Parties make the world go round!: The long and winding road....

January 3, 1954

Here we are on the next to the last lap of a wonderful trip – flying from Madrid to Stuttgart. Then we start fighting the trains.

We got into Madrid yesterday about noon. After lunch we supposedly went sightseeing. Our guide hardly opened his mouth so we might have seen something but didn’t know it. We did go to the Prado Museum – an art gallery. [An art museum?? Oh my. Um, Mother, the Prado is one of the great museums of Europe! It is, by the way, one of the places I visited on my first trip to Spain with Paul, Beth and the boys. It was wonderful, but we went the day I landed in Madrid and I was so tired by the time we were done. I even fell asleep sitting on a bench outside the gift shop!] We saw some of the Goya’s and Greco’s pictures. We also saw one by Vasquez (Velazquez?) that had a mirror in front in such a way that the mirror gave a 3D effect.

Madrid in front of Prado Museum

My picture of the Prado from October 2010

Madrid was just another large city. [True, but a fascinating large city.]

Madrid from Hotel

I ran into a boy in the hotel – Bob Kazrir – that we had met on the train to Rome. He took me out on the town. You don’t eat until 10 and you don’t go out until at least 11. First we went to the Rex which had two orchestras. It was a nice little place – I liked it. Then we went to the Erica which Bob said was one of the local dives. It’s plush compared to Straubing. It was just a bar with music – very nice. Then we went to the Pasapoga which is supposed to be it in Madrid. It really was swank and had a grand floor show. We got home just about time to get up for breakfast this morning, but I really had a grand time. [That party animal! She is right, though, about dinner time in Spain being late.]

This morning we went to Toledo. It is the oldest city in Spain and was the capital in the 16^th century during the Roman Empire. It is known as the home of Kings. It is an old walled city and was cold as blazes.

Toledo Spain

My picture of Toledo

We went in Greco’s house here. Typical 16^th century Spanish house – courtyard inside. He was Greek and painted elongated bodies.

Grecos' House in Toledo

There is also a cathedral there which we didn’t see. It is supposedly the largest and most beautiful in Spain. We had lunch there. Now we are on our way. We do stop in Lyon, France to refuel. [We took a day trip to Toledo. We did not visit Greco's home, but we did go to the cathedral. And it is spectacular!]

Burro in front of church in Toledo

On the road to the cathedral in Toledo, which is in the background

January 12, 1954

We did get back. We had to circle the field in Stuttgart about an hour because something had happened to the radio and we couldn’t receive landing instructions. It had been snowing the night before. That meant that everyone missed the midnight train, so almost everyone was late to school. We finally got back about 1130 hours Monday after going all over this part of the country.

Guess what! Right after we got back they picked up one of the Germans in detachment headquarters because he is a Communist. He was working in a very important position. They had been watching him for a couple of months. They picked up someone on the border a couple of months ago. All of the information they got then pointed at this man. That’s really something! [And again - should they have told this woman all this stuff?? She's a gossipy one, that Marion Hunter.]

Saturday was the beginning of Fasching (the pre-Lenten Carnival season, which begins in Germany on January 11), so Don and I went to town to celebrate it. Everyone was out!

Gasthaus in Straubing - maybe where they celebrated?

Sunday night there was a square dance at the Service Club. It sho’ was fun. Afterwards the band came over to the club, and we really had a party.

It has really been snowing here – almost every day for a week. They say it is the worst in a long time, but then all of Europe is being snowed in. They had to call off school yesterday because of it and that is really something here. But they send these children out at recess regardless of the weather. We did get a ride to school today in a jeep – my first jeep ride – windshields up, thank goodness! It’s mighty hard walking in this!

Snow from Mother's School Window

Sunday afternoon the companies all had to go out and move their tanks so the tracks wouldn’t freeze – we had a small blizzard. I have really never seen anything like this. [Mother did not like snow, so I'm pretty sure she was fit to be tied by this.]

January 24, 1954

Last Friday – a week ago – there was a big Fasching party downtown. The German personnel here put it on. First we went to Lock Ireland’s and then on to the party. More fun! Then Saturday afternoon we sat around out here and played bridge. A bunch of us went into town to make goulash over at Lock’s. They called an “alert” so Sara Dougherty and I cooked while they were gone. They came back about 1 AM and we ate. I spent the night with Sara and Ken. We just messed around all day Sunday. Then we came out here to the Italian dinner. After that we had to initiate Sara – we took her in for roll call.

Wednesday night was bingo and a party afterwards.

Friday night I spent the night with Sara and Ken again. So did Paul Otis. Lock’s wife came in Friday, so we all went over to welcome her – about 60 of us. Sho’ was fun! Then we came home and cooked.

Yesterday afternoon Sara, Doc and I went to town and took pictures of Straubing.

Main Street of Straubing

Today has just been a lazy day.

Mother in her room being lazy

January 30, 1954

Last night we got the train about 1800 for Garmisch. We are staying at the Sheridan Plaza – an army hotel – for $1 a night. This army recreation business is really something. They provide free bus service, etc. everywhere. [I can't remember the name of the Army hotel that Debbie and I stayed in in Garmisch, but Mother is right - the army/air force recreation business is really something. They also sponsored tours of local sights. We went to Garmisch in the summer, so our trips were to the castles in the area, as well as a church with a weeping Christ statue on the crucifix.]

Hotel in Garmisch

This morning we walked up to Holiday Hills because the bus never did come. We got a complete ski outfit for the day for 25 cents and a 2 hour lesson for 25 cents. You should see me skiing. Sho’ is fun but I surely did get tired. We ate lunch in their snack bar. Then skied a little this afternoon. Afterwards we went shopping. Tonight we are going to the Casa Carioca. It is sort of a night club with an ice show run by the army.