Monthly Archives: August 2014

Tuesday August 21, 1934

Packed and did a washing.  Got cigarette case for Fay’s brother,  a magazine in the National Theatre,  two pieces of music and a map of Mexico.   Looked for a dictionary but didn’t find one for less than 9.50 pesos that I’d have.  Found out that Fay and Carsey were right in that Peatones means pedistrians – train stationMr. and Mrs. Ruiz took me to the train but did not buy tickets to Tacuba.  Ho!   However Mrs. Davis and Ethelyn were at the train and put me on – Got sleepy soon after we started and got a rubber pillow – Took off my glasses and broke them again – They were rose-colored (comparatively).   Maybe that means something –
Anyway it has been a grand summer.   None better – Ruiz’s invited me back whenever I come – They surely are lovely people.     lonely Lonely today in Mexico sin mis companeros! (without my companions!)

Monday August 20, 1934

 bid farewell
Went to the National Library in the morning.   Saw new books,  old books, big books, little books, thousands of them. Some entirely of parchment, written in Latin by hand or with hand press. Saw a Polyglok?   Bible in seven languages: Sanskrit, Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, Latin, and others – Went to the National Museum, saw chessmen, jewelry, carriages, and arms – Ate lunch at the Mitla.milta god
The interior is covered entirely with native Mexican things from the South:  straw matting on chairs and walls, jicaras for lamp shades, zarapes, small straw hats, Milta Gods, loudly painted flowers on black chairs and tables (a la Jicara)and waitresses in costume.  Good dinner – it started to rain so we just sat and talked until it was over – Walked to the Regis and met Dignomitty who invited us to coffee.  Carsey had shown me a copy of Dignomitty’s papers and they joked about it.
Went to supper at Danis.   Had waffles but strangely enough, I wasn’t hungry.  They gave me a polvera*  for Mrs. Ballard.   Met Carsey about 9:45 when it should have been 9:15!   But he was at the corner waiting.  Bless his heart!
Zona Rosa aka "Red Light District"
Zona Rosa aka “Red Light District”

We decided it was too late for a show so went to the Red Light District!   West on Gante,  I believe, is the way to get there.   Saw a cheap fair of some sort n the act of closing for the night but nothing particularly thrilling.   Walked back to the Regis – Had met Dignomitty on the way down the Gante (that man is everywhere) and he had said he’d catch up and show us the District but I did not see him again.  Had chocolate at the Regis Drug Store and came home by tren.   Walked by Mrs. Joublaile’s where they were having a fiesta but could see nothing – Bought a taco on Tacubaya carline – When I mentioned how clean the man’s apron was on which he wiped his knife, a policeman heard us and laughed!   You never can tell who is going to understand English in this place.

After a while we bid each other fond farewell – about 2:30 AM!   He leaves at 8 for Monterrey.   Will stay there a day before going on to Dallas!   I leave 12 hours later for El Paso!   Another dream over?
*spanish dictionary

Sunday August 19, 1934

Slept until 11:30.   Ate dinner at 2.   Wrote home and to Miss Cowan!

floating garden
Xochimilco

Decided to go to Xochimilco in the afternoon.  Bought some bananas, tangerines, peanuts, and tacos.   Nice night but cloudy – Ate Supper (?) and almost thought there was a moon.  Stayed at the halfway place to listen the orchestra music.   It started to sprinkle so we told the boatman to take us home.

Xochimilco
Xochimilco

Before we got back we had moved several times to avoid leaks in the roof but it was no use.   So we just proceeded to get soaked!   Went to the landing and waited a bit before starting for the street car.   It had rained so much that the streets were rivers.

Carsey carried me across one street and I got no wetter than I had been – We bought a taco each at the “portal” and could have eaten another but the “tren” came. They were hot!

"Tren"
“Tren”

The ride to town wasn’t as bad because of the upholstered seats and the fact the doors weren’t often opened on the way.   But from the Zocalo home it wasn’t quite so comfortable.    He finally put on his coat though I don’t see how it could have helped much!

Saturday August 18, 1934

Chapultepec Park
Chapultepec Park

 Walked with Fay through Chalpultepec Park in the morning.   We couldn’t find  anything: animals, aquarium or botanical gardens!  Not even the childrens playground!

Got my hair fixed this afternoon –

train station
Buena Vista Station

Carsey came and helped us get the bags etc to the station – Re-validated her ticket.  Had to buy tickets to Tacuba, second class in order to go out to the train.  That’s the only time I can remember seeing Carsey show the least bit of temper – Can’t blame him, tho.    Davis’ were there, having just seen Alice McDuffey off.   Was raining but after getting her out the train we started for the Regis.

It took a bus, street car and libre* to get us there!   I was somewhat damp in the shoes.   Sat in the balcony until the Don Quixote dinning room opened at 10:30.
tskSaw Minnie Mae McAlister and her Fiance, Mr. Halsbeck (?) (56 years old, she’s 23!)    Earl Dawson and Dignomitty**  at the dance.   Good Music – stayed until it was over – On the way home we wished that the libre would get a flat tire – Instead it ran out of gas but quite close to a filling station. (Grrr!) and we got home soon.   Had left the key at home and I had to wake Mr. Ruiz to get in.   I was certainly embarrassed!
*Taxi
**Can’t make out the name.

Friday August 17, 1934

Finished papers and took them to school.  Brought back a carved wood hot plate and tile for Fay.  In the afternoon saw people going into the National Theatre.

