Let's Travel

By LeRoy Anderson

This unusual work is, in some respects, a sequel to the author's first work, Joie de Vivre, published by Page Publishing in 2016 and was designed to chronicle the author and his dear wife Claire's considerable European travels. Thus, the spectacular photos—in full color—are representative of their visits to Scandinavia, France, Germany, Italy, and Great Britain. Special attention is given to Norway, the home of Claire Andersons forbears; thus the reader will be treated to local scenes throughout the country with special attention given to coastal Norway aboard the cruise ship MS Polarlys on the cruise called Hurtigruten, billed as "The World's Most Beautiful Sea Voyage." Ever the historical bent traveler, Anderson recounts much German history during twin two-week voyages up the Rhine River. On one occasion, they docked overnight in Boppard, and conducted their own walking tour of the city. They were drawn to the glorious twelfth-century St. Severus Cathedral and, fortuitously, "bumped into" Herr Jacobs, the Cathedral organist. He led LeRoy and Claire up to the organ loft and treated them to a performance of Bach's "Prelude and Fugue in E minor." The Andersons' tour to Italy included a nice visit in the glorious Pantheon with its noted oculus and then in Navona Square, walking 'round Bernini's great "Four Rivers" fountain and concluding with glorious and relaxing alfresco dinners at Tre Scalini restaurant.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 2, 2019
• ISBN: 9781644244791

Book preview

Part I

Family Matters

Chapter 1

Honeymooners

This saga begins with my marriage to that glorious lady, Claire Christiansen, on April 21, 1951, during my military service (November 1950–October 1952). Both of us were born of Scandinavian parents—Claire on January 27, 1929, from Norwegian and Swedish forbears, and yours truly on July 21, 1928, of solid Swedish stock. We met, serendipitously, on August 14, 1945, when I began my first post (as organist at Claire’s church), Mt. Pleasant Baptist, in Providence, Rhode Island. My organ teacher and coach, Randolph Streeter, had forewarned this frisky seventeen-year-old about dalliances with those cute sopranos in the choir’s first row. Fortunately, Claire qualified as she was an alto in the second row.

From the outset, my career involved management positions in several commercial banks throughout New England. Its uniqueness underscored the industry’s consolidations so prevalent in the 1970s and 1980s. Somehow, I managed to escape that maelstrom with discreet employment in community banks to prepare them for acquisition or consolidation.

Travel was a wonderful component of our marriage. It all began when my Army outfit was shipped to Germany in September 1951, aboard the troopship USS General William Mitchell. My dear Claire soon followed on the SS America in the spring of 1952.

In short order, we began planning travel adventures whenever my Army duties allowed. Thus, short getaways brought us to Stockholm at the invitation of my cousin, Carl Swensson and soon a too-brief escapade in Switzerland. Retirement days in the 1990s and early millennium years featured much European travel to the extent it earned colorful documentation in this work.

Cars had been my deep-seated interest since childhood so I just have to insert their storied fulfillment. Hardly a childhood day passed when I didn’t ogle at those new Chevies parked along Ruth Avenue, Phillipsdale, while on my way to and from Holt’s market. Although they were priced for only $525, cars were far beyond the Anderson family’s working budget in those post-recession days of the mid-1930s. I did manage to save virtually every dollar I earned from shoveling snow and mowing lawns so I dug deeply in 1945 to purchase a used 1936 Chevrolet Standard. Granted, it was definitely used but it did serve me and brother Carl quite well through our Brown University commuting days (1946–1950). That car, however, did have one unusual shortcoming. Its horn was wired down the steering wheel column to a clothespin on the floorboard and actuated by a talented left foot. Nevertheless, I just have to show herewith a few examples of my favorites a little further on in this narrative.

In due course, Claire and I were blessed with three wonderful children: sons Eric (1953) and Peter (1955) and daughter, Karen (1960). Our camping instincts led us to many pleasant visits to Mount Blue State Park in Weld, Maine. The cold waters of Webb Lake topped off our daily activities and even Flicka, our champion collie, kept us on the run. On several occasions, the highway beckoned and we embarked on longer trips. Lake George State Park (NY) and Hickory Run State Park (Penn.) come to mind as special destinations. Boulder field at Hickory Run was a unique reminder of ancient geologic activity. Sometimes we traveled even further to visit family. Our Iowa sojourn in 1958 surprised and delighted Claire’s Aunt Doris and Uncle Harvey. Even our underpowered VW Kombi did not discourage us one whit.

My dual careers in banking and church music led us down some interesting and quite enjoyable paths. Exemplar were our days in Attleboro, New Bedford and Gardner in Massachusetts; Seabrook, New Hampshire; Waterville, Maine; and finally, to bucolic Cape Cod.