Item 04: James I. Marshall diary, 24 November-12 December 1916 - Page 67

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[Page 67]

Like London, the buildings did not impress me much, but the contents took my fancy completely. Furniture etc was everywhere of the best quality & design and high class art goods were everywhere. The difference between it's buildings and London's are, I consider, that here they shew traces of the history that is associated with them, whereas London's monuments appeared hoary & mouldy relics of a period, comparatively recent, when they were erected in memory of past glories. Brussels has gave me a sincere air of impression of medaevial glories, which the new buildings there, such as the Palais du Justice serve only to increase by comparison. The lace industry alone gives the town's history in the shop windows.

We managed to book seats at the Opera for our third night there. After tramping around in snow & slush for 3 days, we were unable to get our boots polished, & did not have the cash for a visit to the barbers so did not look as good as we wished but that fact did not trouble us. The opera "Faust" was too good a feast to leave us, or any near us, to trouble about our personal appearance.

One thing that I noticed was the great number of English speaking civies there.

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