National Theatre Mexico City
National Theatre Mexico City
Fay wanted to go so we, after chasing to the Departamento de Educacion finally got permission to go through! The secretary gave us the magic name of Monterde to get us through if by no other means. We didn’t need it.  She was much impressed and I took back the idea that I could not appreciate it so much the third time as the first!  Went home to find that Elena had deaath holiday12not brought Fays washing back so she decided not to leave Mexico until tomorrow night – Went to the show with Carsey and me to see “Death Takes a Holiday” 
Very Good but we wished we had seen this one last night and “Casa de Rothschild” tonight – the latter was better.  Saw Rothschild Fils Paris on a carriage wheel in the comment of Churubusco!

Thursday August 16, 1934

"House of Rothschild"
“House of Rothschild”

Worked on papers for three hours.   Went to “The House of Rothschild” at night – Almost saw it twice because it was grand!   In the afternoon, took a Circumvalacion bus* to Chapultepec and rode halfway around town.   Got off at bus station and walked around – Caught bus to town in order to get Carsey to the dentist.  Was ten minutes late to the appointment.   I bought a pair of hose and some pictures and met him at the usual place – Went to supper at the Manhattan (no music boo hoo!)   Thence to the show.

*subway

Wednesday August 15, 1934

Worked on themes for an hour.  Carsey came at 9:30. We had planned to go visit the school of the little girl where he stays.  Her English class came at 8:30 so we decided to visit it some other time.  Went instead to the Monte de Piedad again.  They were so picked over that we decided not to get one.  We took a car to Atzcapalzalco and viewed the surroundings.

Atzcapalzalco
Atzcapalzalco

Saw the church.  Today is the day of Acension or something of some virgin so they were having church.  We stayed several minutes and couldn’t hear the priest say a word- only the boys ringing bells so we sat outside in what used to be the monastery garden.

 Later we walked around the town, down an old, winding road and ate peanuts!  Bought some mangoes and bananas to eat in a park.  I spilled the mango quite successfully on my dress and Carsey’s trousers, letting it fall to the ground, so I contented myself with a banana!  Came to town about 3p.m., didn’t want any lunch.  Carsey went to the bank for some money and they gave it to him (some largish amount) in silver dollars!  Had to go to Sanborn’s to get it changed into bills so his pockets wouldn’t drop out.   Put bills in my purse and forgot to take them out at night.
Went to Tlalpan on another car!  Entered a pretty garden that turned out to be a beer garden so we ordered!——-coffee!  And it started to rain – just poured for about an hour.  I got cold because I had no coat.  Came back to town and decided to see a show.  There were no seats left for the “House of Rothschild” and I was loathe to go home we walked down to see Dolores Del Rio in “Madame Du Barry”.   Saw Dick Barthelmess in “Massacre” too.   Fair.  Got home almost frozen, at 11:30.

Tuesday August 14, 1934

Went to last classes – skipped Theatre class. Won’t even try for credit there – Maybe? Found out I could leave papers in the office Friday morning – In the afternoon Carsey came and we started out to buy fountain pens – Went to Monte and watched them sell several things at auction but no fountain pens that were suitable.   Went to the Plaza of
 Santo Domingo Church
Santo Domingo Church

Santa Domingo and into the church of the same name – went into the school of Medicine (very old building) saw the building of the Inquisition and the “portal’ where the scribes used to sit and write letters for everyone with quill pens – Now they use Oliver Typewriters of ancient vintage but still write letters for folks and for business men who do not have stenogs – Got on a Churubusco Car and were persuaded to get off at the Convent.   The gardens are beautiful – so dreaming and restful.   I felt as though somebody ought to play “In a Monastery Garden”

1908 Packard
1908 Packard

and the setting would have been perfect for anything!   The convent itself is well-preserved.   Besides the usual rooms and pictures we saw the parchment song books with large, square, black notes and Latin words – Saw American arms and munition for the Americans and Mexicans fought just outside the convent. There was a goodly array of carriages used by the padres and various presidents; a sedan chair, surrey used by some presidents and different carriages – One old (1908) Packard sedan use by Diaz.    It was so tall that Carsey could not reach the top and the wheels were over waist-high to me.   The convent had two patios that had the proper “monastic” atmosphere: pretty flowers, a fountain, benches, quietness and coolness!   Besides these there was a rose garden!   rose gardenShrubbery cut into various shapes interspersed the rose bushes and formed arbors.  There was a pool where the padrecitos were want to swim – It was old and yet somehow formal – just enough to make it perfectly delightful.

Monday August 13, 1934

Went to Betsta’s class and cut the rest.  Strolled through Chapultepec Park and saw Botanical Gardens.

Chapultepec Park. Mexico City
Chapultepec Park. Mexico City
Ate a mango – Came home to find a letter from Jaimie with $20!!*   Went to change it
– Saw Nell Blackstock and that group who were about to go through Natl Theatre – Carsey and I went thru again – Heard the organ!  I paid him my debt of a cup of coffee and we came home –
Before going to the Theatre we went to El Monte de Piedad to find ourselves pens but they won’t be sold until Tomorrow!
Fay lost her rain cape yesterday but found it today – She was luckier than I with my umbrella – Got letters from Mahota & Martha Corran.
*(note:$20.00 in 1934 had the same buying power as $353.10 in 2014)