Holiday Highlights
As a child I went to a number of countries during the late 1960s, and early 1970s. They were France, Germany, Portugal, and notably Spain which was visited three times. What follows are just some holiday highlights that happened along with a number of historic places visited. First on the list was something amusing in Portugal.
( I should add that the links to places visited may not be complete in the sense that I may have forgotten one or more of the sites visited. It was all a long time ago).
Portugal
Marriage, and Funerals..................!
When I went with mater, and pater via ship to Lisbon, the light was so bright, and sunny that it was almost impossible to see anything. Continually, one had to shield one's gaze by means of the hand to act as a shade to perceive anything properly. The most remarkable thing I saw apart from the famous statuesque monument to the Discoverers was a Church. On one side of it, a number of couples were lined up to it for their weddings. Bizarrely, on the other side of the Church was a line of several coffins, and mourners queued up for a funeral service......
Marriage, and Funerals..................!
When I went with mater, and pater via ship to Lisbon, the light was so bright, and sunny that it was almost impossible to see anything. Continually, one had to shield one's gaze by means of the hand to act as a shade to perceive anything properly. The most remarkable thing I saw apart from the famous statuesque monument to the Discoverers was a Church. On one side of it, a number of couples were lined up to it for their weddings. Bizarrely, on the other side of the Church was a line of several coffins, and mourners queued up for a funeral service......
Lisbon
Another thing happened in Paris. When I was out, and about I put my finger onto, or rather into what remained of the Traffic Light button. Instead of a protective plastic button of sorts, I touched a live wire, and it gave me a sudden jolt. It felt just as if a horse, or donkey had hit me with its powerful leg, or legs! Quite an electrifying experience for a young boy to have had...need we say more!
Germany
I went to number of places in Germany in 1972 such as Stuttgart, and Munich, and made a memorable visit to the famous fairy tale Castle of Lichtenstein. At one point, I was at a German Beer Festival , and was "made" to drink lots of beer even though I was a child...But it all got too much... ....Along with the singing, and music...I slipped fainting under the table!
The Tallest Spire in the World
Ulm is the birthplace of Albert Einstein. It also happened to have the largest spire in the world. With an adult called Joe, a German friend I recall winding up the stone steps that lead to "heaven", During the ascent one got some marvellous panoramic views of Ulm itself via the openings in the spire. It was quite an exhilarating experience. The following is a video of someone who did the same "trip"...
Spain
I visited many places in the northern regions of Spain including Corunna with its famous remarably preserved Roman "lighthouse" (the so-called Tower of Hercules) as well as the ruins of a settlement "nearby" of the same kind of time period. I went to see the noted cave paintings of Altamira; Satiago di Compostella and the Cathedral dedicated to St James; Soria; el Escorial monastic palace (where Philip II is said to have ordered the Armada to invade England); Madrid; Leon, Avila; the Valley of the Fallen (in the Spanish civil war)....etc.
One thing I did not like about the Spain was the food. It seemed rather primitive back in the early 1970s. When you had paella you had everything and anything else thrown into it. When you had a chicken it was just that ....virtually without any kind of any accompaniment. Most of the time I ate cheese on toast or bean soup which was reasonably pleasant. Nearly all of food was covered in olive oil including crisps!!
Sometimes as a child I could be naughty and at one point went around shouting Gibraltar! Gibraltar! Gibraltar! to Spanish people fairly close by.
France
The Student Protests, and a "Shock".....................
I did not see a great deal of Paris. Mater, pater, and myself were infact holed up in a hotel room during the Student Protests of 1968. When I looked out of the windows the streets were silent, empty, and people less...for quite a long while. It seemed strange, and somehow surreal. But we had to remain in our hotel rooms to avoid any possible contact, and trouble with the Protest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_1968_events_in_France
The Student Protests, and a "Shock".....................
I did not see a great deal of Paris. Mater, pater, and myself were infact holed up in a hotel room during the Student Protests of 1968. When I looked out of the windows the streets were silent, empty, and people less...for quite a long while. It seemed strange, and somehow surreal. But we had to remain in our hotel rooms to avoid any possible contact, and trouble with the Protest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_1968_events_in_France
Another thing happened in Paris. When I was out, and about I put my finger onto, or rather into what remained of the Traffic Light button. Instead of a protective plastic button of sorts, I touched a live wire, and it gave me a sudden jolt. It felt just as if a horse, or donkey had hit me with its powerful leg, or legs! Quite an electrifying experience for a young boy to have had...need we say more!
| La tour Eiffel | |
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Germany
I went to number of places in Germany in 1972 such as Stuttgart, and Munich, and made a memorable visit to the famous fairy tale Castle of Lichtenstein. At one point, I was at a German Beer Festival , and was "made" to drink lots of beer even though I was a child...But it all got too much... ....Along with the singing, and music...I slipped fainting under the table!
The Tallest Spire in the World
Ulm is the birthplace of Albert Einstein. It also happened to have the largest spire in the world. With an adult called Joe, a German friend I recall winding up the stone steps that lead to "heaven", During the ascent one got some marvellous panoramic views of Ulm itself via the openings in the spire. It was quite an exhilarating experience. The following is a video of someone who did the same "trip"...
Ulm
World War III..............
As a child I walked along a German road with family, and friends I would often pull down small levers of sweet machines. This habit was to cause trouble....On one occasion, I pulled down the lever of a certain "sweet machine"...... then, I noticed a sign of a thunder bolt on it. Apparently, it was an alarm to warn people that Germany was being attacked by the Soviets!! In effect, it sent a message to the German air forces to be on the alert. Anyway, I saw through the wire netting a rather plump red faced German in military gear shoot out of his hut. He was indignant about the false alarm, but my family, and friends diffused the situation, and said it was all an error...! In effect, I nearly caused World War III by accident.....
A Spy?
As we walked around on our German holiday, our friend Joe became increasingly suspicious of two people following us in plain clothes. He later challenged them, and it transpired that they thought I was a child spy! Quite ridiculous. I was no Joe 90!
Munich Olympics...
With pater's cine camera I reached the top of a huge tower (very similar to the Post Office Tower in London), and filmed the huge ongoing construction of the Olympic Game's site. It was quite a sight (no pun intended!) . Sadly, it was also destined to be associated with a tragedy in which Israeli athletes were massacred.....
World War III..............
As a child I walked along a German road with family, and friends I would often pull down small levers of sweet machines. This habit was to cause trouble....On one occasion, I pulled down the lever of a certain "sweet machine"...... then, I noticed a sign of a thunder bolt on it. Apparently, it was an alarm to warn people that Germany was being attacked by the Soviets!! In effect, it sent a message to the German air forces to be on the alert. Anyway, I saw through the wire netting a rather plump red faced German in military gear shoot out of his hut. He was indignant about the false alarm, but my family, and friends diffused the situation, and said it was all an error...! In effect, I nearly caused World War III by accident.....
A Spy?
As we walked around on our German holiday, our friend Joe became increasingly suspicious of two people following us in plain clothes. He later challenged them, and it transpired that they thought I was a child spy! Quite ridiculous. I was no Joe 90!
Munich Olympics...
With pater's cine camera I reached the top of a huge tower (very similar to the Post Office Tower in London), and filmed the huge ongoing construction of the Olympic Game's site. It was quite a sight (no pun intended!) . Sadly, it was also destined to be associated with a tragedy in which Israeli athletes were massacred.....
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