Online Scrapbook Of Travel Photos: Pages From Travel Websites, About Visits To Europe And Asia.

How many scrapbooks have you started? How many scrapbooks have you put away in a safe place, and then forgotten about them? How many times have you gone searching for something in all the drawers and cupboards, and then come across a scrapbook that brought back a lot of happy memories? Most people are likely to say, 'Many times!'.

When preparing a webpage to put on one of the Asia websites, I needed a particular photo of a young Kungfu student standing on one leg on a pole. That search lasted about four minutes when I 'discovered' a scrapbook about a visit to Spain that took place more than 50 years ago. It was a train and ferry journey on the way out from London to Madrid, that took longer than scheduled. In Madrid I found a room in a family boarding house, and as soon as I was left alone, I was on the bed and fast asleep. In the later part of the afternoon I was woken by the House Mother who wanted to know if I was OK, on the assurances that I was just exhausted, she left the room. In the early evening she was back in the room again to tell me that dinner would soon be ready. Time to get up and join the other guests!

Bullfights And Wartime Planes Remembered In Online Scrapbook Of Memories.

The scrapbook of that visit to Spain was full of photos taken by myself, and photos taken by Paul from Switzerland. The scrapbook also had some postcards bought in Madrid, Toledo, and Seville. Just looking through all the scrapbook items was like visiting the places again, and remembering incidents that had been tucked away in my unconcious mind. At the dinner table I joined Paul and also Hans from Germany, both able to speak some english, so we were friends together. I ate 'paella' for the first time, in which there were some prawns causing me some trouble, so Paul demonstrated the art of skinning them! Two days later, Paul, Hans, and I went to see a bullfight, and paid extra for seats in the shade. It was not something I enjoyed, but bullfighting was part of the Spanish way of life. On another day Paul and I went by train from Madrid to the town of Toledo, perched on a hill, and having a reputation for the making of swords. On the way back to Madrid in late afternoon, the train was stopped for some reason or another. The setting sun turned the sky into a blazing display of color, that Paul was determioned to photograph, so he jumped out of the stationary train. Suddenly the train started to move again; Paul rushed to the steps and I grabbed hold of him to get him aboard. I called him, 'Crazy Paul', he called me, 'Bloody englishman' All these memories revealed in the pages of a forgotten scrapbook!

A few days later we left Hans in Madrid, as he was having to return to Germany, then Paul and I travelled by train to Sevilla, where Paul stayed for one night before going on to Granada, and I spent a few days in Sevilla before flying back to Madrid. On the Sunday of my visit there was a swimming race in the River Quadalquiver, that created a lot of excitement, and the event was certainly enjoyed by the people of Seville. From Seville I 'flew' back to Madrid in what seemed to be a propeller driven, war surplus Dakota. Compared to modern planes, the takeoff and landing were rather bumpy. It was my first journey by 'plane........ my next flight would be in plane of modern design with all the creature comforts of modern travel, from London to Hongkong. I am sure that there is a scrapbook somewhere about that first visit to China, and that more pages will be added to this online scrapbook of memories.

''''' Scrapbooks
The advent of scanners, desktop publishing, page layout programs, and advanced printing options make it relatively easy to create professional-looking layouts in digital form. The internet allows scrapbookers to self-publish their work, even if it is just for a readership of one. Scrapbooks that exist completely in digital image form are referred to as "digital scrapbooks," or "computer scrapbooks." Src: Wikipedia.com. '''''