First letter, from Augustus - La primera carta, desde el Augustus

On the second of January, from the boat, Oscar wrote to his mum, who was not too happy about his loosing 30 kilos of weight from our wedding to our departure:

Dear mum,

I am starting this letter to have it ready to send when we get to Lisboa (in about 5 or 6 days).
Paty and I are having a charming crossing. We have two great beds, we eat like tigers. We are served at least five or six courses including desserts. We sun-bathe, watch films, draw and back to bed. We are not bored because there is always something to do. Except for the first few days when the boat was moving too much and Paty got a bit sea sick, we've had no complaints.
To make you happy I must tell you that I put on weight and had a hair cut, very short.
We made scale at Santos, which has a very picturesque harbour and walked about the city. It isn't marvellous but it has its charm. We had a few hours in Rio, where we got the day after. It is beautiful, with wide avenues and skyscrapers and surrounded by hills. Right next to the skyscrapers there are old buildings of a very strange colonial architecture. Patricia stumbled against every crooked slab on the pavement, the famous "carioca" pavements. That night we celebrated New Year. We had champagne, which I thought was free but ended up paying 3 pesos for, but it was still very cheap. It was Italian, vintage 1959. The waiters an stewards are charming, specially the Spaniards. They are very funny. There is a swimming pool with very clean sea water. I am very tanned and happy (happier every day) travelling as we are.
The people that came on board in Brasil are very good fun, they burst into song at the least opportunity. Well, I have not much more to tell, although it's good, life on board in not that intense. This letter is for all the family, for you, Teresa, Alicia, Carlos Gambino Santos Guarino, Tony the bad mannered, Ruben, Grandma, Aunty Delia, Antonio, Virginio, Joaquin, Fatima, Antonia and her babies (my cousins) and, if possible, for Grandma's cat. For everyone, A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Lots of kisses,
Oscar

Querida mamá:

Empiezo a escribirte así cuando llegamos a Lisboa te mando la carta (esto será en 5 o 6 días más o menos) Paty y yo estamos haciendo un viaje encantador. Tenemos dos regias camas, comemos como tigres, aquí de comer te sirven por lo menos cinco o seis platos incluyendo postres, tomamos sol, vamos al cine, dibujamos y vuelta a dormir. No nos aburrimos, siempre hay algo para entretenerse, salvo los primeros días en que el barco se movía mucho y Paty se mereó un poquito, no hay de qué quejarse. Para tu alegría, te diré que me corté el pelo bien cortito y engordé algo de tres kilos. Hicimos escala en Santos (tiene la entrada más maravillosa que te puedas imaginar) paseamos unas horas por la ciudad, que no es todo lo maravillosa que se pueda desear, pero no deja de tener encanto. En algo se parece a La Boca (del Riachuelo, en Buenos Aires). Al día siguiente llegamos a Río de Janeiro y también paseamos unas horas. Río es hermoso. tiene avenidas enormes, rascacielos altísimos, está rodeada de cerros y al lado de los rascacielos, casas antiguas de una arquitectura muy rara (casi colonial). Patricia chocaba y tropezaba con cada piedra de vereda (las famosas veredas cariocas) que le salía la paso. Esa noche celebramos a bordo el Año Nuevo. Hubo champagne (que yo creí que era gratis y me lo cobraron 3 dólares, que igual es barato, Italiano, cosecha 1959). Los camareros y los mozos son una gente encantadora, en especial los españoles, muy graciosos ellos. Hay aquí una pileta de natación con un agua de mar purísima. Yo estoy tostado por el sol y muy contento (cada vez más) de este viaje que hacemos. Los brasileros que subieron en Santos y Río son simpatiquísimos. En cada ocasión que se les presenta se ponen a cantar. Bueno, se me acaba el tema (aunque divertida, la vida a bordo no es tan intensa). Esta carta es para vos, Teresa, Alicia, Carlos Gambino Santos Guarino, Tony el maleducado, Ruben, Abuelita, tía Delia, Tony, Virginio, Joaquin, Fatima, Antonia y sus hijitos ( primos míos) y si es posible, para el gato de abuelita.
A todos FELICISIMO AÑO NUEVO!!! Besos muchos a todos,

Oscar