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A Friday evening message to Monsieur et Madame Jean Van de Vyvere in Rotterdam. Posted in 1929 from Roma.

This card is a print from Ernesto Richter, a publisher whose studio was at 170 Via Serpenti in Rome. This image is of the Tumuli degli Orazi e Curiazi, near Via Apia (a Roman Road). It was posted from Rome/Roma in 1929.





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Timo Van Havere said…
There are some words I can't decipher, but this is the gist of the message:

'Friday night

My dear Jean, Jeanne, Jeanine,
What a delicious trip! Even though Ellen is ruined and has to wire America to get a new check, staying in Rome is no less a dream.
Tomorrow we will have a Holy Mass at the Catacombs and Sunday the consecration of [unreadable] Verdier at the Sistine Chapel. Then we leave for Naples.
I only write once to each family member for lack of time [unreadable].
Happy and holy year!
I’m waiting for a word in Adelboden at the Grand Hotel.
[unreadable - 'kisses', maybe]
Luce'

'Verdier' is Jean Verdier, who became Archbishop of Paris in 1929. It seems like Luce attended his episcopal consecration by Pope Pius XI on 29 December 1929: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Verdier
26 February 2020 at 12:08
Stella Portage said…
Thank you, Timo!

Do you know what "Ellen is ruined" means?

Luce is quite a traveller. Would it be odd for a woman (or two women, in this case) to be travelling alone at this time?
26 February 2020 at 17:54
Timo Van Havere said…
It means that Ellen spent all her money. But how? In another message (https://stellaportagedoinggood.blogspot.com/2019/03/luce-is-in-paris-postcard-from-le-hotel.html), Lucy writes that Ellen was 'lucky' (?) and 'has already won'. Was Ellen a bit of a gambler? Who knows!

I'm not really familiar with the particularities of travelling at that time. However, when in 1922 the 'Vlaamschen Toeristenbond' ('Flemish Tourist Association') was founded, Lucy immediately became a member of the general assembly: https://www.dbnl.org/arch/_toe002192201_01/pag/_toe002192201_01.pdf. That's quite a telling proof of her eagerness for travelling!
24 March 2020 at 10:11
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