Above: Timgad in a storm
(Click on image for an enlargement).
Above: view on Mustapha
(Click on image for an enlargement).
Below: Kasbah.
Above: view at mosque. Other images (at right): atmosphere.
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5 February
10 o'clock: we are brought by bus to the 'Timgad'. It is
stormy weather and poors rain. We have lunch on board of the
ship. It leaves after that at twelve o'clock. We enjoy the
departure with a amazing view on Marseilles. Quite soon the
ship starts to swing to and fro and it is not possible to stay
on deck any longer after four o'clock; also because of the extreme
cold.  We
have an excellent and spacious cabin and regardless the very
rough weather we have a good night rest. One of the very few
people that went to dine is Jan.
6 February
The wind does not calm down this day and the ship takes a
lot of water. At seven in the evening the lights of Algiers
show up and the swinging of the ship ends. The passengers
are all on deck standing close together are are swarmed by
Arab boys that want to carry their luggage. A boy of around 20
years old takes both our portmanteaus, hatboxes, and the cabin
trunk on his back as if this all was not weighing 70 kgs.
in total. A bus takes us to the beautiful hotel St. George.
In our room we have supper that contains of crispy rolls and
chocolate.
Algiers 7 February
At six in the morning we see the sun rise from our room.
Below we can see Algiers, the sea and the pal gardens beautifully
lit by the sun. This day we walk in the fine garden and the
surroundings of the hotel. In town we take coffee ar the "Café
d'Alger", Place de la Republique. In the evening we go
to le Nouveau Theatre where we see an impassioned Arab audience
enjoying a very primitive Moorish party.
8 February
We enjoy the sun in our room and at the terrace. It is carnival
and we notice that all shops are closed. After 4 o'clock the
sun disappears and so does the heat of the entire day.
9 February
 Still
sunny and warm. At 3 o'clock we wonder about the city and walk
into the Cathédral.
10 February
Sunny room and terrace. Walk to hotel Continental where we part
in the 'thé dansant', but where we also see that Louis
Couperus has just left Algiers.
11 February
Thanks to our regular sun bath we start to get sun burnt
somewhat. In the afternoon we go to the Kasbah and walk there
along the Boulevard Gambetta (stairs with very badly placed
stone steps), Rue de la Kasba, Mosque Medensa ed Kalibia, Rue
du Regand, Rue Bleue, Cathédral.
12 February
Cold on the terrace. Not much sunshine. In the afternoon we
have a beautiful walk through the Bois de Boulogne to Birmandreïs.
Dazzling is the Ravin de la Femme Sauvage (named after a woman
who was selling, secretly, absinth; around 1840), along the Jardin
d'Essay. By tram we return through the city back to our hotel.
13 February
It stays cold and it is somewhat windy. Again we have a beautiful
walk. We take off at Colonne Voirol along the Chateau Hydra
(famous for its great wine), the Merzaug estate, to the village
of El Biar. Fantastic panoramas, beautiful plants, many cactussus.
And in the end we see Algiers deep down before us. We descend
along the Chemin Lapentier - fourteen corners - to the Hotel
Continental and continue to our hotel (promenade of 3 1/2 hours).
14 February
The warmth has come back, and how!, temperature doubled. We
enjoy the sunshine. In the afternoon a short stroll to the city
where we have tea. In the evening a 'bal costumé' in
the hotel.
15 February
We enjoy the sunshine and stroll through Algiers. |
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Louis Couperus - renown Dutch writer; Jan's (Johannes Marius) sister was at the time of Jan and Ella's voyage to Algeria married to a son (Benjamin Vlielander Hein) of Couperus' sister: see Genealogy:
CBCD. More close family links exist, such as that of Jan and Ella's son, Jan, who married a daughter of the couple Van Schalkwijk-Vlielander Hein.
To more on Couperus and his Vlielander Hein connection (Dutch webiste).
Ella's journal has been used as part of 'Een Dandy in de Oriënt, Louis Couperus in Afrika' (image at left), as well as several other journals; José Buschman, the writer, investigated the trip of Louis Couperus to Algeria using biographies of others to illustrate Louis Couperus' trip to Algeria.
'Een Dandy in de Oriënt' (A Dandy in the Orient), by José Buschman, first appeared on April 4, 2009. |
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