TRAVELS
East Germany
In East Germany there are two generations. The generation before the war and these are the old people and the generation after the war and these are the hippies. The generation between these two was crushed by the war. Europe is an old woman pretending to be young. It lived life to the full. The faces that you meet do not have the light of faith, they are all dark. People who lost their spirituality and became machines that move machines and are moved by machines Fire and smoke but no light;
People are 'killed' about cleanliness and where we are they are 'killed' about dirtiness; many causes for the same death Here they wipe the floor until the floor wiped them; where we are dust builds until dust buries us Here they wipe the floor until the floor wiped them, where they are dust build until dust buries them
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Halle Germany, Wednesday, 13/6/1973
I say good morning to you from Halle. I am in the sitting room in Mr Zoser's house. The sun is coming in through the two big windows and through the beautiful white curtains that come down. Comfortable chairs and in front of me is a table with tea and cakes for my breakfast. Regina, Magdy and Zoser left at 7 o'clock in the morning and I am alone.
When I arrived yesterday, Magdy was asleep and after a while he woke up and came and hugged me and said "opi, opi" and went back to sleep.
The apartment is very beautiful and the furniture is new and good and the suburb is very quiet. Excellent living and organised life. In the morning Magdy came and started chatting. I showed him your photos and he looked closely and said "Rosemary" in his sweet accent.
I received a letter from Joseph. He did the first part of his examination in Anatomy and he got full marks.
I have not been to the centre of the city yet and have not seen anything of the country, but there is nothing to see. It is enough the complete relaxation and quiet. There is no comparison between life here and in Khartoum. People in Khartoum are wasting their lives.
Zoser, as usual, is very active in the kitchen, cooking delicious foods. I created a problem for him, because I do not eat meat, so he brought some excellent fish prepared in packets; from the packet to the frying pan and it is better than the fish in Khartoum.
What is the news about your new unit? I hope you have completed all the arrangements. In the future, I hope you buy a big tree with a house!
The room where I am writing is a large sitting room facing the East and the sun is shining and lighting up the room. I like light, outside and inside, in the room and in my heart and I always say: "Lord, give me from your light".
2/4/73
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Halle with Zoser 3/6/73
I am here in Halle and my health is very good. I am relaxed because the weather is quiet and calm.
The important piece of news this week is that one of the German doctors, a friend of Zoser who is interested in religion, took me to a church on Saturday. We entered a building where I found a big hall. When we entered, I found rows of chairs. The walls are bare, no pictures, no statues and no crosses. At the front is a platform with lighted candles on both sides. There is no altar and so I thought maybe this is a Protestant church. But, after a while they started singing hymns and a priest in clerical clothes and deacons entered and started the service as in the Catholic Church, with the readings of the Letters and Gospel and then started the Mass and on the left hand side of the altar there was a table with a simple glass cup. After the consecration the people came forward for communion. Most of the people present received communion and after prayers we went outside and I asked the doctor and said to him: what is the story with this church, it is Catholic but there is no sign of a cross anywhere and there are not pictures of saints or incense and there is no altar, what is the story?
He said that this area was very much influenced by Martin Luther and so things were simplified as a way of bringing the two churches together. I was not convinced by this explanation and maybe there is another explanation. Anyway, I called it the "Abstract Church” just like” Abstract art". I think this is a good effort to simplify things and if this is successful in attracting young people to the church, then it is not bad. Rituals are a means to an end and not an end in them and if people in the nineteenth or twentieth century are happy with this, then there is no objection.
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Salle River Picnic
On Sunday we went out for the first time. We went to a large park near Salle River, the park is very large and there is a small train which we took to have a look at the different parts of the park. There were different shapes and colours… women and men and children. ..all of them in Sunday dress. The women are well dressed but not very elegant and there is nothing that is eye catching. Of course Magdy was running in front of us, as usual and Regina is calling "Magdy! Magdy!". By the way, I use a bit of mixed German and Magdy is teaching me to count: one, two. What wonder, the grandson is teaching the grandfather! The world is upside down or perhaps it is the right way up, I do not know, we will live and see
Halle 19/6/73
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Bulgaria with Joseph 1972
In Bulgaria nature is generous and the people are misers
Voices that I did not hear in Bulgaria: the sound of a car's horn; the sound of the radio with the songs of Umm Kulthoum. The most common thing in Bulgaria is flowers; the scarcest thing is a smile;
The Bulgarians do not believe in any other language beside Bulgarian even on public signs is the only language used.
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England with Amazis 29/9/73
I spent a whole month with Mr Amazis. My stay in London was good and I enjoyed a good deal of mental and psychological rest. I spent most of my time with Paul, the very beautiful and very intelligent grandchild. Dora and Maggy did their utmost for me. Every day at ten o'clock in the morning Maggy makes me some cheese and then we go out for a little walk in the suburb of Edgar and we come back about one o'clock for lunch.