From Garut, the travelers' headed northeast to Wonosobo, a town in Central Java. Here they spent the night at the Dieng Hotel and Chaplin was interviewed by the Bataviaasch Nieuwsblad (Batavia Newspaper).
Asked about the local hotels, he replied that they were "extraordinarily good" and "the best in the Far East." He added that the Dutch cuisine was "exquisite" and expressed his love of their mangosteens. "How delightful they are!"
"Is your itinerary too tiring? In many places you stay only one night."
"Indeed it is quite tiring but I always make sure there is enough bed rest."
The reporter told Chaplin that he looked young for his age and asked how he kept fit. Charlie replied that he enjoys tennis and swimming, but added that he was starting to get a bit of a tummy (there was a laugh when Charlie slapped his belly) and feared that once he left the Dutch East Indies he will have put on several pounds due to their excellent food. As for Paulette, Charlie said that she is fortunately not affected by it and does nothing special to preserve her slender figure, but of course they regularly play tennis or swim.
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| Paulette and her mother at the Ruins of Borobudor. |
The Javanese took a particular interest in Paulette's clothing. In Wonosobo, it was reported that she came to dinner wearing white flannel trousers, a white flannel jacket with large lapels, and with her bare feet in ordinary Indian leather sandals (without a heel) which she had purchased in Garut. "They are so hygienic and healthy," she enthused. The paper also noted that Paulette and her mother did not wear skirts during their travels but "pajama pants abound!" Paulette was described as being much smaller in person and with a figure that any woman would envy.1
On Friday, the 27th, the group spent the day at the Borobudur Ruins in Magelang, then traveled on to Djokja where they will spend their last night of the Java road trip.
Tomorrow: the gang departs for Bali.
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| ©Roy Export Co. Est. |
Day By Day: 1936
1Bataviaasch Nieuwsblad, April 2nd, 1936
All those wide leg 1930's pants look like pajama pants, especially by today's standard of skinny jeans! I imagine after hiking in heels, sandals seemed a godsend.
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