7 page letter in envelope marked with name
of hotel and postmarked 15th ?Rue Gluck
Hotel St-Petersbourg 15th Dec 1924
Dear Everyone,
So this is Paris and I have now had 4 days
finding my way about a foreign city where they do not speak the same language
we do and so it makes matters most complicated.
So far I have done very well and have seen nearly everything there is to
see in this city and so after spending the next two days on the battlefields I
think I will go back to England on Thursday as it is very tiring trying to make
these froggies understand what I want and besides it is most expensive living
around these parts.
There is no doubt this is the gay city of
the world but to live here and see the sights would cost a fortune in no
time.
This letter is only three days after may
last and the reason I am sending this so soon is because I have seen so much in
the last few days I am afraid of forgetting some of the things if I delay too
long.
I think this last item of interest was the
Casino de Paris in my last letter where the lassies run around in their
birthday suits so I will carry on from there.
On Friday morning I went to the bank and saw
around the city per boot and later wrote some letters and had a sleep. At night I again sent on the ran tan and saw
Mont Matre by night. It is a peculiar
part of Paris that is absolutely dead until midnight and then seethes with
people all going to cabarets etc where they stay until daybreak it seems. We saw it early first and went to Café du
Neant where we drank beer off coffins and later witnessed our burial and decay
and later the 3rd day. It is very
skilfully done and quite amusing if you are not of the nervous type. The illusions are marvellous and to see a
chap from the audience become a skeleton before your eyes is quite good.
From there we went to Le Ciel and L'Enfers
(Heaven and Hell). The former is good as
angels fix you up with beer and then take you for a trip through Heaven this
time accompanied by St Peter who has the Keys for all departments.
On leaving this Mont Matre was awake and
night life was in progress and we attended one of the cafes where we had more
beer.
Do not think from this that I am on a jag as
such is not the case as French beer is more mild that water if possible and has
no effect on one.
Again I got home with the milk but quite
satisfied with my nights amusements.
All this must be an experience that cannot
be obtained anywhere else in the world and so I am going it hard for the few
days I am here.
On Saturday I did the round trip of the
sights of Paris. Starting at about 10.30
we saw nearly everything of interest commencing with the church the St
Madeleine, Arc du Triomphe where the unknown French warrior lies with an ever
burning light at his head. Down through
Champs Elysees and Bois de Boulogne to see the great race course of Longchamps
and the Eiffel Tower which we ascended and got a great view of Paris from the
clouds. From there to the Trocadero
which Napoleon built to commemorate his victories and then on to see the last
resting place of that gentleman.
After lunch the Louvre where all the great
pictures and paintings are and then to the Notre Dame where we saw thousands of
pieces of the treasures given to the church by the Kings of other days. This church is the most beautiful I have ever
seen and the windows are marvels of colours.
Leaving that we did a trip thought the Latin
quarter and back to the hotel though Place de la Concord where all the
executions of the Revolution took place.
It is a most magnificent square with fountains and gardens
everywhere.
At night we saw the wax works of the city
but they do not come up to the Mme Tussauds' of England as far as figures go
but they do have some remarkable illusions there. One is especially good done
in a glass room where lights are continually changing and also the
scenery. Then it was an early night and
I wanted it.
Yesterday was Sunday and we did the trip to
Versailles to see where the Peace Treaty was signed. Leaving the hotel by car at 11am we went out
through Champs Elysées and Bois de Boulogne to St Cloud and then on the our
destination. It is a wonderful Palace
built in the reign of Louis XIV and improved through the reigns of Louis XVI
and Marie Antoinette. All (or nearly
all) their furniture is still there and to be seen on payment of endless tips
to guides who explain them. The gardens
are the finest in the world I suppose must look the goods in spring and summer
time.
Yesterday the lakes and fountains were
encrusted in thin ice and the trees were bare of course. From there we went on to the Grand Trianon
which was a smaller palace built by Louis XVI and he later built the Petit Trianon
for Marie's own use. She in turn built a
model village where she played houses and had her own model dairy farm
etc. It is still all there and we saw
through everything returning to the pub about 4.30. Last night I did not go out at all and
retired early.
This afternoon I will go a bit of shopping
and have an early night as I leave at 7.30 in the morning for Arras.
This "we" I have been using
thought this later refers to different people.
One a guide and there on the trip around Paris was also another
Australian and his wife and they were to be in the party yesterday the other
fell sick and could not go and has gone to England today.
That is all the news I think so will close
up hoping all well and that I have not bored you too much that this long
account of places visited but I will want this on return to tell you all the
things I have seen.
I have not had any mail from you for some
time but that is my fault as I told the Wales to keep my mail until I return
from Paris so will get some I hope on Friday when I return
love to all.
Gordon.
