Elsie Tallant kept this diary, 4 January 1898-1 November 1900, of her daily activities while living in Dresden, Germany, and then traveling on the "grand tour" of Europe to France, Switzerland, and Italy. In Dresden she goes ice skating, dancing, to the zoo, and studies German and takes a drawing class. She travels to the Meisen china factory and attends an opera. On 18 August 1898 she travels by train to Luzerne, Switzerland, and to Nurenberg. After a seven month lapse in writing in her diary, she resumes it back in Dresden on 20 April 1899 and notes her violin and German lessons, watching tennis and a parade celebrating the old king's birthday. She spends three weeks in Saint Servain, France, beginning 18 August 1899. Between 10 February and 21 September 1900 she goes to the lake at Geneva, Switzerland. She goes to Luzerne 22 September 1900 then to Lugano (describes scenery and tunnels), Venice (Doges Palace tour including dungeon, grand canal), Florence (galleries), Rome (churches and boneyards, Vatican sculpture gallery, catacombs, museum, Pope), a side trip to Tivoli (Adrian's Villa), Genoa (Campo Santa cemetery), Nice, France, and ends the diary in Monaco (Monte Carlo casino). She includes pencil and ink sketches of people including American actor John Drew as seen Sunday, 28 May 1899 in her hotel.
