Abbot McClure to his cousin Georgiana Bowditch, 16 August 1924

[From Abbot McClure in Munich, Germany, to his cousin Georgiana Bowditch in Morganton, North Carolina. He describes the motor trip he's taking with his friend Mr. Savage to Munich, Germany, and says they'll leave Monday (18 August) for Salzburg, Austria, for 2-3 days, then go to Merano, Italy, where he may stay a month before heading home to Florence.

This letter was in an envelope addressed to "Miss Georgiana Bowditch, Hotel Morgan, Morganton, North Carolina, U.S.A.," and postmarked "Munchen, 16 8 24, 6-7 N."]

Park Hotel - Munchen August 16 [1924]

Dear Georgiana,

On July 6th. in company with my friend Mr. Savage1 we left Florence by motor for this city where we arrived on the 29th. after a very, very, wonderful trip. Our first night after leaving Florence was spent at Bolognia, then we went on to Padova and spent one night. The next day we left for Venice where we spent three nights, and I had several fine swims at the Lido where there is one of the finest beaches in Europe.

From Venice we motored up through the beautiful Brenta to Cortina in the Dolomites and then after four delightful days left for Karasee. We crossed the wonderful Falzerego2 and Pordoi3 passes and descended the wonderful valley of the Marmollata4 to Karasee which is situated at the foot of the wonderful Dolomite range known as the Rosengarten.5 After one night there we went to Bozen, or Bolzano as it is now called and spent the night. Then we went up the valley of the Isark to Brixen6 where we had lunch and then went on to Gossensass7 where we spent a week.

Gossensass is now the last town in new Italy before reaching the Austrian frontier at Brennerro.8 After a delightful week at Gossensass we crossed into Austria with no trouble at all and went directly on to Innsbruck where we spent one night. From there we motored up a very wonderful valley with high snow capped mountains on all sides to a little Bavarian village called Weiderfieldt where we crossed from Austria into Bavaria, again with no trouble, and received the most polite treatment from the German customs officials. We then went directly to a little town called Garmisch where we spent four days and then came on here.

Munchen I find greatly changed since my visit here in 1909 with Rachel9 and the children,10 but it is still very lovely, and I have enjoyed my stay although we have had a great deal of rain and cold weather. We left summer behind us at Venice, but will find it again as we go South.

We are leaving here Monday for Salsburg, Austria, where we will be for two or three days and then go on down to Merano which is in new Italy and where I sent you a card from last summer. I may remain there through September getting to Florence the first of October where I plan to be this winter. Germany I find very expensive, about twice that of living in Italy. The people are most polite and kind, and the shops filled with lovely things, but for us with the lire exchange buying is prohibitive.

I should like to write you a more detailed account of our trip, but I find letter writing when moving about rather difficult, so you must imagine what I have not written. I hope this finds you very well and enjoying a pleasant cool summer. Write me, care of Haskard and Casardi Bankers,11 Palazzo Antinori, Florence.

With much love,

Affectionately,

Abbot

  1. Frank Savage (1877-1939)
  2. A mountain pass in the Dolomites in northern Italy, at 6906 feet. See Falzarego Pass.
  3. A mountain pass in the Dolomites in northern Italy, at 7346 feet. See Pordoi Pass.
  4. The highest mountain in the Dolomites. See Marmolada.
  5. A famous group of mountains in the Dolomites in northern Italy. See Rosengarten group.
  6. A town in South Tyrol in northern Italy, about 25 miles north of Bolzano. See Brixen.
  7. The main village in the municipality of Brenner in South Tyrol in northern Italy, on the Austrian border. See Brenner, South Tyrol.
  8. A mountain pass through the Alps along the border between Italy and Austria. See Brenner Pass.
  9. Rachel Ewing Sherman (1861-1919), wife of Abbot and Georgiana's cousin Paul Thorndike
  10. William Tecumseh Sherman Thorndike (1893-1958), Martha Thorndike (1895-1973), and Anna Thorndike (1896-1961), children of Abbot and Georgiana's cousin Paul Thorndike
  11. A British bank with a branch in Florence.