Washington Irving and Alhambra in 1964 - post 16

Thursday, July 30, 1964 - en route to Granada​

Dear Mother,

Well the train is a madhouse. It is a good thing I have a seat reservation altho there are some unreserved which I could fight for.

I don't know what I have written that makes your hair stand on end (Ed note: She's forgotten about the temporary loss of her pocketbook and RR ticket and washing her dress and putting it on again and many other things!) I'm glad you can get my somewhat disjointed documents into good form. (Ed note: when I gave her very thin airmail stationary. I had NO idea she would use it for anything but the first letter, nor that she would write on jiggly trains on BOTH sides of the paper!) I am not particularly surprised to hear about the baby's walking -- do put it in her book for me, will you?

I'm sorry to hear the summer there is so bad. I don't know what the heat here has been, but it has been dry.

View from the train

I have now been on the train all day - since 8.00 (leaving at 8.30) and it is now 5.30. We arrive in Granada sometime after 9 if the train is on time. I shall be a little surprised if it is. The rule on Spanish trains is: take an express and expect to be late. Also the rule is --travel first class if possible -- you will still see as much of Spanish life as you desire. And a third rule -- if humanly possible get a seat reservation.

This particular train is new and modern and consists of only one car, which contains its own engine, WCs and snack bar. It is wide and has 3 seats on one side and two on the other. The seats are padded (in 3rd they are frequently just wooden benches) and reverse like the old trolleys used to do, so the train can go either way (Ed. note: Shows she doesn't remember, or is too young to remember that our trains did the same thing). It is a one-class car -- namely II. The train stops at every town.

On the way here until 2.00 a man and his wife and a boy and girl about 4 and 2 shared my triple seat with me. Actually, the man stood in the back most of the time. He looked like a Spanish James Cagney.

Gypsy cave homes from the train

I just saw within one minute of each other, a woman washing in a stream and a house with a swimming pool.

Well I am now at the Washington Irving (Granada) which seems a nice hotel. I booked it because it was opposite the Alhambra, 500 m from the center.

Thursday, 30 July

I will send this on to my sister and let her forward it to you. Sis do inquire about the Italian rail strike. I am sure it can't be as bad as flying. I have got George a present from you and since he is out on maneuvers, I guess I'll tell you that it is a cannon and cost a little over $10.00. The plaques I saw looked very cheap close up -- they were only imitation Toledo damascening. This cannon is about a foot long and doesn't do anything although the wheels roll. It is of wood and metal. I hope this is OK.

Bookstore in Spain

I have found, in a Spanish bookstore, in paperback, a book I've been trying to get for Rev. Galloway to read. It tells about how there were never really any martyrs to their faith in Scotland. Also that Richard III didn't kill his nephews, but that Henry VII did. It is called "Daughters of Time" by Josephine Tey. I got it to read on the train. I'd better get to bed now. Love, RA

Friday, July 31, 1964 - Granada​

Ice men - delivering to the hotel

Dear Mother

I have a few minutes before my tour comes to pick me up and I'll try to go backwards in yesterday's activities. I had breakfast at the hotel this morning. Two rolls and tea loose in the pot instead of in a bag. Maybe this is the difference between a first and second class hotel --at a first class hotel you get two rolls and at a second class hotel you only get one. I don't know what you get in a 3rd class place.

I set foot outside and was immediately accosted by gypsies trying to sell me castanets and wanting to tell my fortune. Last night I arrived and was given a nice room -- single bed wider than any I've seen, a bath, shower, and bidet and even an anteroom. I washed out my clothes of yesterday and found a hole near the hem of my traveling dress from Montgomery Wards. I will mend it tonight. The concierge sold me stamps and postcards, but I discovered 3 addresses I hadn't pasted on and mailed, so I'll have to get another for my children.

In Granada, there were none of the big cranes of Madrid. Just the patient donkeys walking up the narrow streets and alleys

Mules carrying cement


Another pack mule


mule in the alley/street

He also offered to get a seat reservation to Madrid. That is only an 8-hour trip instead of 13 hours. It was nice and cool up here last night, in fact almost cold. I had dinner after I got here and it was adequate altho not inspired. I had cold soup -- it seemed to be a meat and tomato base with pieces of raw onion and celery in it, mixed vegetables (carrots, string beans, peas and greens) on a slightly tough roast beef and caramel ice cream.

They seem to have only 4 kinds of dessert in Spain -- fruit, cheese, ice cream or flan. Flan is a very tall, thin (muffin tin shape only taller and thinner) custard, usually with caramel sauce. The ice cream is usually caramel too. Another possibility is Macedonian fruits which is fruit peeled and cut up for you. Incidentally, in case I didn't mention it before, the fruits I buy are usually oranges, which (unless you are extremely goatlike) must be peeled to be eaten. Occasionally I do buy a peach, which I also peel. (Ed note: this is because of my caution to be sure to wash thoroly any fruit she buys -- using the wash-dry things)

Stairs



Granada from balcony



View of town

It is a good thing I signed up for the tours. They split up into French/German group and Spanish/English group so you don't have to hear the whole spiel in four languages.

Tour guide


Orange tree towers over the clipped cedar hedges


Outside the palace - cedars on each side


Archway with hand of Fatima


Ceiling