Dec. 14, 1972
2:20 p.m.
"Siesta Time"
Dear Family,
Hi! Hope you all are fine!! We just got back from doing some shopping. We went & spent most of the morning in this really big department store - called 'Galerias Preciados' - it's only about a block away from us. Also - according to my "Europe on $5.00 & $10.00 a day" it's a good place to shop!
Today has been the nicest day since we have been here - though - it really hasn't been cold at all. But it's been really foggy which makes it bad as far as taking pictures go. I did buy 5 slides of Madrid and five slides of Toledo today. I guess I paid a little over 15¢ a piece for them - which I didn't think was too bad!
I'm not really sure what all I've already told you all - so if I should repeat myself - you will have to forgive me.
On Tuesday we took a quick tour of the city (in about 3 hours) it was good in that it gave us good ideas as to what we wanted to see, also a better idea of where we were staying in relationship to everything else in Madrid.
There were only 6 people on the tour - so that was nice. One couple from Washington, and another couple (about 70 hears old) that were coming from Australia - after being missionaries there. I talked to them - and were they ever interesting. She told me that I would have to make it there sometime. I told her my Father had always wanted to go - she told me that I would have to talk him into travelling [sic] & tell him that travelling is really worth it. I told her that I didn't have to convince my father of that! They (the couple) were on their way back to the states - they were Mormans [sic] - from Utah!
Wednesday morning we got up early - about 6:30 and went on a tour - just to Toledo. The whole tour consisted of us and a boy from Tokyo (plus the tour guide & bus driver) It was really good – apart from the bus being very bumpity! But because of the fact that there were only 3 of us - very personal! The guide had been to the states twice - once to Miami, Florida and once to New York City. She didn't think too much of New York City at all - but did like Miami.
So today is our last day in Madrid - in a way it seems sorta sad because I'm really getting to know my way around the city & all.
By the way - we never did go IN the Prado Museum - but did see the outside of it several times - if that counts. Also it cost 20 pesetas . . . . .
Madrid has 2 beautiful parks - both VERY BIG. One is right in the middle of the city. It's a good place to go and breathe - the smog here is terrible - due to the cars I guess.
Our trip to Toledo was by far the best thing we've done. I really liked El Greco's town! We spent about five hours there - but no doubt could have spent more time there.
We didn't go to the "Valley of the Fallen." Maybe we should have but we thought it might be a 'monumental bore.'
As I guess I've already written you - our hotel is really nice. Everyone here has really gone out of their way to help us / be nice to us. Though most of them just speak Spanish (one of them speaks Good English!) we don't understand very much of what they say. But they are always smiling – and we can understand that!
Just to show you how nice they are – Our hotel has revolving doors - well they always start them for us.
Also at night a maid comes in and puffs up our pillows & turns down the covers on our beds.
The room itself is quite nice - very large - w/ both a shower & bath tub. Also a 'bidet' (sp?) we are really living in luxury!
Now for the price - it's a little over $4.00 a pie for us a night. We thought that to be pretty reasonable!
Do you remember Nancy & I talking about the rate of the peseta - I guess she said the rate was about 64 = 1 dollar. Now it's just a little over 63 = 1 dollar. Not too big of a difference - I guess!
Well, I guess I better be closing - I've got some washing that needs to be done - etc.
I'll write again soon ––
If I have enough peseta left I'll mail this after I get to the airport - but if not I'll mail it when we get to Africa! I've really got my pesetas counted down to the last one - or near last one (And we've got to have enough pesetas to get to the airport!) ALSO TO EAT!!
Hope all of you are fine. Hoping to hear from you soon ––– about everything!
Love, 'Bert'
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