CITY GETTING READY FOR DEMO CONVENTION

By Bob Van Leer

  (NEW YORK, NY, July 11, 1992) - We arrived back in the United States this afternoon on an Iberia Airlines flight from Madrid.

  We enjoy traveling, but after more than two weeks overseas it is a relief to be back where we can understand conversations, read newspapers and follow what is happening on TV.

  The day started in Lisbon, Portugal, with an early morning drive to the airport and then an hour's flight to Madrid, Spain. There we boarded a Boeing 747 for the 7.5 hour flight to JFK Airport at New York.

Mystery Resolved

  In the Madrid airport one mystery was solved.

  I saw a bottle of port wine and on the label was a black silhouette of a man in a cape and the brand name was Sandeman. We saw this silhouette in Portugal high on a hill and wondered what it was.

  It's a good example of assuming too much in advertising. The company assumed that everyone knows what Sandeman is.

  In fact, everyone never knows a product so ads shouldn't forget the basics like who you are and what you sell.

Regaining Time

  On the return trip we are regaining 6 of 9 hours we lost in traveling east. It's now 8 p.m. in New York and still light outside, but in Spain it is 2 a.m.

  A gypsy cabbie took us from JFK airport to the Salisbury Hotel on Manhattan Island a couple of blocks from Broadway and Central Park. Carnegie Hall is right across the street.

  Gerry Frank, long-time aid to Sen. Mark Hatfield and author of a book on New York, recommended this hotel and it is very satisfactory. In the past years we've paid more for less in New York.

  It is not a new hotel but there is room in the rooms and the location is excellent.

  Grandson Chris Johnson and I went out for a walk. We strolled down Broadway to Times Square looking into shops but not buying much.

Subway Terminal

  We went down into a subway terminal so he could see what one looks like - loud, dirty and busy.

  On Broadway there were several activities related to the Democratic convention opening Monday.

  At the Holiday Inn there was a Dixieland band and a welcoming delegation for delegates staying there.

  On the way into town I commented to the cabbie about the amount of graffiti on the buildings.

  He was a little put out and said a lot of it had been cleaned up to present a better image for the convention.

  Early in the morning we will head back to JFK to catch a United Airlines flight for our final leg home.

  (The trip home was long, but uneventful. We made all our connections, our baggage arrived with us in Medford and our van was still waiting for us. It was a good trip but we were ready to get home.

  I always come back from overseas trips with a greater appreciation of what we have here at home. Compared to most of the world, we have a good thing going here.)