Had an early breakfast and took a look around the city. All of us liked Belgium very much; felt right at home. Left at 10:30 and started for Luxemburg. Arrived there at noon and secured rooms at the Gaisaer Hotel. Had lunch and spent the afternoon sightseeing. The boys had great sport trading soap and chocolate for German souvenirs. Had a wonderful course dinner. Went to bed. We started out early the next morning for Germany.
We had been on the road just a week today. We passed through some fine places after leaving Luxemberg. Went over a bridge that is 325 feet high. McCutcheon used Luxemburg and the surrounding country for the scenes for his stories “Beverly of Graustork,” “The Goose Girl,” etc. The Revolution had just been voted and we saw some of their wonderfully dressed chocolate soldiers. Their whole army, including the bandsmen, etc. only numbered 250.
We crossed over to Germany at noon and had lunch in a peasant’s house in the village of Fahren. The women did all she could for us but we saw it was not for love of the Americans but because of our positions. We felt all the time that if things had been her way our reception would have been anything but welcome. We left soon after lunch and were soon riding along the Mosel River, passing many beautiful and high hills covered with vineyards. Wonderful work was the vineyards.
We stopped for the night at Cochen. No rooms at the hotel so the officers of Co. A. 12th Machine Gun, 4th Div. kindly offered us a room at headquarters, and we sure had a fine place. Their quarters were in the home of a wealthy wine merchant. A beautiful old mansion on the Mosel River. The breakfast room was on the second floor, and the view of the river was beautiful.
We bought a few cards and souvenirs and left for Coblenz. Soon after leaving Kochem, we traveled over the hills and had the most beautiful ride of the trip. Over hills and down in to valleys, and at one place we were on a hill 500 feet high and we had a fine view of the Mosel on one side and of the Rhine on the other. We passed thru some very large vineyards; this is the country where the famous Mosel wine comes from. We arrived in Coblenz at 2:30 P.M. after crossing the world famous River Rhine. Went to the A.P.M. office and received passes to remain overnight. Went to the billeting officer and secured billets in the Trierche Hotel. We had dinner with the 9th Pioneers; were very hungry. We had cold roast beef, raw onions, and donuts. Their barracks are in an old monastery. There is enough room for two Co. 500 boys.
Diary of a World War I Donut Girl 