My diary - March 31-April 2, 1972
- Susan Fisch Good
- Mar 22, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 14
March 31, 1972 Fri.
Dear Diary:
It’s Good Friday. Yesterday it was the last supper. Jesus died today at the age of 33. We went on KLM first class. Guess who I sat next too! Pedro Saad, a good friend of Fidel Castro, he too
I think a Communist. He wasn't at all how I thought a Communist would be. he’s very nice. We stopped in Caracas, Curacao & Panama. Spent the day in “La Sieta” Hotel in Panama. I played ping-pong, shofel board & swam. I met a girl named Mary or Mari she played volleyball etc in the pool. Very nice. We ate downstairs. I had a um! Chocolate sundae yum!
BYE!!
Note: How exciting now to realize I sat next to a famous Ecuadorian politician but at the time had no idea. He was very kind to a 14-year-old stranger on a long flight. We stayed at La Siesta Hotel where the flight crews stayed. It had a wonderful pool.
April 1, 1972 Sat.
Dear Diary:
I fell & broke my neck & arm… APRIL FOOLS day! Ha! Ha! We got up around 4:30 a.m. Ate downstairs & went to airport. Copas new electrolyte airplane is beautiful. We stopped in Costa Rica supposebly for 15 min. but then one of the flaps broke so then for 2 or 3 hours. A little boy was traveling by himself to Managua so we took him with us around airport. Dad called Mclungs & they came to the airport with Hernan, adopted son. It ended up that we spended the night in Costa Rica, rest went (& boy) on Taca but we aren’t paying passengers. Mclungs took us kids, bowling & to eat at McDonalds yum! Were staying at El President hotel. We went to their house & then all ate in our hotel.
BYE!
Note: I did have a great sense of humor at that time!
The McClungs had been stationed in Nicaragua and were good friends of my parents. They were originally from Montana. Their daughter Kerry was older than me but I remember her coming to our house with her parents and putting on her makeup for a date. She showed me how to make a cat eye look which my parents would not let me do.
April 2, 1972 Sun.
Dear Diary:
Happy Easter! We forgot all about it. McClungs took us to the airport at 6. Got up at 15 to 5. They frisked us when we left Costa Rica. We arrived in Nic. in same airplane as the Copa yesterday. I drank coffee yesterday alittle & alittle today on airplane. We came home, went to 9:00 mass. I called Missy talked quite awhile of course! Mom unpacked I helped alot. Well I took a nap. Read on “Girlpower!” It’s pretty stupid. I talked to Missy. Becky left her purse on the plane from Spain. I’m praying for it.
BYE!
Note: “Girlpower!" and “Tender Loving Care” were the books I had bought at the Miami Airport that my parents said I couldn’t read but either my parents relented or I sneaked and read them without their knowledge.
Drinking coffee wasn’t something I enjoyed until I moved to Puerto Rico and learned to drink “cafe con leche” which is strong coffee with lots of milk. I drink a large one every morning to start my day off with a smile.
The "electrolyte" airplane would have been Copa's Lockheed Electra, of which 1 or 2 was bought from Eastern. Cool plane!
Us kids were only allowed to order café con leche, as they probably thought we were high-strung enough. Costa Rica had the best coffee ever!! Always brewed by pouring boiling water thru a bolsita (sock-like thing). Too strong for a standard cup, it was always drank in a demitasse (sp?). So you either ordered a Café con leche (standard cup, lots of milk) or a "tinto" ("ink") in a demitasse.
Post-covid, I don't taste things like I used to, and caffeine is hard on me, so I'm mostly on herbal tea now.
An Easter time to remember for sure. You met a few well known people on this adventure! I flew in Taca when I went to Coastal Rican mission trip with Church St people - pretty bumpy ride. Never took to coffee , but like hot tea with little milk at times😊 hope your sister was able to get purse back. Happy Semana Santa!🤗
Wonderful adventures and sharing a long flight with a real communist - extra exciting. Susie, please tell us did your prayers result in Becky's purse showing up? Tootsie
Oh yes, chocolate and coffee…….two more things that haven’t changed!
Kh