Grand Tour 1932

[Letter 19] Pension Seguso Venice, Italy March 9, 1933 Dear Folks, Among the Florence incidents not mentioned, our visit to the Synagog deserves a little space. Dora and I attended part of a Saturday service with the Ehrenfelds [ see letter 18 ]. The Temple is large and beautiful. The walls are entirely covered with Moorish designs in keeping with the Moorish architecture. However, I like my own Temple Ansche Chesed as much or more. There was a choir of boys who were in need of a good music teacher. The women sat in the balcony screened by an iron grill. As we came out of the temple,   Dora met a Mrs Epstein, prominent club-woman of New York, and they almost fell on each other's necks. On Friday evening the Ehrenfelds came over and then we stepped out into a nearby cafe. We enjoyed the music and the local color; we can get better coffee in New York. We chatted cheerfully. The next day, March fourth, we said "Goodby" to Florence and were off to Venice -- a five...

[Letter 16] Pensione Dinesen Rome, Italy February 3, 1933 Dear Folks, My last letter was typed on the "Conte Grande" and mailed the following day from Cairo. A group of about thirty people, many of them ship employees, ha been signed up by a specialist in trips for ship crews.His name is Goldman and he knows his business. Well, we agreed to go and little Miss Kramer made it a party of four. The crowd left in taxis and caught the 3:00 o'clock train to Cairo, arriving there at about 6:30. Then we were whisked over to the Bristol, where we had dinner. The dark attendants and waiters with their light clothes gave one a queer feeling. The meals were very good. The next morning we were off early by auto to the outskirts of Cairo. The Pyramids are not in the midst of the desert but at the edge of the city -- surrounded by sand of course. Marcus and I each mounted a camel which was led by a dragoman; Dora and Miss Kramer preferred a sandcart drawn by a donkey. We wer...