Evening star., 1941-10-05
BY JACQUES FUTRELLE, Jr.,
Troy oil

Lost in the horrors of war but
still treasured memories of tourists
who knew little or nothing OF any
language but English, are the con-
tables that many famed
restaurants in the Old World main
tanned to give the stranger at least
a sketchy grounding in the tongue
Of the host country. With countless
other niceties which Europe had de-
veloped to make travel intriguing
and entertaining as well as educa-
tional, these were drowned in the
echoes of war. Mo-
events have obscured even
more important things in the realm
of travel, but the conversational
tables were a treat for one-language
tourists and have reappeared in the
New World, where they serve as an
incidental aid to the Good Neighbor
policy.
First to adopt the idea in Cuba,
as far as can be ascertained, was the
Naeional Hotel, which recently
brought in instructors to preside at
Spanish conversational tables in its
restaurant for the luncheon and
dinner hours. Except for perhaps a
tip. the service is provided free to
all visitors in Havana who elect to
have luncheon or dinner at the
hotel. The decision of the manage
ment to give tourists working
for independent sight
seeing was one of the guiding
thoughts in setting aside the tables,
the conversation may be
turned into channels benefiting the
more advanced student.
The management forbids the in
structors to accept engagements for
private lessons, so there will be no
effort to develop a class aside from
those provided by the hotel.
One of the puzzles that have been
vaguely troublesome to Mexico for
years is: What should the Mexican
call the visitor from the United
States? The fact that such a prob
lem exists is being called to the at
tention of American travellers by
the Mexican Tourist Association,
which maintains an Office in Chi
cago as we'll as in Mexico City. And
are wanted.
The recent Inter- American Travel
Congress at Mexico City raised the
problem anew when it decided to
group, organizationally, the United
States, Canada and Mexico as North
America. Other groupings were
America, South America
and the Antilles Group.
Good relations between the two
countries elimipate a couple of the
better known appellations. Yankee"
necessarily is taboo, for while the
New Englander might take no Of
fense, it would CRATE to the point of
belligerency on the visitors whose
forebears fought for the Confed-
eracy. Unless the American becomes
the intimate friend of a Mexican,
"gringo' is likely to strike dis
cordant note. "Norte- te-Americano"
has been eliminated by the Travel
Congress grouping as too general
for distinction.
So, the Mexican Tourist Associa-
ton wants the answer. No prize has
been announced for a solution, un-
less, perhaps. it is satisfaction in
having contributed to this phase of
Pan American relations. Suggestions
should be sent to the association
Office at 201 North Wells street, Chi
cago, Ill.
The diversion-adopted from the
natives by sophisticated travellers
of peering into underseas life
through a glass-bottom bucket helo
a few inches below the surface is not
called peering into underseas life
through a glaSs-bottom bucket. 1t
has simple name in the Bahamas
Projin just now is quite a fad
around New Providence Island. on
which Nassau is located. The bucket
shuts out surface reflection, opening
a window for looking at the fasci-
mating coral formations, the brightly
colored fish and odd sea plants. lazily
swinging in the underSeaS current.
A light Skiff or dinghy is recon-
mended for progin. for it can be
Skulled into shallow waters and to
remote coves. There play the tiny
angel fish and the sergeant ma jors.
Southern California S Sun Festival,
a winter-long pageant of events in
augurated only last year, but already
well known, opens in November with
such celebrations as Santa Cata-
lina's "Olden Golden Days" Posadas
ceremonies and Cucamongas amigos
de los vineros day.
More than 300 fiestaS, civic parties,
sporting events and other attrac-
tions of interest to tourists will be
held during the winter months. For
November, they include:
November l to March 31-"Olden
Golden Days." Avalon, Santa Cata-
lima Island. Islanders wear Span
ish costumes, recreate atmosphere
of early Spanish California. Stroll
ing troubadours and street dancers
meet boats, making fiesta to honor
new arrivals and in farewell to de-
parting visitors.
November Annual Turkey Day
Ramona. Exhibitors
from all parts of California, Idaho,
Utah and Washington. Turkey ex-
hibit, costume parade, floats, horse
show. Dawn-to-dark vaudeville with
stage, radio and screen stars. Bath
ing beauty contestants in costumes
made from turkey feathers.
November Annual Fiesta of the
Nations, Balboa Park, San Diego.
Representative of Is nations put on
programs and serve native foods.
Through November 2-Southern
California Flower Show, Brookside
Park, Pasadena. Showing of fall
flowers and floral arrangements.
Entries from 100 cities and towns in
California, "a States and Canada.
November to (tentative)-
Border days, Calexico. Frontier
days celebration in border town ad-