Cocks letter diary, 1916-1919 / Verner Cocks - Page 533
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[Page 533]
6.
The first thing that strikes you is how clean & neat the place is. All the places are white & there is any amount of greenery about. Most of the streets are lined with eucalyptus trees their branches interlocking overhead & all the gardens are heavily foliaged with big palm trees. There are more hotels than anything else - of all classes - catering of course as the town does essentially for tourists. The next thing is the presence of a great number of Yank soldiers. This is their leave centre & they have taken over a number of hotels for their men. Their Gov't pays all their expenses including hotel expenses while on leave. They are a wonderful people. Being far from home they have made two of the finest holiday resorts in Europe - Nice & Aix-les-bains - their leave centres & flood the places with their soldiers. On outward appearances the people are Yank mad. The Stars & Stripes is displayed in every shop