Letters From New York
10th July 1967
Dear Mum and Margaret,
Well, here’s the wandering boy back from his journeyings and chock full of news and views. Had to wait till late yesterday evening for your letter (it arrived on time during my absence) and, as usual, found it to be most interesting reading. Good to get the tail end news from Margaret and I’m not at all averse to being able to correspond with [text cut out] at once. Sorry to learn [text cut out] postal strike (never a dull [text cut out]) but glad it, so far, has [text cut out] things too much. Had the [text cut out] rain & floods and I [text cut out] the spirit people have [text cut out] selves to the elements [text cut out] year & one devastation [text cut out]. Good news on Margaret [text cut out] she continues to make [text cut out]. Amused at your [text cut out] she can play up now – [text cut out] laugh here at that [text cut out] later comments. Feel I [text cut out] her not to play up too much, however, as with all the things doctors are reported to be leaving in their patients these days she may find she has inadvertently left something [text cut out]??? You two seem [text cut out] pretty well together and [text cut out] both good for each other [text cut out].
[Text cut out] wouldn’t know the child [text cut out] car has been a real [text cut out] this summer and they’re [text cut out] perfectly tanned with all [text cut out] and days at the beach [text cut out] noticed quite a difference [text cut out] them having had the [text cut out] and they’re all [text cut out] fit and well. Very sorry [text cut out] news of Jim Duckworth’s death and note with glee that the Dragons have again hit the top in the Sydney Comp. with the others lagging. See too that Aust. won the 2nd League Test from the Kiwis and, indeed, am right up to date with all the sports doings, getting the papers so regularly. Joan, in the circumstances, is keeping pretty well, but finding the long hot days of summer a bit trying. Jennifer is leading her a merry chase and is developing an outlook of her own, demanding attention and coming along fine. We shudder to think – if she is sick – how she’d have been if she were well. Glad you like the names for the new one – hope we don’t ring-in twins on you!!!
Now for Montreal. My impressions were to be completely sold on the whole operation!! Left N.Y. at midnight on Wednesday & arrived at 7.45AM (on time) – which is more than can be said for the return journey where, after a 2 ½ hour delay in a bus breakdown at the Canadian border (plus traffic delays) we didn’t get in till after 10.00PM (being scheduled to arrive at 7.45!). The City, Expo and the whole organisation is marvellous – an experience which I shall never forget and which everyone should enjoy. Was sorry that Joan & the kiddies couldn’t go but happier in my own mind now (having been there) as it would have been virtually impossible for all of us to get around. The weather was perfect – nothing higher than 80° – and the crowds are streaming in at a rate of up to 350,000 a day. The total attendance (with the Fair only 2 ½ months old) will, this week, top the 20,000,000 mark!! Locals still speak with awe and pride at the changes which the past few years of preparation have wrought on the city, delightfully settled on the St Lawrence river – a waterway of which the Fair organisers have made great use.
Expo gave the city its finest (as yet small & not very extensive) subway system – to be extended later – and improve out of sight its transport services and the excavations for the subway were used to build two islands in the centre of the river which have become the principal Fair sites. Only a few minutes from the heart of the city which itself spreads to both banks of the river, access to the Fair is by this spanking new subway with beautiful new (though hot) rubber tyred noiseless trains flashing to and fro every few minutes at a fare of 30c which allows you to travel anywhere in the system. Inside the Fair grounds (entry $2.50; plus $2.50 for parking if you bring the car) you’re transferred [text cut out] on the Expo express to [text cut out] points – not the perfect [text cut out] getting about except to [text cut out] areas. Paid trans [text cut out] includes boats, barges & [text cut out] make wonderful [text cut out] & man, made canals [text cut out] trains , train like [text cut out] cabs (on the rickshaw [text cut out] hovercraft – Even so, [text cut out] moment is on foot [text cut out] are high and [text cut out] them only for the novel [text cut out] souvenir prices are tremendous and there’ll be some quite rich entrepreneurs emerge.
Singly, however, one need spend little (I imagine it would be very expensive for the family man especially venturing into the very beautiful & attractive fun park they have) except for admission & food. All the exhibits are free, but the queues enormous. Waits of three, two & a half and well over 1 ½ hours were common at the most popular all of which I was able to take in as a V.I.P., by appointment, either gaining access by special appointment or going to the top of the queue. Our Aust. pavilion did us proud with a delightfully restful atmosphere of peace & quiet. Heavily carpeted floors and walls gave evidence of the beauty & quality of our wool; and the relaxing, comfortable talking chairs were everywhere. Our guides were beautiful and attractively dressed (some 22 young girls imported from Aust. for the occasion; selected by a ex Miss Australia, Rosemary Fenton, whom I met). Many examples of our culture and artwork, coinage! development etc. etc. were on display and the kangaroo corral outside the pavilion was very popular. Now listed as 4th, the Aust.. display is fast approaching 3rd in popularity. It was through contacts at the Aust. pavilion that my short stay was so successful.
Took in the Russian (perhaps the best, I feel, highlighted by an eye-opening hour long fashion parade with real models); Czechoslovakian; Australian; British; Canadian [text cut out] big ones – and many smaller pavilions; as [text cut out] attend an International Conference of Purch [text cut out] at the same time (on Friday morning). It was [text cut out] Saturday that we were given the run of the Fair [text cut out] Quebec Chamber of Commerce. One of the [text cut out] displays was a Disney film in the Canadian Telephone Association pavilion on Canada and the most thrilling experience (amongst many) a mini rail ride around & through a beautifully lit Fair at night – though glorious by day, it takes on an even more beautiful appearance by night. Three days I was there and almost lived at the place. So much for that – I really could rave on and on. Everyone well here.
Love to you both and regards to the boys,
Bill