Coming down in the train I had a nice feed of strawberries. I saw a woman with some baskets and bought one for "deux francs" and they were fine. Of course they went all round the carriage but there were some left when we reached here so I don't think I got a bad bargain. On Friday night I went to a concert given by Miss Lena Ashwell's party and it was a treat, quite as good as those Johnson concerts. I could not believe I was in France. There was a lovely violinist of the Marie Hall type.
This part of the country is lovely, heaps nicer than 'up the line'. Of course this is real France, we are quite near the place where Henry V made his famous speech "Once more unto the breech" &c. I can't find any trace of him. I expect the French in those times were just as keen souvenir hunters as they are now.
Later.
I had had a fine time down here so far. On Sunday three of us went to Havre for a swim and had a splendid time. We finished up with a 'top-hole' dinner, quite the best I have had in France. We had not much time to look round, it was time to come back before we settled down.
However yesterday I had a much better time. I went to see the dentist and he finished with me at 10 o'clock so it left me with heaps of time. A pal of mine was also down for dental treatment so after another decent meal we "saw the sights". I went to another concert last night and it was lovely. A French lady sang and she has a lovely voice. Her English was jolly good, only she sang "Tipperary" and when she came to "Long, long" she had great difficulty. She made a slight pause between the two and it sounded like "lung, lung". She seemed quite as much amused as we were and in the last verse she substitued "Short, short". She sang "Scenes that are brightest" and "Sally in our alley", the best I have ever heard. I nearly started off for Blighty on Sunday. I felt like having a good swim and the songs made me feel quite homesick.
John
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