Reminiscence 2 (Picture Blog)

Yes, it's Christmas! Therefore during this festive season I have minimised wording for a library of sixty photos which I hope you'll enjoy. Centred entirely on travel - and I mean TRAVEL - not the sun-seeker's Bucket-and-Spade selfies or beach sandcastle scenes! All the photos here were taken by me, except one, which was taken on request by a passer-by.

Set #1: Israel.

Western or Wailing Wall, Jerusalem, taken 1994.

Orthodox Jews, celebrating the start of their Sabbath - 1993.

Damascus Gate, Jerusalem - 1993

A typical Souk, Jerusalem, following a Roman street, 1993.

Traditional site of the Crucifixion, C. Holy Sepulchre, 1993

Alex my wife at Eilat, Red Sea, 19 weeks pregnant with our 1st daughter, AD 2000

The beauty of the turquoise Red Sea, Eilat, taken AD 2000.

Underwater shot #1 whilst snorkelling.

Underwater shot #2

Underwater shot #3

Underwater shot #4

Set #2 United States - all taken 1995.

The Grand Canyon - Come on! Where else?

On the way down

Battleship Rock, off South Rim.

Half way down - Indian Gardens

About to enter the Devil's Corkscrew, Inner Gorge.

Arriving at the Colorado River, Grand Canyon N.P.

Zoroaster Temple Butte dominates the River.

Bright Angel Creek, on its way to join the Colorado River

Donkeys at Phantom Ranch, near Bright Angel Creek.

Inner Gorge and Colorado River, from Plateau Point.

Recognising and honouring God's creative power.

San Diego Harbour.

Towards La Jolla, just North of San Diego.

Near La Jolla, Southern California

La Jolla Inlet.

Set #3 Australia - all taken 1997.

This is Cairns, North Queensland

Esplanade, Port Douglas, North Queensland.

Macona Inlet, Whitsunday Islands

A typical Mangrove, Arlie Beach, Queensland.

Mangroves at Arlie Beach

Distant view of Arlie Beach.

Mangrove board-walk, Brisbane Botanical Gardens.

Brisbane Park Gardens

Reflections, Brisbane Park Gardens.

Lake McKenzie, Fraser Island, the world's cleanest lake at the world's largest sandbank.

Blue Mountains National Park, New South Wales.

Blue Mountains N.P.

Start of the rainforest trail, Blue Mountains N.P.

A tall Waterfall, rainforest trail, Blue Mountains

The more famous Three Sisters, Blue Mountains.

Sydney Opera House

Sydney Harbour

Sydney Monorail

Set #4: Lake District, UK - all taken April 2016.

Typical Northern English town - Windermere, gateway to the Lakes.

Tropical aquarium at our hotel dining room. For me, so inspiring!

On a cruiser at Lake Windermere.

The old Apple Storehouse, Ambleside.

Ambleside Harbour, Lake Windermere.

Plenty of swans here!

Aire Force Waterfall, near Lake Ullswater.

Aire Force Creek continues to the Lake.

Lake Ullswater under heavy cloud - as British you can get!

Lake Grasmere.

A distant waterfall cascades towards Lake Thirlmere.

Lake Derwent Water.

Snow-topped mountains back Lake Derwent Water.

My beloved gazes across the Lake

Back at Lake Windermere.

And finally, a shot of us at Bournemouth, UK.

We wish all our readers a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year ahead. Back with words next week.