A Shell Which Softens the Light Beautifully

TELEPHONE NUMBER 25

MANILA HOTEL

MANILA, P.I.

CABLE ADDRESS: MANHOCO MANILA

CODES: W.U. AND A.B.C. 5^TH EDITION

 

Sallie dearest:

You can’t imagine how good it was to see real solid land again, and best of all the stars and stripes flying everywhere!  This hotel is a wonder – really the lovliest I’ve ever been in considering the climate, etc. It is so suitably built.  No ordinary doors and windows at all, but they are made of strips of wood like a lattice, and instead of glass the holes are filled with a shell which softens the light beautifully.  These slide back and forth but are open most of the time.  My room, which is enormous, and has a lovely stone balcony, looks right out on the harbor, which is filled with men-of-war and liners, and a band on one or the other is playing all day long.  Even this is so changed and improved from the way it was when we were here before.  The annual carnival, which is the event of the year is on now, and lasts a week, so everything is very gay.  People come for it even from China and Japan, but it is more or less just like other carnivals the world over.  We have been having the usual round of things, out to several luncheons and dinners, of which I am dead tired – except of the dinners on board the battleships, and I do like them, for there is generally someone I know or have heard of.

            There are hundreds of men and women here peddling embroideries, baskets, hats, etc.  and I often give them the number of my room, and then sometime during the day they come in, squat on the floor, and show me their things.  Even though the baskets are bulky and hard to send, I had to get a few and have already sent them to you to keep for me till I get home.  Left the prices on in case you might have to open them at the post office.  The tags are in Philippine money, which is just twice ours;  that is P.35 is equal to $.17 ½, so you can see how cheap they are, but all made by the natives.  I wanted to get lots more, but had such a dreadful time getting paper or boxes to put them in that I soon got discouraged.  Have sent two packages so far, so look out for them.  There is one brown basket that I thought would be so lovely with a glass jar inside filled with yellow flowers.  There are some waists too, and I want you and Mary and Shang each to select the one you like best, and have it made up.  The rest with the little card cases you can put away for me.  The waists were all three pesos (or a dollar fifty) a piece.  Aren’t they pretty for that price!  Don’t tell anyone.  And the dear little card cases are just $.38 in our money.  You will probably recognize a few – Samoan mats and a long basket and a woven thing they sometimes wear around their necks.  These were given me the day I left Samoa – and also some napkin rings and poi balls which they twirl in their hands in a certain dance.  Thought I might as well send them now, but there will be no duty on anything, as they are all made by natives belonging to the States.

                        Didn’t finish this in Manila.  Came up here to Baguio, twelve awful hours on the train, yesterday and am visiting army people here at camp John Hay.  We  have a beautiful house with the most wonderful view down through the mountains.  We are 5000 feet high and have a fire every evening.  That won’t seem funny to you at home now, but if you could have scorched in Manila the way we did and then in so short a time find this change, you could imagine how we appreciate it.  Will tell you […] later, but it is more like home than anyplace I’ve seen, and it is the greatest relief to see pine trees instead of cocoanuts. 

            You can write now c/o Consul General, Yokohama, Japan.

            Alice

Grandma has been coming the last two visits all right.  Hope she doesn’t take anymore extended vacations.

 

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The trip on which she meets E.B. Garey