1968
In that same year 1968 we went with Nancy on a big tour, starting on July 26th with a flight to Reno, Nevada, where I rented a car, but had then great difficulties to find a room for the night, as it was a weekend and masses of gamblers had rented nearly all the rooms that were available there. But we finally found one. We went there to a gambling casino which I wanted to show to Nancy, but children were not allowed to enter and she could only stay outside near the door and see how I handled the machines, saw how I sometimes had a big cup suddenly filled with nickels, which came out of a machine.
We then went along Lake Tahoe south to the Yosemite Park, stayed there first in a tent and then for another night in a cabin, went then to the Sequoia National Park with its enormous redwood trees, some up to 40 feet in diameter. Coming out from there after 2 or 3 days, we traversed California on a difficult road, saw to our amazement that California had enormous deserts, almost uninhabited, where we had difficulties to find a place, where we could get Coca-Cola and some food, and reached the Pacific coast near San Luis Obispo, where we stayed over night.
We called from there next day Ella Ziegler in Santa Ynez, and she asked us to come to visit her. We stayed there in a small motel for two days, but were all the time together with her. We left then for Los Angeles, where we left the car, and took there a plane to Mexico City.
We stayed there in the Hotel Maria Cristina, which Selma Freudenthal had recommended to us, made many excursions from there, first to the Chapultepec Park, then for a whole day to the pyramids in Teotihuacan and, Nancy and I went there up to the top, whereas Hedy decided to stay and wait for us after having gone about half the way up, since it was really strenuous. Up there on top Nancy and I caught a few very special black swallowtail butterflies. Descending was even more strenuous than going up.
We went there also to a restaurant, which was in a very big cave and then back to the city by bus, which took us through a slum section, which Nancy disliked very much. We also went to Mexico City to a bull fight, called Toro, sat there with thousands of people to look how they killed first one, then another bull. We were so disgusted, especially Nancy, that we left after the second bull was pulled out, were supposed to see six of them finished. 2 or 3 days later we had enough of Mexico City and Nancy especially wanted to swim. We found out that there was a kind of spa with large swimming pools, San Jose Purua, and went there by bus. It was a beautiful place and we spent there a few nice days. We finally went to Acapulco for about one week, stayed there in the beautiful Hotel Hilton, where there was a circular swimming pool, which Nancy especially enjoyed. In the center was an island where we had our meals. Then back to Mexico City by plane and from there to New York. Nancy came there with us and, if I remember well, went back alone by plane to Salt Lake City.
I have to describe here something interesting about Lauren. We went about Christmas time for another visit to Salt Lake City. Lauren, born in May, was then about 6 months old. She was a very pleasant child, always ready to smile and she had already learnt to crawl on the floor. One day, when I was up early, sitting on the porch, where I had the beautiful view of Salt Lake City and the mountains to the left, Lauren came crawling on the floor. It had snowed at night and the meadow in front of the porch was covered with snow.
Lauren crawled up to the very big window, and stood up, holding on to the frame. What she saw outside amazed her and she looked for a long time. Everything that was green before, was now white. It was the first time in her life that she saw snow. She looked back at me and then again out. She was bewildered; that I could see. It took a long time till she gave up and accepted the white meadow as a fact.