the people so honest and wholesome. I spent two days in Utrecht which is older and typical of the older Holland. There is not so much wealth there and the buildings are less handsome, but everywhere clean and well kept. It was amusing to see the clogs which you used to speak of in England. The women work hard in the fields and pull great barges along the canals. The women of Holland are very pretty and so wholesome. You never see bobbed hair or flirting girls. They are all very high typed. Simple and home loving.

    I saw the most interesting work in Utrecht of anywhere. Professor Magussis is the principal light there and he was most thoroughly hospitable taking me to his home nearly every meal and spent his whole day doing nothing else than escorting me around and explaining in detail all that was going on. It was most interesting and will be useful. They were doing a lot of good work on the brain physiology in animals. There isn't much surgery of the brain there and I haven't been in the operating room yet. Perhaps on the return trip I will do more exploring of the surgical fields. Should have done so in England but the climate was so fierce, couldn't stand it.

    Holland was clear and cold the entire time. It was very stimulating weather. I met a Cleveland man at the Hague. I knew him when he was with Crile. He was traveling around and watching only operations. It will depend upon what I find in Vienna as to whether I stay there any length of time. If not good there, will return to England after a wanderlust in Italy and Germany and possibly Spain. If you will write your brother in Ireland, I may stop a day and run down to Queenstown and take the boat there. I think you gave me their address.

    I am having a wonderful time and hope you are well. Haven't had a sign of a cold or anything. I am enjoying all of the new experiences. Getting particular delight in watching the differences in engines, railroads, etc. Can have a good chat with father when I get back. Leaving on the Orient Express the fine (deluxe) train to Vienna which is only 36 hours away. Will look for a letter from you there.

    With love, I am your loving son,

    Walter

We use cookies to improve the performance of our site, to analyze the traffic to our site, and to personalize your experience of the site. You can control cookies through your browser settings. Please find more information on the cookies used on our site. Privacy Policy

×