14th August 1938

There are 60 letters in the 'Wittlesbach' series, written by the four Princesses.

SEE THE FOOT OF THIS PAGE FOR LINKS TO THESE LETTERS

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14th August 1938

Sarvar to Hotel Belle-Rive et du Lac, Thonon Les Bains

Dear Madeleine!

I am awfully sorry because Loll told me that you seem to be very cross with me because I did not yet write to you. I don’t know how Loll manages to find any time at all for writing, but I really don’t! Besides I am playing the concertina which takes away still more of my time, since I am practicing it every minute I can spare.

I really thought it was enough having written to your mother to say how I had enjoyed my visit to Bath. I am sure Robert is also waiting for a letter from me but will you please tell him that I’m afraid he will have to wait still an awfully long time.

Now Baby’s wedding is over and the guests left, except Deidi with her husband and baby who are going to stay still a fortnight. We are very busy just now, packing away Baby’s things so that we can send them off. They are going to stay somewhere near Lindau. Baby wrote several times, saying how they are enjoying their honeymoon. They were in Budapest and now they are in Yugoslavia and going on to Italy. On their way they visit lots of relations and friends. If you give them your address they might come and see you on the way back.

My Scottish friend is still staying with us and tonight the English girl will come too. Ludwig and I are driving to meet them. The others all went out in the wood to pik nik and pik mushrooms but now it has started to rain and so I think they will come home earlier.

How do you all enjoy your holiday? It must be lovely on the Lake Geneve! The other day we went to the lake Balaton where we bathed. It is so flat that you must walk out quite far until you are able to swim. The water generally is awfully warm but there are such big waves and so often storms that it does not seem to be safe for sailing. Half way round the lake we saw a herd of real Hungarian cattle which is light grey with immensely long horns. We also saw a herd of buffalo which looks

marvellously wild. The country there is very picturesque, just as one imagines Hungary, rather flat, no trees and very badly growing grass and a few houses and stables one sees are all covered with straw.

I was quite thrilled because Sarvar does not look like that at all. I think it is too near Austria and we had never been so far in that direction.

Why don’t you go to the lake Balaton once for your holidays? Please give my love to all and thank you for having been so nice to me while I stayed with you.

Yours sincerely,

Muck