Wednesday, September 19, 1928
Slept late this morning. Ate bread and cheese in my room for lunch. Then went out and walked around till the boat left at 3:30. I spent most of the time near the docks.
There are many small fishing boats tied up there selling their catches. The day was fine and the run to Malmö very pleasant. You could still see Copenhagen when entering the harbor at Malmö. Had a two-hour wait for the train to Trälleborg, so I again took a walk and bought some sweet rolls which I ate in the park for dinner. While sitting in the bow of the boat to Malmö, an elderly gentleman sat down near me and ordered coffee. He offered me half of the cake and we had quite a talk. He lived in Sweden. When he left I took the sugar lumps and later drank the large pitcher of cream which I could not bear to see go to waste.
Arriving in Trälleborg at 7:30PM after dark, I found I could not get on the boat till nine. This wasn’t so good because it was cold outside. I took a walk about the town and stood watching some boys fishing on the dock. They had artificial minnows and kept jerking their poles rapidly up and down. It seemed to be successful for one caught a fish. I slipped on the boat a little after eight while they were shifting freight cars. I always go first class till the boat starts and accordingly toured the whole boat, ending up in the third class salon, which is very ritzy. In the pantry I helped myself to a couple of crackers and filled a couple of pockets with sugar lumps which are good to nibble on instead of candy. Also stocked up on writing paper on which I was low. Then I lay down on one of the soft couches, drew the curtains and slept till 2:30AM.
We docked at 3:15 and after I had presented my passport, went to the restaurant in the same building, had a cup of coffee and have been sitting here since. It is now five-forty. There have been several men in here drinking beer and wine all night. Haven’t any idea how many mugs they have had, but I am glad I didn’t have to stay out all night. Transportation for my trip to Copenhagen cost just $8.92. Spent 1.50 K or 41¢ Tuesday. The trip was well worthwhile and I am only sorry I could not get up to Oslo, but $10 more was too steep. Think Berlin is near 200 miles from here so I should be there tomorrow or Friday. Restaurant now closing at six.
When the restaurant closed, I went up to the Bahnhof and got my bike, then to the hotel for my bag. I did not do as well today as I had hoped. Bum roads, a half-hour wait for the ferry to Stralsund and an hour and a quarter for lunch spoiled things. The air was full of little bugs and cobwebs which made it very unpleasant much of the time. With a 15-minute start on the speedy local from Sassnitz, it was 22 miles in passing me.
At noon, after lots of trouble, I ordered a very large order of sauté spuds and was in my glory; after a long wait for them, I had enough for 4 platefuls. Ate lots of plums from trees along the roadside. Rode a little this afternoon with a German soldier from Hamburg. Nice fellow. Am eating usual dinner of bread and mustard, only with plums and sugar-lumps. Spent 95¢ today. 100 miles to Berlin and I want to get there by 6 for my mail and clothes.