1938 TRIP TO FRANCE AND SWITZERLAND February 4, 2004 Daddy and probably some of the other men he was traveling with went to the Alcazar de Paris one evening. It was located at 8 Faubour Montmartre, Paris. From the Internet I found a brief description of Montmartre: The area where Renoir, French Cancan and Van Gogh (among others) all came of age... Still a little village in the big city, Montmartre borders the Red Light district (Pigalle) to the south. My father had saved his ticket stub and I can picture the usher escorting him and his friends toward the stage where Daddy sat in seat 71 in the Orchestra Section. Apparently the Programme for the evening was entitled "Caresses de Femmes" (Women's Caresses). The first part was called "Le Palais des Caresses" (The Palace of Caresses). >From the photographs it's obvious that it was artfully and tastefully done. There wasn't a bump or grind or "One for the boys in the balcony!" during the whole evening's entertainment. There was a full orchestra, not just a piano player and drummer, and in looking at the artistic poses, I would imagine that it was very sedate with the ladies pirouetting and dancing slowly with an occasional pause in a pose fit for a painting or sculpture. However, there's no doubt that it was only a very high class "girlie show" in 1938. Some the acts were entitled "The Haunting Caress," "Egyptian Caresses," "Women's Duel," "Promenade Burlesque," "Aerial-fairy Scene," etc. I wonder if Daddy considered it the highlight of his entire trip! But by the same token, I was pleased to see the admission ticket in his scrapbook for the Louvre Museum! My sister Norma recalls that Daddy had told us he had viewed the original Mona Lisa and that he was surprised that it was so small (30" x 20-7/8"). I won't list all of the post card scenes he collected while in Paris but I will mention those that impressed me the most. Of course there's one of the Louve Museum and Palace, the Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees Avenue, the Rue de la Paix, and several of the magnificent Notre-Dame cathedral. All of the cards are so interesting to look at if only to see all of the vintage 1930s cars and trucks and of course how people were dressed then. While in Paris he stayed at Hotel Scribe on the corner of Rue Scribe and Boulevard Haussman(!) On hotel stationary this is what he wrote to my mother on November 26, 1938. Dear Verna, We are at the Scribe Hotel and leave tomorrow at 1 P.M. for Geneva. Our tickets were all reserved and we had no say in the matter so will have no time for shopping in Paris until we return as the stores are all closed on Saturday and Sunday. We will be rushed this afternoon and tomorrow morning trying to see a little of Paris but will try and write you a decent letter from Geneva [Switzerland] or Annecy [France]. Please do not mention anything of the trip which I may write you to anyone, especially the Chadwicks. Just say that you heard from me and let it go at that. The tentative sailing date is December 17th on the Normandie but that may be advanced as much as a week. If you desire, I would like you and the kids to meet me at the Hotel Roosevelt in New York on the return or better still, bring the kids down to the landing to see the boat come in. Mrs. [Earl] Dunn and their youngster will be there and the office should take care of you. If you need money call up Bill Morgan and ask for what you need. It is raining here now and we have just returned from the office so all we have seen of Paris so far has been from a cab. Charly