17 August 1950
Dear Mom and Pop
I'm glad I'm in Europe it gives me a little time to extricate myself from the Air Force.
I've written to Soth my commanding officer in the ERC and to the Surgeon General of the Air
Force asking for a deferment to continue school; it was pretty stupid of me to let myself get into
this situation. The main trouble is that my specialty is one that is in great demand now.
However, I'll keep on writing letters, and hope for the best.
We've been having an excellent time so far especially with the traveling and camping.
The only thing to mar our pleasure is the situation in the Oser household, which is such that
Anita especially is very depressed by it.
We spent a pleasant 10 days in London first, enough to feel that London is an awfully
dreary place in which to live, but we were very comfortable in a borrowed house in Goldens
Green and with good friends. I spent several days in bookshops, not buying very much but
seeing a lot. We saw T.S. Eliot's Cocktail Party, without being much impressed. The best part
is the rhythm and poetry of the lines. We saw also a very interesting early Noel Coward Movie
in which he, a cynical maltreated of all those people with which he comes in contact; is drowned
but given a 30 day reprieve by the devil in order to find a person who loves him, so that his soul
may rest in peace. Admirably done by Coward.
Then Anita flew to Geneva, and Pete and I went over
to Dieppe, picked up the car, and drove across France in a day and a half. After a short stay in
Geneva we three took a weeks trip through the Jura mountains of Switzerland, then to Basel,
Berne, and Fribourg. Then another week in Geneva, then a too hurried 10 days in the S. of
France, visiting Cannes Antibes, the Cote d' Azur, and finally Marseille. What phenomenal
country! Incredibly gorgeous, with the brilliant blue Mediterranean balanced by the orange
rocky, cliffy coast. It defies description. Cannes was interesting, with a beautiful setting, filled
to the brim with tourists and huge automobiles, and extremely high prices. Marseille also
deserves a better reputation than it has, because it too is extremely lovely in scenery: The harbor
is not natural, but behind a huge breakwater several miles in length which effectively cuts off
most of the city from a view of the sea, but our hotel on one side looked over the city, harbor,
bay, and all. Then we rushed up the Rhone valley, through Avigour, over to the Leine valley,
through some of the Chateau district to Chartre and cathedral, then to Paris where we spent 5
days, most of it sick in bed, but well enough to shop a little. I didn't have tome or energy to
sight see, but I hope to do some when we go back in September for a few days.
Then a few days in Geneva, and now were in Halion Switzerland after going over Furka
and St Gotthard passes. We'll spend 2 weeks traveling around Cearo and Maggiori, then Uri,
Schwyz, Lucerne and back to Geneva. Peter is not with us this time; he has gone to Zurich to
see Peter Waser and may go to Vienna. He's trying hard to decide what to do about school next
fall; at present, it looks as thought he's go to London.
Our plans for the final 2 weeks are not yet definite we will stay somewhere near
Geneva until Joy Pickard gets married on the 9th of September, then probably go to Paris again
until returning to the US on the 15th. Then a few days later Anita will go to California (I don't
know yet whether I will) and will probably see you.
Peter has been in excellent health; his face has been in very good shape all along. He
eats like a horse. I think also that we've been able to tone down his preoccupation with the girls.
Once in a while we've gotten tired of his continued boisterousness, but on the other hand he has
a considerable amusement value. I think also he had a good time on the trip.
Much love to all the family. I would like very much to see you all again in September,
but I'm not certain I can make it out.
Linus
August
17, 1950
