Travel Biography - Photo Extravaganza - Part 1.

Introduction.

At the foot of last week's Index, I wrote that I'll be posting the Christmas Photo Extravaganza covering the whole Travel Biography. Looking through the albums and slides, I realised that posting the entire Biography on just one week's blog would be too impractical. Therefore, the display would be divided into several parts over the coming weeks, each week specifying a certain venue or group of venues. All the photos are my own, there will be no stock pictures. Furthermore, all venues will be set in chronological order.

The photo display is significant, as it reveals Travel as it was up to 52 years ago when in 1972 we (a college friend and I) took our first trip overseas without our parents. We were both 19 at the time when we flew from Gatwick to Gerona Airport in Spain for eleven days at the Costa Brava. In 1975, I went to visit Rome, and back then, the Basilica of St Peter, the Colosseum, the Forum, and the Circus Maximus were free to enter, with no queues, and no need for security gates. 

Likewise, a year later in 1976, access to Hezekiah's Tunnel, or the Tunnel of Siloam, was free and consisted of a short flight of steps leading straight into a cave-like entrance at Gihon Spring, located at the foot of a cliff, directly from the street. By checking a couple of Internet sites, I found out that entry into the Tunnel is, at present, part of a tour into the recently excavated City of David, and there is an entrance fee to the site, which is near Dung Gate of Jerusalem's Old City.

Likewise, St Peter's Basilica, in 1975, was fully accessible, and one could walk straight up and enter through one of its main doors, like that of any church. Nowadays, although entry into the basilica itself is still free, there is a long queue as every visitor must pass through Security before being allowed in. Also, ranger-led tours are available with a skip-the-line scheme which raises the price of the tour.

As you browse these 35 photos, especially that of the Holy Land, one issue stands out - the lack of crowds. Indeed, some people were milling around the Dome of the Rock but looked to be a group of escorted tourists.  And where the Holy Land is concerned, over the years the vast majority of tourists were in escorted groups, especially Christian pilgrimage holidays. A lone Christian backpacker was a rare sight in the Holy Land.

However, I was with only one other person whilst inside the Tunnel of Siloam, and he lived almost directly above it. He was a member of the Muslim family who was tasked to look after the site and allowed visitors in - back then quite seldom. Nowadays, the Tunnel is part of the City of David archaeological site and crowds buy tickets to enter. Therefore, on a busy day, the Tunnel can get crowded with tourists.

The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem was very much the same. In 1976, I approached the building from the street, entered the Eastern Orthodox church and made my way downstairs to the crypt where the star is located. There were only one or two other people in the crypt. At present, so I heard through the grapevine, a wait of up to two hours separates one's arrival at the church and actually gazing at the star, due to the crowds.

A word on St Peter's House in Capernaum. In 1976, the site remained the original area of archaeology, open to the sky and featuring the remains of several octagonal churches built over the centuries. At present, there is a modern Catholic church built on legs to suspend it directly over the site and with a glass floor through which visitors can see the site directly below. To me, this modern atrocity has no place over the ruins, as the contrast between new and old makes the edifice stand out like a sore thumb. No doubt, some would disagree.

Hence, these photos show what life was like during my younger days before mass tourism took hold.

All the photos displayed on this week's page are original. They were from the acetate film on which either 12 or 24 square negatives measuring 62x62 mm were taken. Thus, editing of each one was required.

For the Biography Index, click here.

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The Photo Display.

These are pics of the 1972 trip to Spain.

View of Tossa-de-Mar, a resort on the Costa Brava.

Beach seen from the Castle, Tossa-de-Mar.

Posing in front of the ruins.

At the Bullring, Barcelona.

Italy - 1973, 1975.

 

At the Crater, Mt Vesuvius, Italy 1973.

Inside the Crater, Mt Vesuvius.

                                     

Temple of Jupiter, Pompeii, 1973.

The Amphitheatre, Pompeii.

                                       

Basilica St Peter, Vatican City, 1975.

View of St Peter's Square from the Cupola.

10 of the 12 Apostles on the Basilica's Roof.

In 1976, I spent three weeks in the Holy Land, the first of the four trips to the Middle East.

Approaching Temple Mount, Jerusalem, 1976.

The Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem.

The Russian Orthodox Church, Mt of Olives.

The Western Wall.

The Chapel of the Ascension, Mt of Olives.

I Entered Hezekiah's Tunnel with one other person.

I look up at the high section of the Tunnel.

In the middle of the Tunnel. A candle gives light.

Ow! I bump my head on the low ceiling. I wasn't hurt.

General view of Bethlehem.

                                      

The Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem.

The 14-prong star marks the site of the Saviour's Birth.

At the Star of Bethlehem with one other person.

The Synagogue in Capernaum. Jesus was here.

Another view of the Synagogue.

Fishing boats at the Sea of Galilee, 1976.

Looking south towards Tiberias from Capernaum.

St. Peter's House, Capernaum, as it was in 1976.

On the cruiser to Tiberias from Capernaum.

The Church of the Annunciation, Nazareth.

Approaching Jericho and its ancient Tel.

Detail of Ancient Jericho.

At Hebron, Tombs of the Patriarchs.

About to float on the Dead Sea.

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Next Week: North America 1977 and possibly 1978.