The Post War European Trip Collection-Finally, Some Snapshots

Is it Bill, criticized for his drinking and swearing in the letter home?  I haven't a clue as to how many people went on this European trip.  Gloria Lee, and Bill are the only two that have been named.  Too, I'd love to know if it was a chaperoned trip.  I tend to think it was.

So, the second and third photos in the column have something written on the back.  "The cathedral at Orleans (if you look closer you'll see yourself!)"  On the far right side of the print, standing next to the bus is a woman, who I'm guessing is Gloria Lee.  The next print down, "Arc du Carrousel and Tuileries Gardens Paris."  Pay attention, the lady on the far right might be seen in the next post.

And of course, click on The Post War European Trip Collection to see more.  Or, wait until the next post, and all will be available for viewing.

The Post War European Trip Collection-Swiss Postcards.

I'm back.  It took a few days but I've replaced the used monitor I bought five years ago.  I spent a few days looking in thrift stores, finally gave up and decided to buy new.  It's really hard to find good computer equipment, on sale, without a computer.  Come on people, put some advertisements in the newspaper.  I swear, I'm not cheap, just perpetually short of money.

So, we know that Gloria Jean visited a handful of countries on her bicycle tour of Europe. England, France, Switzerland,  and Italy.  All of which are connected.  What we don't know is the order.  Too, we know that she got to Europe on a ship, so it seems reasonable that she went back to the U.S. in the same way.  Logically, as an example, start in England, a channel ferry to France, then Switzerland, and then a big finish in Italy, another country with seaports. Or the opposite.

The top two postcards clearly started life as photographs, and the third, another illustration.  The top one is of a city in Switzerland, Thun. Apart from the caption on the front of the card, there is one on the back, in French, "Thoune et la Blumlisalp."   The middle one in the column has a caption on the back, "No. 2711 Lauterbrunnental Staubbach."  And the bottom, "No 2372 Chapelle Saint-Jean, Val d'Annivers (Suisse)"  Here's a good question, Switzerland has three national languages, French, German and Italian. Why is that all the Swiss material in this collection is either in French or German, but not Italian?

So, click on The Post War European Trip Collection in labels to see more.  Only two more posts to go.

The Post war European Trip Collection-Florence 3

Only a few more posts to go and this collection will be done.  This one is the last without at least some photograph based image.  Captions top to bottom, "Ponte Vecchio (The old bridge)," "The Pitti Palace and view of the cathedral," "Piazzale Michelangelo," "General view (Panorama)."  Just think, only a few more posts, and it will be possible to click on The Post War European Collection in labels and see everything I've got on Gloria Lee and her cycling trip of Europe.   

The Post War European Trip Collection-Florence 2

The English captions, top to bottom.  "Cathedral's view," "Ponte Vechio (The old bridge)," "A view of the Arno with the bridge of S. Trinita."  "Grazie Bridge."  Once again, click on The Post War European Collection in labels to see more. 

The Post War European Trip Collection-Florence 1

Alright, I get how Roma gets us to Rome, but Firenze to Florence?   I promise there are a few more photographs in this collection, but for know, I'm putting up a multi-paneled folder made up of, what ever these images were originally.  Water colors, perhaps.  There are captions on the back, in Italian, French, and English.  From top to bottom, but only in English, "Cathedral and Gioto's Belltower," "The old Palace  or Palace of Signory," "The Gallery dei Lanzi."  It would possible to seperate these and use them for postcards, and that may have been intended, but Gloria Lee kept them together

As usual, click on The Post war European Collection in labels to see more. .

The Post War European Trip Collection-A Letter Home

As I noted in an earlier chapter of the Gloria Lee Bigewet story,  the only exception to the photos only rule of this blog is when I have ephemera that is directly related to a single source with photos.

So, in a letter written by Gloria Lee to her parents, dated "July 17, '48" she writes about her cycling trip around Europe, her dreams of being in fashion advertising and complained about the bad influence Europe was having on Bill who has taken to drinking and cussing in a very continental way.  Hey, don't be lazy, click on each page, bring up the letter in a bigger window and read it for yourself.  And speaking of clicking on things, The Post War European Collection in labels says it all.

The Post War European Trip Collection-London Calling 4

It must have been a hard place to live, London 1948.  Buildings that still hadn't been repaired or replaced, food rationing.  Also fascinating I'd think.  Click on The Post War European Trip Collection in labels to see more. 

The Post War European Trip Collection-London Calling 3

The sights of London.  At least in the late 1940's.  Click on The Post War European Trip Collection in labels to see more.  Or hey, wait for the next post which will finish up the guide book.

The Post War European Trip Collection-London Calling 2

Let's continue with a tour of post war London, bombed out ruins and all.  Click on The Post War European Trip Collection in labels to see more.

The Post War European Trip Collection-London Calling 1

It's time to return to this collection.  It's been awhile so I'll give some basics and let anyone who want's to get more detail to click on The Post War European Trip Collection in labels to get more info.

Gloria Lee Bigewet was a teenager from the St. Louis area.  She was visiting Europe on an American Youth Hostel cycling trip.  There's a much bigger collection of her travel materials for sale at a used book store in St. Louis.  At least there was when I started posting this lot.  I couldn't afford it, so I'm limited to what I originally purchased.  I thought about posting the entire London guide at once, but for those who  want to bring things up in a bigger window and actually read the whole thing, it'll have to be done in four parts.  There is some damage, making things a bit tricky in the scanning, but hey, it is what it is.