A crowd at a football(?) match, and a Scottish bagpipe band - what are my chances of matching those Sepia Saturday prompts? Considering my disinterest in all kinds of sports, I decided my best chance of perhaps finding a bagpipe would probably be my photo album from 1971. (Counting on my fingers... 71, 81, 91, 01, 11, 21... 50 years ago?!)
1971 was the year of our first family road trip through England, Wales and Scotland by car. (We had previously been to London for a week in 1969, but then by plane.) Scotland included Edinburgh. Edinburgh included the Castle, and the famous Tattoo - or at least I seem to recall some minor version of it. (?)
In my album, I find no photo evidence of actually having watched the bagpipers, though. Only of having visited the castle, with a crowd of other tourists - and having bought a postcard.
Me (15 going on 16) and my brother (9) looking down on the views from Edinburgh Castle.
A few pages further on, I find us playing golf at St. Andrews. No crowd to cheer us on, but it is a game, and it includes hitting a ball...
And, surprise: At the very back of the same photo album, there are also some photos included from a school event the next spring (1972). It seems that at least once in my life did I actually watch a football match, and I even took photos of it. I'm not sure whether it was a teachers vs students game, or mixed teams from two different schools. My form in upper secondary school (classical/arts kind of program) was all girls, but a couple of the older guys in these photos were my teachers. The one in glasses was my form-master, and I think the one second from the left in the bottom row in the last photo was my art teacher.
Linking to Sepia Saturday 562
It is so very cool that these pictures were taken, to awaken your memories and have them as reminders.
ReplyDeleteGinny, I think I have one photo album for every 1½ years or so of my life, until around 10 years ago when I went all digital...
DeleteI share your lack on interest in sports. Still you posted a great assortment to make the most of the prompt.
ReplyDeleteThanks Avid Reader. I had completely forgotten about those photos of the school football game. If they hadn't happened to be in the same album as the ones from Scotland, I would not have thought of them.
DeleteLook at you hitting all the points of the prompt! I especially like the postcard because it seems to capture the big things anyone should remember from a visit to Edinburgh. Sometimes I think I should just buy postcards rather than take my own pictures.
ReplyDeleteThanks Wendy. I always liked to buy postcards as well as taking my own photos when travelling. As you say, the professional postcards often capture the bigger views better. On the other hand, I think one's own photos bring back more personal memories.
Deletei have seen the marching bagpipes on TV and once in a parade in Savannah GA where I was born, but not in Europe. I also share total lack of interest in all things sports. You did great with the prompt. I would have to use someone elses photos .
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandra. My first thought for this prompt was "I have nothing"... But the Sepia Saturday challenges are often very good at inspiring one to think out of the box. I've used them now and then to explore the old family albums from my parents and grandparents. But really, many of my own old colour photos are more "sepia" now than most of the much older black-and-white photos of my forefathers!
DeleteWay to go! Congrats on matching every point of the prompt and with great snaps, too! (plus a postcard in which I could see the hotel we stayed in two years ago when we were there). :)
ReplyDeleteThanks LaN. That sounds reassuring, that some things are still the same half a century later! :) I'm afraid I haven't been back to Edinburgh myself since then. Nor indeed to Britain at all since the 1970s.
DeleteIt's good to get the old photo album out now and then and remember the good old days.
ReplyDeleteVirginia, I have a lot of photo albums to re-visit when I'm the mood for time-travelling!
DeleteA fascinating snapshot of your, and other, lives that long ago.
ReplyDeleteGraham, it's a bit of a shock to me every time I start counting years and realize how long ago this or that was. I think that feeling probably started already back in my forties or so (and has kept increasing ever since!) Surely it (whatever) can't be... 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 years ago?!
DeleteYour photo album must be treasures. They are such a wonderful way to revive memories - and inspiration for blog posts.
ReplyDeletePauline, with nature still hovering between winter and spring here (with little to inspire photography) I've taken to time-travelling instead. I guess I'm also trying to get my head round the fact that since last August I'm now an 'old age' pensioner. (The transition felt a bit hazy since I'd been in 'early' retirement long before that.) That does entitle one to reminisce about old times, doesn't it? ;)
DeleteWell done! I've always thought of photos as time capsules of memories. My family life was recorded by my father who was a very enthusiastic amateur photographer. I probably would not remember any of my early life if it wasn't for his photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mike. My grandfather was a good photographer, he was also a journalist and often took his own photos for his articles. My dad learned from him and had his own darkroom for b&w photos in the cellar in my childhood. My mum was less technical but liked to make photo albums. I followed in her footsteps with that when I was old enough. Alas many of the early colour photos have faded a lot over the decades, though.
ReplyDeleteThese were most enjoyable...especially as they triggered your memories from school times.
ReplyDeleteThanks Barbara. Yes, one thing about photos one took oneself is that they don't have to be "perfect" to trigger memories :)
DeleteGreat pictures, Monica - and I can't help but notice how similar your cool 1970s sandals were to the two pairs of sandals I bought a year or so ago!
ReplyDeleteI wonder what became of all the young men in the group photo. And I love it that you and your brother still take trips together, when travelling is possible.