BRUXELLES, LE [printed] 7 April 1953 [LP's Handwriting]
11, RUE D'EGMONT
Dearest love:
Our congress has not yet started, and I have not yet seen anyone (except Synge and Adair, Yesterday). We begin tomorrow, at 9:30.
Today I woke at 10:30. I was tired, not having slept very well on the plane or in Cambridge. The bed here is good. I had my continental breakfast in my room, and read until 1, in a French detective story (translated from the English). Then from 1 to 4:30 I walked around the center of town- Hotel de ville (very nice), Kings
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town house, Mameken pr's [?], etc. Then I rested in my room until 6, sow a movie (made in France), had dinner, and come home.
I hade gone to the movie (m) and restaurant (R)
[Here he put a diagram showing his journey]
by a simple way. When I came out I thought I would save a block (dotted line). Instead I got lost, and walked about a mile, coming out far beyond + below my place. I estimated my return route as shown by the /\/\/\/\/\/\/ line. Of course, the blocks aren't square and the streets aren't straight.
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I think the movies help me to understand French. The words spoken in French are given ( in some what shortened version) in written Flemish at the bottom of the screen, and I can read it easily.
I have a nice room, with a nice bathroom, much hot water, a bidet by the toilet, etc. This place is a club for university professors, etc. Very few people here - I have seen one or two in the foyer.
The papers say that the Russians have turned over a new leaf, are very reasonable, and they hope that the Americans will be , too.
I have thought more about the nucleic acid structure of Crick + Watson, + I think that it is probably right.
Much love from
Paddy
P.S. Last night, 8:30 to 9, as I was coming home from my supper + movie, I sow the fireworks celebration for Princess Josephine - Charlotte, who gets married tomorrow. Very fine - like Lurich [?]. She came out on her balcony + waved to her thousands of shouting countrymen. The palace is only one block from the club.
April
7, 1953
