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The England they remember fondly

Susan Spano did a great job of taking us along to England with Adams and Jefferson ["Chasing the Founding Fathers," Oct. 25]. Makes one want to take the trip. Winston Churchill was born in Blenheim Palace in 1874 and is buried in a very plain site in the small Bladon Church, across the street from the very elegant palace. Quite a statement about his elegance.

-- Dick Mason, Redondo Beach

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I was born and raised in England of American parents. I enlisted and served in the U.S. Navy at the American Embassy in London during 1942-43. Spano's article was a delight for me, and I am sending it to my cousins in England. I am sure they will be as surprised as I was to learn of this episode.

When I visited Grosvenor Square a couple of years ago, for old times' sake, I was appalled by our monstrous embassy building, which ruins the beautiful square. At least the Canadians are taking good care of the old embassy.

-- Allen Curtis, Palos Verdes Estates

Berlin's history comes alive in art

Regarding "New Memories of Berlin" by Nancy Hoyt Belcher [Nov. 1]. I traveled to Berlin by myself in late August and was totally unprepared for the vastness of the city as well as the friendliness of everyone I encountered.

My most outstanding experience, however, occurred when I visited three major art exhibits that documented life in Berlin (and Russia) before 1989 and after.

I was unaware of the impact on the residents of East Berlin, whose life and culture were essentially wiped out, not to mention the significance to the lives of West Berliners who were suddenly confronted with a culture they had never been able to view firsthand.

-- Ruth Kramer Ziony, Los Feliz

Martini: Cheers or send it back?

Regarding Susan Spano's "In a Martini Mood," [Nov. 1]. Many years ago I stayed, with friends, at the Château de Marcay in Chinon in France's Loire Valley. I asked the young bartender for a martini, and he indicated he didn't know how. His broken English was better than my broken French, so, using broken English and hand signs, we created an excellent, very dry martini.

Almost immediately, a waiter came up to the service bar and said, in French, that an American wanted a martini. The bartender turned to me with huge eyes. I watched him carefully prepare a perfect martini, straight up, ice cold, stirred, two drops of vermouth and a speared olive, which was delivered to the American. Moments later, the waiter returned and told the bartender that the American said it was the best martini he'd had in Europe. The bartender turned to me. We high-fived.

-- Robert B. Fuller, Pasadena

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I'd like to nominate Spano's article for the worst travel article of the year. If she wants an American martini and an American bar, she can stay in one of many cookie-cutter hotels worldwide operated by major American chains.

-- Bill Ireland, Venice

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