Post date: Aug 12, 2014 12:49:18 AM
23 August 1965
I had my watch repaired. The repairman apologized for charging me so much: 30 DM, spent 10 hours cleaning it, put in a new stem, etc. It is like new!
Last Sunday we went to Ulm Cathedral again to hear a recital. Beautiful church and stonework. Organ is old but organist very good. Next week I will have VW and we’ll probably go to Weingarten and Bodensee and Friederikshaven. Very old organ in Weingarten and excellent Rococco church in Zwiefalten The acoustical and organbuiding problems in the large stone churches are considerably different from those in an American church. Ulm cathedral has about 7 seconds reverberation—the local church (built in 1500) about 4 seconds makes the organ and congregational singing sound very good. Sermon not hard to understand, either, although sometimes the German is tough.
I’m getting so I can read some of the easier magazine articles but my vocabulary is small. I have a book for work tools, machines, math, etc, which I’m using to learn technical vocabulary.
Ugh. The bathroom (at the Institut) must be kaput. It is locked and no key. That is the only place we can get a hot bath in Blaubeuren. Perhaps tomorrow.
27 August 1965
Thanks for the beautiful sea-blue VW! It is very fancy, with all the latest refinements—including the bigger 1300cc, 40 HP engine (which I did not order, and which should have cost $125 extra). Due to the mixup in the order I had to pay $45 extra, but did not have to pay for the $20 extra insurance. All very confused. It has opening rear windows, sun roof, emergency signal flashers, outside key locks on both doors (you don’t have to turn the handle inside, but you can lock it that way). In all the confusion I didn’t get any accessories such as extra outside mirror and seat belts, but there is a VW service place in Blaubeuren so I will get those here. The seat belts are a must as this car goes 80 mph and there is no speed limit on the Autobahn.
I can ship it home on a VW ship (to NY $155; SF $220). If I pick it up in NY I can drive across the US with money saved from shipping and plane fare (and additional $100).
I missed Dave Dahl: his hotel wasn’t listed in the phone book and I didn’t want to make a 6 hour trip (and miss class) for naught.
We’re having Fall weather. Rained all today and quite cold: 48° this morning. The Germans complain that they had no summer this year. We complain, too, for there are many paths to ruined castles and through beautiful woods here. Yesterday, coming back from Stuttgart, after leaving the Autobahn, we saw many very interesting farming villages which are much nicer to visit in warm weather. Sunny or not, tomorrow afternoon I’m going for a drive. The heater works well.
The money will go faster now. I figure I’ve spent about $5 per week on bier and weekend meals, but about $200 on clothes and that car so far. But that includes train tickets, etc. Our breakfast is just tea and rolls and butter and jam, in which I have been substituting coffee, which is very expensive here. A 4oz jar of instant is $2! Gasoline is about $.55/gallon.
These cold nights there is little to do but drink bier, watch TV, or go to bed and read. I must go to Ulm and try to find some German books on pipe organs.