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[[underlined]] April 6 [[/underlined]]
Woke up looking out at Leme Beach, where lots of people were already gathering at the water's edge by ~ 8:00 a.m. String bikinis of the minutest sort on the young and beautiful. Had breakfast in the dining room of the Leme Palace -- crowded, but we were seated after only a short wait. Luscious mamao, as usual, plus corn flakes and rice crispies - the first cereal weve seen in weeks. 

After breakfast Tom called Waltour, the agent that did not meet us last night or pay ^[[for]] our "prepaid" room at the Ouro Verde. Very apologetic and promised reparation. Then Tom called Pan Am, hoping they are still on strike and we could fly home Varig. No such luck. Pan Am will fly us to Miami Thurs. night, but cannot get us to Boston until about 5:30 pm Friday. They doubt that Eastern, with earlier connection from N.Y. will take a Pan Am ticket. Then, Tom called the Ouro Verde. Actually, he went over there and found the same man at the desk as last night. He was very helpful and said he could get us a room by noon -- perhaps not in front, but we could move in front in a day or two. So we packed up again. Before we left room 801 in the Leme Palace, we received a call from Waltour. The agent's rep. had met our plane (???), reported us as a no-show, and so they cancelled w. the Ouro Verde, not wanting to pay for our room without us in it. (The help obviously needs to be told to meet flights by number, inquire if they are late, and

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wait for them). We paid for service and convenience we did not get. The agent apologized & Tom said - OK, "We're getting used to it." Without knowing any Portuguese we would get as far as from here to the corner. 

Just before noon we checked out & took a taxi to the nearby Ouro Verde -- were ushered into room 801 IN THE FRONT!! A beautiful view of the beach from a familiar angle. We love it. This is a truly nice Swiss-run hotel. We remember the silver-haired manager of 30 years ago, and his gracious, dark-haired wife. They dined at a corner table in the dining room. He sometimes saw guests to their vehicles as they departed the hotel. Today, the layout is the same and some of the decor also. We were delighted to be here. Had lunch of a huge abocate with shrimp, and mushroom gratinée, cake, papaya, cafezinho. Then we unpacked, sent some clothes for pressing & ^[[full]] laundry, and I called America.

Things are bad with Dan. He is in the hospital. She said it has been one thing after another for five months. First, arthritis; second, phlebitis; reaction to medicines, and now difficulty passing urine. He will have an operation soon; meanwhile they want to do an examination which requires a special apparatus, of which there are only 3 in Rio; Two are broken down & the other one across the city. Alan has been home recently, and Dan Jr. is here now, sleeping at hospital w. Dan. Amena sleeps home where her mother is ailing. She said they are so disapponted to be in this state because they had looked forward so much to seeing us. Most of Dan's friends are gone -- only two left -- & he wanted

Transcription Notes:
mamao = Brazilian papaya cafezinho = Brazilian style coffee