September 21, 1964

September 21, 1964

APARTMENTHOTEL Silvahof BERN
Tel 031/43 15 31 telegr. Sivahof Berne

Dear Mom and Dad,

As I suspected after sleeping until 3P.M. yesterday no one could sleep last night and all the children except Mary Beth were awake until after 3 in the morning. I hope we make up our time soon as it is a nuisance to be so out of step.

Today when our Sp. Maid came we talked and I wish I could tell you in the way she spoke her delightful conversation. She speaks very rapidly and doesn’t pronounce a single “s”. She asked me if my parents had ever made a return trip to Spain and I told her we all hoped to go there while we were here. “Ay – ya verá Vd. Alú en España la gente saben vinir. En mi puí jereź de la frontera ya verá Vd. la gente divertiendose - aqui este puí - que sosa la gente. A lá nueva ya no se oýe nadie - a lá 11:30 las restauranté cerrados - en España las restauranté abierta hast alas 4 or 5 de la manana. Aqui todo silencio – en Espana vinea a lo loco – la gente divertida alegre – si ganas dos pesetas las gastan en una cena o fiesta y al otro dia ya no tiene que comer. Ay el que sale de Espana a esta paies le cai el alma a los pies.

Then I asked her how many guests were staying at the hotel because we have seen or heard hardly anyone. She said “no te digo. Ve como son esta gente. Saben de su cuarto como astudados van por las es caleres en puntas y cierran las puertoas tan suane. En España damas unas portados Sas! Sas! La gente viva! Hablando a voces. Aqui tado piano , piano. When you read this don’t pronounce a single (s) and read it fast and you’ll get a bit of the flavor of it.

I asked her if there were any stores nearby but she said there were all very expensive because this is a residential section of town but she told me a good place to shop downtown and even offered to go with me after she got off work. Of course I told her that wasn’t necessary we could find it if we knew the name. She said she shopped on Fridays so I said I would go with her then.

The principal of the school just called and said the children should come tomorrow. There was no room in the Kdg. So I asked them to let Kenny try the first grade. The said they would try him for a week or so and see if he could do the work.
We went this morning to visit the school and it seemed very nice. It was a large old house. There are about 10 or 12 children in a class. I will let you know more about it later.

Let us hear from you all. Did they rent the house yet?

Love to all,
Jim and Dina