From the Hans Christian Andersen biography "The Life of Hans Christian Andersen. Day By Day", written by DPhil Johan de Mylius:

1862

Journey to Spain

6th - 13th July

At Lerchenborg. The gardener here turns out to be a son of Principle Meisling ("indeed I have carried him in my arms").
Religious discussion with a missionary from Tranquebar, Pastor Knudsen:

"He hurled a load of Bible language which became thorn bushes between myself and the love of God; I said that God's nature made me feel more rejuvenated than a bad sermon. 'But nature does not preach Christianity!' was his answer. I became nervous, did not feel happy or at ease in the presence of this presumptuous man!"
(The diary, 12th).

13th - 17th July

With J.P.E. Hartmann in Roskilde.

1862: Journey to Spain


17th - 23rd July

In Copenhagen, staying at Hotel d'Angleterre.

23 July

Commences the journey to Spain. Before departure, HCA has studied, amongst others, a work titled En Maaned i Spanien (One Month in Spain), from 1848 by the poet Chr. K. F. Molbech. Before leaving, HCA is able to withdraw 1,000 rdl. of his fee from Reitzel for the coming illustrated edition of the fairy-tales. Deposits the money in the bank called Privatbanken. At the farewell he feels like someone returned from the dead, while everyone believes he is long gone.
Travels via Sorø, where he disembarks and takes the bus to see Mrs Ingemann. Continues to Korsør on the same day. From here he travels with Jonas Collin jnr. by ship to Flensburg.

24th - 26th July

In Flensburg. On the 25th, HCA participates - as a guest of the "inner circle" - in the unveiling of the war monument the Isted-Lion.

26 July

They continue via Altona, Göttingen, Frankfurt and Freiburg to Brunnen in Switzerland (arrival 30th July). Edvard, Henriette (Jette) and their daughter Louise Collin are here.

6th - 13th August

With the Collin family in Interlaken. On to Bern on the same day (here from 13th - 15th), then via Fribourg to Montreux.

16th - 30th August

In Montreux, where Jules Jürgensen snr. and family pay him a visit. Whilst here, HCA receives a letter informing him that he is now registered to pay tax of an income of 2,500 rdl. The tax amounts to 50 rdl. (2%) and is a continual source of irritation for him.

30 August

Departure from Montreux, accompanied by Jonas Collin jnr. They travel via Lyon, Nîmes (where HCA visits the baker and poet Jean Reboul) and on to Perpignan on the Spanish border. With him from home, HCA carries an open letter of introduction from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to all Danish Consulates in Spain.

6 September

By wagon over the Pyrenees early in the morning, then into Spain at the border town Junqueras:

"It was on the sixth of September when I first arrived in Copenhagen as a child, it was on the sixth of September, many years later, that I first entered Italy, and now, on the same date, same month, Spain would be opened up for me, as fate would have it"
(the travel book I Spanien (In Spain)).

On by coach via Figuera and Gerona. By train from Gerona to Barcelona.

7th - 16th September

In Barcelona, where they are received by the Danish merchant Herman Schierbeck, who is also a bank and railways director (and the brother of the sculptor Christian Schierback, who HCA had met in Roskilde 1st January in the same year).
Whilst here HCA develops a taste for smoking cigars ("which I now enjoy", the diary 8th), when he sits on the balcony and enjoys the Spanish evening. Both real cigars and "paper-cigars, which they all roll by themselves" (In Spain), i.e. cigarettes. HCA had already smoked cigars at the start of the year at home in Copenhagen, when friends had given him some, but had sometimes felt ill from this pass-time.
Beach trip to Barcelonette (where HCA - as mentioned in the diary the 10th - swims in the surf "wearing Spanish bathing trousers").
Goes to see bull-fighting with Schierbeck.
Experiences serious flooding during a cloudburst:

"Never have I thus witnessed the power of water, it was terrible! [...] People fled, crying and shouting. Balconies and roofs were filled with people. Trees and furniture floated in the streets [...] It was said that in the church on the Rambla the priests stood in water up to the waist singing mass"
(In Spain).

17 September

Arrival by ship in Valencia. Here HCA teases Jonas by saying that Vilhelmine Wanscher, who they both know, and whose engagement somewhat offended Jonas, would be a matron even by his [HCA's] standards. Jonas flares up, answering "that was vile and that he, on behalf of humanity, begged to differ" (the diary, same day).

20 September

On by train to Almanza, Alicante, via Elche and Orihuela to Murcia (23rd - 26th). Then on to Cartagena (here from 26th - 29th) and from there to Málaga aboard the propeller steamship Non plus.

30th September - 5th October

In Málaga. Gets a glimpse of the African coast from here. Goes to the bull-fighting once more (5th October), but is now upset by the brutality and atrocity of it. Loses his miniature decorations whilst here. Continues the trip via Loja to Granada.

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