Why Slides

As many of you know I am going through the process of digitalising about 3000 slides taken over several decades of travels which started in the 50s. Why so many slides? I took multiple pictures at sites with the hope that I would get at least one that was worth displaying to others. I am amazed at the number of good photos, and of course a few excellent ones. The sad part is that may films have disintegrated over the years and some are worthless. Others have lost color but can still be preserved as "Black & White" or in a Sepia format. Many have need tweaking of the color to be of interest.

About 10 years ago I started to write a memoir at my kid's request to document my WWII experiences. I expanded that into a childhood to prewar volume and also a post war document. Most of this is still in draft form, and is probably of no interest except to immediate family. However I have excerpted vignettes in the past for my blog and probably will do so in the future. Undoubtedly I will repeat what I wrote, and I beg your forgiveness if I do so,

I had written about 73 pages devoted to our travels ,which I titled " "Voyages of Discovery" I felt that the title would be appropriate.although we were not a Columbus or Drake etc., for the following reasons;

Prior to WWII, only the wealthy Americans traveled by ship to lands outside the continental United States. It is true that trans-ocean flights were possible on the “Pan Am Clippers”, large flying boats, or by Zeppelin until the Hindenburg disaster. But, those methods of transportation accompanied on a limited number of passengers, and were more expensive then the long sea voyages.

In the post war period the short range pre war Douglas DC3 and DC4, which was capable of trans-Atlantic flights, were the major passenger carriers. In 1949 the Boeing Stratocrusier was introduced for non stop Trans Atlantic flights. This aircraft was a derivative of the B24 bomber.

About the same time the Lockheed Constellation and the Douglas DC6, also descendants of wartime aircraft, entered service, permitting the movement of relatively large numbers of people at one time.

In 1968 the British Comet, the first passenger carrying jet, was introduced. This short lived plane was followed in October of that year by the highly successful Boeing 707. This aircraft had a production life of almost 30 years making it and the prewar Douglas DC3 two of the most profitable aircrafts in history.

As a consequence of the introduction of the passenger jets, our generation had opportunities no other generation had enjoyed. In hours one could be in any part of the world. Today Tibet or the Antarctica is as accesible as New York City. Moreover, in 2 to 4 weeks ones daily life would be resumed.

Regrettably, there was not enough available time to absorb this entire globe. For the average American the opening up of foreign countries with different traditions and customs truly became Voyages of Discovery."

Since many have not been able to take advantage of these opportunities, I hope you will indulge my wish to share some selected old pictures with you.

A nice picture does n ot have to be a fantastic landscape, or a beautiful lake or a portrait. It can be a simple scene like the one above, small cotages along a waterway with metropolitan skyscrapers in the background. The location is of no importance.