Thursday, November 14, 2019

RETRACING THEIR FOOTSTEPS - INTRODUCTION

Fifty-eight years ago, my paternal grandparents Charlie and Theresa Sherlock went on this incredible European trip.  I have since dubbed it "Their Grand European Adventure". They left Burbank, California on 22 May 1961 and arrived back home a month later.  Of course, since I was only six years old at the time, I don't really remember much about it.  It started with a "Send Off " picnic at North Hollywood Park with family and extended family members.  However, after my Dad's death in 2001, I inherited the travel slides and Grandma's travel diary from that trip.  I have looked at the slides numerous times, throwing out the ones with scenery but no people, which was a huge mistake!  I also have read Grandma's travel diary too many times to count trying to piece together the photos with where they were taken.  I have tried to figure out who were the relatives (ones I have never met) in the photos.  I have used Wikipedia and Google Maps, but things have changed a lot in the past 58 years.



Ever since I saw the slides and read the travel diary, I have had this burning desire to re-trace as many of their European Adventure steps as possible. I know that I won't get it all done in one trip but that it may take a number of trips across the Pond, which will give me great joy!

Not only am I trying to continue my quest of re-tracing their footsteps, but I also want to write about it - comparing my visit with theirs (what they saw, activities they participated in and people they met). I will use the itinerary order of their trip.  Sections directly from Theresa's travel diary will be in italics.

Let me end this introduction with a travel quote that sums up my view of travel from an unknown source --

"Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer".

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