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-Flower Postcards

Again, the top image in the column, a photo postcard, and the rest, illustrations.  The top "printed in Switzerland."  The other two made in France.  The second and third card have the same inscription that can be found on most of the cards from the previous post, "Bought in Cannes, France-June 26, 1948."  The bottom card has a bit more information, "In Switzerland these flowers grow on the very top peaks of the mts. & they're so few & far between.  That's why they cost so much at florist shops."  And before I forget, "ETOILE DES GLACIERS-EDELWEISS." 

And if it still needs a reminder, click on The Post War European Trip Collection in labels. 

The Post War European Trip Collection-One Photo Postcard, Lots of Illustrated Ones

As noted in earlier posts, I often buy collections related by theme, and when I do, I split things up.  Anything that's photographic gets posted here, anything that's not goes on my Fair Use blog.  When I buy a collection that's all from a single source, everything ends up on one or the other. 

So, Gloria Lee Bigewet was on an American Youth Hostel cycling trip of Europe.  Considering the distances between some of the places she visited, it looks like she and her group took trains between areas, and did their bike riding in an area and then moved on to somewhere else. 

Written on the back of the top card, the only photographic card, "Bought this in Cannes-June 25, 1948."  The rest, "Bought in Cannes, France-June 26, 1948."  It makes me wonder how many days she and her group were in Cannes before moving on. 

Cards 2 and 3, "EN PROVENCE."  Cards 4 and 5, "EN SAVOIE."  Cards 6, 7, and 8, "EN AUVERGNE."  Cards 9 and 10, "EN DAUPHINE."  All areas of France, but did Gloria Lee have the time to get beyond Cannes? 

Click on The Post War European Trip Collection in labels, etc.