Elder Demster Lines
ON BOARD
“Tamele”
Weds 9th Dec, 1953
Mrs N. Timoney,
13 Sion Hill Road,
Drumcondra,
Dublin,
Ireland.
My dearest Mammy and all,
Lagos:
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We came in here on Sunday and went ashore on Monday morning to have a look around and go to immigration office. I've started to cultivate patience because you sure need it around here. We spent a few hours in the immigration place – Sean would get us fixed up quicker, they take ages to write a form.The Kingsway store here is a huge modern shop. Prices are a bit high but you can get most things – I wouldn't like to have to buy a lot here though at the prices. All the shop-girls are African with yellow dresses and their hair styles are fantastic something like this.
The lines are all partings in very neat squares with the bits of hair screwed into long tails sticking out in all directions.
The smells of Lagos are a bit disconcerting. Last night one of the girls who travelled on the boat with us – an English Catholic welfare officer who works here – brought her car along and took four of us out in the car for a run round the side-streets etc. to see the night-life of Lagos. She, of course knows the place inside out, that's her job. The streets always seem alive with people all doing nothing, some sleeping full-length on the side of the road. 5 or 6 round a little stall tiny places with a little light burning in a tin.
There are hundreds of these in a street, right side by side practically, selling fruit, sweets (not to be taken!)haberdashery etc. music blaring and a few dancing in the street.
On Mon afternoon we went surf-riding on Victoria Beach, it was terrific. On Mon night I went to the open-air cinema. We went to Corona which was the only one starting at 8.15pm (all others 9.0). We had to catch the launch back. The Fathers came too and it was an education. We were the only Europeans there. The cinemas are all open-air. This was a real dive. Yesterday we went to Tarqua Beach about 5 miles out by the Tamele launch and had a great day.
Last night I was at the posh European outdoor cinema with four of the others. We may be here until Mon next now but there's nothing definite yet. It depends on the the cargo discharge you see. It will probably bethe 16th before we get to Port Harlington now. Will you give me the address of McNallys, Hartigans (Ga ? y), Colette, Cathal, please.
Lots of love to all
Emily
also Bartleys, McCann's, Schütte addresses
