Soldier Boy II

My dad either during or shortly after WWII. For more info on his war record, see the article I posted here in June.

Ellis In Uniform Originally uploaded by Michael Banister.

Soldier Boy

Ellis L. Banister, US Army, veteran of WWII. Taken when we moved to California when I was 9 years old. For a description of his war record, see the article I posted in June.

Dad's 1956 photo Originally uploaded by Michael Banister.

Graven Image

Another of the B&W photos I took in the summer of '76, as one of 40 grad students studying Arabic on the government dime.

Tunisian Roman Statue Originally uploaded by Michael Banister.

The End of the Road

As mentioned in my descriptions of the other Tunisia photos, after destroying Carthage, Rome turned north Africa into a middle class tourist destination and colony. R.I.P.

Tunisian Roman Cemetery Originally uploaded by Michael Banister.

Rest in Peace

After Rome destroyed Carthage over 2000 years ago, they colonized north Africa, and it became a mecca for Roman tourists, some of whom extended their stay eternally.

Tunisian Roman Cemetery II Originally uploaded by Michael Banister.

Oldest Synagogue in the World

One of the weekend get-aways our little group of Arabic grad students took in Tunisia in the summer of 1976 was to the island of Djerba, right off shore from Tunis. We spent the weekend in a luxury beachfront hotel, listened to West African High Life (then very new and exotic to the Mediterranean coast), and, one afternoon, visited this synagogue. It is the oldest in the world, reportedly built right after the Second Temple was destroyed in AD 68 by the Romans. The Tunisian Jewish community, already being beseiged in 1976 by anti-Israel feeling, loved this synagogue. But in order to placate the European Jewish tourists, they installed pews and benches for the foreigners to sit on while worshipping. The locals preferred to sit on the many rugs spread around the room.

Djerba Synagogue Worshipper 1976 Originally uploaded by Michael Banister.

Richard the Lion Hearted

As we all know from our "history" books, Europe sent Crusaders to "rescue" the Holy Land from the infidel moslems (now called "Muslims" to be more true to the Arabic spelling). Not only did the Crusaders build castles and forts in Palestine, but sprinkled them around North Africa as well. This one is near the seacost in Tunisia, where I spent the summer of 1976 studying Arabic with about 40 other American grad students from across the States.

Tunisian Crusader Fortress Wall 1976 Originally uploaded by Michael Banister.

Before Star Wars

Lucas filmed the scenes involving Luke and his aunt and uncle in this little village of "troglodyte" (cave dwelling) houses in Tunisia. You can barely see one of my fellow Arabic students descending a staircase into the living quarters of one of the complexes. I took this B&W photo while studying intensive second year Arabic in the summer of 1976.

Tunisian Troglodyte Village 1976, IV Originally uploaded by Michael Banister.

Roman Ruins in Tunisia?

After the Romans destroyed Carthage around 2500 years ago, they developed the land (now modern Tunisia) into a major middle-class tourist destination. This photo (I took it in 1976 while studying intensive Arabic) shows an amphitheatre. Tunisia is littered with Roman ruins.

Tunisian Roman Ruins, VI Originally uploaded by Michael Banister.

Me and my granddaughter

Devin-Marie and her friend Cailar (named after the character in Star Trek TNG) would go around the dining hall at meal times and give our Tai Chi-ers neck massages.

Mike and Devin at Asilomar Originally uploaded by Michael Banister.