Tag Archives: Greece

The Acropolis and Parthenon

Letter transcription:

March 23, 1964

Dear David:

Your cable was here when we returned from cruise. Our cruise ended at about 8 a.m. It was a most interesting experience. We boarded a week ago today at 5 p.m. Sailed at 7. The first evening a cold buffet was served and one could sit at any table. We had met a couple on plane when we flew from New Delhi to Beirut who were on the cruise, so we ate with them first evening. We were assigned to table 17 so next morning we found our table did not meet the rest of our group until noon. Seems some people hadn’t got the word so were just sitting at any table. At our table at noon we met a couple from Ann Harbor, Michigan (man with Dept. of Architecture at Michigan U.) a man from San Francisco who sells fruit and skis for a hobby – Carl Anderson and a woman who had been skiing, Esther Hail, also from San. F. our cruise took us to Island of Crete where we saw the remains of Minoan civilization in museum and a palace that has been excavated. Island of Rhodes where we visited an acropolis and saw more remains. In afternoon we visited a museum and saw hospital which had been used by Crusaders. Thurs. we visited Ephesus and saw and took about 2 rolls of pictures of remains of Roman city & the supposed site of burial place of St. John. Also prison (from a distance) where Paul was kept. Friday afternoon we had reached Istanbul and had a tour of city. Sat. a.m. we had another tour. On the Fri. tour I corrected a Muslim guide who in relating the story of Jesus visit to temple and return home said they returned home to Damascus. I told him it was Nazareth. He got a little confused and said a Bishop had corrected him about another detail one time. We sailed back toward Athens, stopping at the Island of Delos yesterday a.m. In the afternoon we docked at Island of Mykonos and spent afternoon there. It was quite pleasant. I bought a few things and had them send home. Also bought two scarfs I have in suitcase. The people of Mykonos were very friendly and very proud that Mrs. Kennedy had visited there.

Island of Rhodes

On Island of Rhodes we saw a crowd of people receiving U.S. surplus food. Dad took a picture of one woman after she had her sack and was putting it on her pony cart. I probably will not write again. I hope you will be able to meet us – providing our plane isn’t too late. Glad you have your acceptance at Boston. We can see the Acropolis & Parthenon from our room. We have a tour this afternoon so we are just resting and looking over city from our room this a.m.

Love Mother

We are wondering if you received your suit. If you did we would like to know before we go thru customs. I do hope you get the house dusted before we get home. (I hope I am not being too repetitious). We had so much to eat on the cruise we have, as of since breakfast, started on a crash diet. I think I won’t be hungry for days, and the way my clothes feel around the middle I need to lose a few pounds.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/12/22/the-acropolis-and-parthenon/

Cruising the Mediterranean Islands

1 Reply

Dear David – Thought I would just drop you a card from Istanbul. We arrived here this afternoon and will begin return voyage tomorrow noon. We had a trip to Baozar this afternoon. I bought 2 dolls. We have really enjoyed this cruise and have seen many interesting things in the Islands between here and Athens. Will stop at Delos and Myponos on return trip. Our sightseeing in Athens will begin when we return there Monday. I will get the Wari beads for you. Have seen hundreds. Wish I knew what color you want.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/12/21/cruising-the-mediterranean-islands/

Athens

5 Replies

Letter transcription:

March 15 – 1964

Dear David: Your letter was here when we arrived. I still think you two should graduate normally. I hope I read your letter correctly that we will be invited to Founder’s Day Celebration on the strength (how else) of your grades. If you go to Kentland, remember what Jeannette Batton said about Bonnie staying there if you spend night in Kentland. I wrote you in another letter that you will have to check with Air France as to arrival time. It is supposed to be at 1:40 p.m. We have heard since then that we can go thru customs in Canada if plane makes a stop there – it may. If we could go thru customs there it wouldn’t take us long to get away from O’Hare. We haven’t decided what we will do when we get to Chicago – I doubt that we will spend much time at Mark’s – you know with all that mail waiting for us we will probably be anxious to get home. No appointments until April 1 so that will give Dad a chance to wade thru things. I do hope you can get the house swept and dusted before we get home. I wish we had you with us here – we can’t read any of the signs around here – it’s all Greek to us. We can see the Parthenon from the hotel – but not from our window – our room is on other side but we can see it from lounge. Everything seems very quiet. We took a walk this afternoon and took a picture of American Embassy. It was refreshing to get to Athens today, after almost a week in a country that is nearly 100% (nearly) Muslim. There are 1,000 mosques in Cairo and they are building more all the time. We really had some nice tours there and saw the tomb of King Tut. Also saw all the things that are in the museum that were taken from tomb. We made 3 trips to the museum. That is a popular place – people coming and going all the time. Do you and Bonnie have work in Boston this summer? From your letter I rather thought you sounded like there is where you will spend the summer. Our hotel room is on 9^th floor and we have a very good view of the city and nets in background. We start on cruise tomorrow afternoon but will try to find the beads for you tomorrow a.m. I don’t know what I will be looking for but someone around here surely will. We ate a light breakfast at 6:30 – had a huge breakfast on plane at 9:30 so it is almost 6 p.m. and I think we have waited long enough for food. I think we have both gained – but once we get back home we can lose any extra. This cruise won’t be any help in the weight losing dept. You will have time to get a letter to us when

[page 2] we get to Paris if there is something you need to write about. It is always nice to pick up letters – we had six when we arrived here today – so had lots of news.

Love Mother