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a couple of hours to catch up on the news, and relax. We bought the week's Time
magazine in Amsterdam, but a good reading of one day's N.Y. Times added a lot.
After this interlude we arrived at the peace Palace at 4:15 to find that the building
closed at 4, so we had a tourist-style look at the outside. Then the half-hour
ride back out to the hostel, and another relaxing evening of talk and reading. These
easy evenings seem to be the best formula with a days walking or biking,
and a 10 pm lights out in the hostels prevents concerts, etc. anyway, so we just
stay in after dinner and take it easy (and write letters like right now).

This morning up as usual, and away about 9 to bike to Rotterdam (30 km).
It was against the wind all the way, some up and down, but we're getting
stronger by now, did te distance in 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Went first off to American
Express and I found 6 letters waiting for me - 3 short ones from Anne (who was
suffering from finals at the time), the copies of Tuck's fine letters (congratulate him
also on his improved regularity, and tell him I enjoy them as much as you do), and
two newsy ones from you Mom. So it's bright spirits tonight! Say did I tell
you? - don't write to Köln because Amer. Express has no office there. Write
to Heidelburg, Germany c/o Am. Ex. Co. (16 Friedrich Ebert Allee) until 3/26, then back
to the Burg. After a very short ride through Rotterdam, we bought train tickets
to Köln, got here about 6:30 this evening. On the way (Utrecht, Arnhem, Emmerich,
Oberhausen, Düsseldorf) we came through the Ruhr of course, and saw endless
huge smoke stacks and heavy factories. It is really industry saturared I guess.
(Should learn more about that next quarter in economics, and in our trip
to Luxembourg).

To answer a few questions: I'm travelling with Bridges Mitchell; he's a
sophomore, and was a cellist in the Stanford orchestra with Anne. Former math major
probably changing social science. We've traveled together before (mainly on the
Rome trip) as I may have mentioned. As to my paper and interviews with the mayor, the
only written material he gave me was a copy of the Gemeindeordnung (also in German
of course); otherwise all my information came from him - he speaks no English, but
very good German. And as I've said before, I can understand almost all of what
people say (even when Germans are talking to each other) and fill in by
context the words I don't know. And if something was unclear, I'd ask and
Herr Plessing would explain it in other words. So I guess the paper is also evidence
of my progress in speaking and listening to German.

Our itinerary for the rest of the trip (subject to daily revision of course):
tomorrow 3/23 - in Köln (Cologne)

on the Rhine! 3/24 - through Bonn, probably stop at Bad Godesburg
3/25 - to Coblenz
3/26 - part way to Mainz
3/27 - to Mainz
3/28 - part way to Heidelberg
3/29 - to Heidelberg

on the Neckar! 3/30 - in Heidelberg
3/31 - to between Heidelberg, Heilbronn
4/1 - to Ludwigsburg
4/2 - to Beutelsbach

Should be lovely!!
Another letter soon (and one
to Pops too).

Love,
George