tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37043483293336101662024-03-13T22:09:21.187-07:00Fun Tour Guru Goes Off the Beaten Path
<br>
<br>
<p align="center"><b>
Fun Tour Guru finds unusual stories and news off the Beaten Path<br> through my travels across USA and Europe
</b></p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger24613tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3704348329333610166.post-37146840882726337992022-09-30T15:28:00.003-07:002022-09-30T16:34:29.825-07:00Celebrate International Day of Older Persons <p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b> United Nations <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;">International Day of Older Persons </span></b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am pleased to join with multiple global organizations and celebrate the United Nations <a href="https://www.un.org/en/observances/older-persons-day" target="_blank">International Day of Older Persons</a>, October 1, 2022. The 2022 theme is </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Resilience of Older </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Persons in a Changing World that offers a unique and complimentary approach across countries. Thank you for this awareness and support from my conversations with Canadian and USA colleagues a few months ago. </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-02a5a1f6-7fff-d121-dab1-ae10c1f6f2ad"><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Clarity came to me this year on letting go of the past data with old government systems and embrace living longer and healthier lives because of new ideas and innovations supporting each of us. These new ideas are changing each of us and our daily stories are all valued. </span></span></h2></span><span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPv0R85to2pUb_tLE6rc_81FoI8MLdq1w5HZ74m5aqkn2LHyPMSFJB1Jd_XM69EM-kOTp8jPHFvZTp2E2sOusYsbPk0O5M2eCYXXpuOwpvS30Na8lfptWT4LIay0Oye0BNHkC-kzDc-72oh5eB_A6_-umcWSUB9qhhEEzNvRTexZhLMkUrKWFzPL7QsQ/s1920/centre-for-ageing-better-wkFRvw2lTAg-unsplash%20A_Moment%20final.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPv0R85to2pUb_tLE6rc_81FoI8MLdq1w5HZ74m5aqkn2LHyPMSFJB1Jd_XM69EM-kOTp8jPHFvZTp2E2sOusYsbPk0O5M2eCYXXpuOwpvS30Na8lfptWT4LIay0Oye0BNHkC-kzDc-72oh5eB_A6_-umcWSUB9qhhEEzNvRTexZhLMkUrKWFzPL7QsQ/w640-h360/centre-for-ageing-better-wkFRvw2lTAg-unsplash%20A_Moment%20final.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Older Women Collaborating on Story Ideas<br />Picture is Shared Courtesy centre for aging better unsplash photographer</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>New York Commemoration: “The Resilience and Contributions of Older Women”</b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I celebrate the special New York Commemoration “The Resilience of Contributions of Older Women” because I am a part of three generations of women throughout the past 100 years. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“While older women continue to meaningfully contribute to their political, civil, economic, social and cultural lives; their contributions and experiences </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">remain largely invisible and disregarded</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, limited by gendered disadvantages accumulated throughout the life course.”</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“UNIDOP 2022 is a call to action and opportunity aimed to embrace the voices of older women and showcase their resilience and contributions in society.”</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Objectives of International Day of Older Persons 2022 </span></span></b></span><b>#UNIDOP2022</b><span><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></span></b></span></p><span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">To highlight the resilience of older women in the face of environmental, social, economic and lifelong inequalities</span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">To raise awareness of the importance of improved world-wide data collection, disaggregated by age and gender</span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">To call on member states, UN entities, UN Women, and civil society to include older women in the center of all policies, ensuring gender equality as described in the Secretary-General’s report, Our Common Agenda</span></span></li></ul><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: -0.35px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The 2022 theme of International Day of Older Persons (UNIDOP) and "Older Women" serves as a hallmark and reminder of the significant role older women play in traversing global challenges and contributing to their solutions with resilience and fortitude.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Three Generations of Women - </b></span><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Celebration Story </b></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mother and I are a part of three generations of women stories who have seen the milestone achievement of 1919 of women voting rights amendment in USA, career women working outside the home during the second world war, balance of raising family, and contributing to local communities they are a part of. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> My Grandmothers lived a short distance from each other in Kansas and Oklahoma in the early 1900s in USA without ever knowing each other. They both shared the experience of relocating to different locations and starting lives and beginnings in their new communities - one moved across state lines and the other relocated as an immigrant from another country each focused on a better life for themselves and family. </span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Mother, Teacher, and Career Woman</b></span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mother was a child when women received the right to vote, and I have her silent example of how important it is as a female to have our voting opportunity, She never missed the opportunity to vote in each election and I follow this example today. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Mother, graduated from college and worked first as a school teacher. I saw multiple people, students, return several years later and tell her <i>thank you and how she helped to change their life</i>. She saw the many challenges as a working woman in the 1940s yet resilient and never giving up. She never spoke about the working challenges she encountered. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">My siblings and I had this same teacher in our childhood years, she was caregiver to her parents with cancer and late life diseases, and as a community activist during this part of her life. The fourth cycle she enjoyed her time with children and grandchildren, travel, and as a painter with self-expression. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>I thank her and all older women across the world who continue to face inequalities and show us what great role models look like - we can and will continue to do better.</i></span></span></p><div><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Let's make a difference by sharing our older women personal stories now and record them now. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="http://www.funtourguru.com/2020/12/finding-family-history-and-christmas.html" target="_blank">Sharing my family roots</a> stories. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><i><span lang="DE" style="color: #20124d; line-height: 19.26px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And Celebrating My Family Roots Stories ~ The Fun Guru Tour</span></span></i></b></p></div></div><div><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Resource: <a href="https://www.un.org/en/observances/older-persons-day" target="_blank">United Nations<b> </b>International Day of Older Persons</a><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">#UNIDOP2022</span></span></p><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3704348329333610166.post-38596345223384347822022-05-13T13:19:00.006-07:002022-09-30T06:59:23.089-07:00Ocean Energy, Surfers, Beach View, Lighthouse Love, Santa Cruz, CA <p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>There is nothing more calming and centering than a ocean views and a beach state of mind.</b></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">“And the wind whispers, "Don't be afraid. I am here. Close your eyes, smell the salty air, and let the spirit of the ocean move you."</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">“There is nothing more calming and centering than an ocean view, bright sunshine and a gentle coastal breeze. A beach state of mind is the best state of mind." </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b>Wouldn't you agree?</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyHtTIUTEmMP47uDdMghqhjUBVCgCtyllu4SecZJppxZN-KiakxWlXNh1CqefCSqzspfH9hUvf_7kiOxZEPeG2xX0seY3_Kn5sOXgPLPp4VZrqjYK1q_2p8KZS_OnqFPOfsu9SQj1v0O8R37z78gpW0LWKNpYWkS7NduKLQ5sl0HRlSFSGDcT7QuFQA/s1772/088630CF-DAC1-47FD-8D1E-5E19168631B2.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1772" data-original-width="1772" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyHtTIUTEmMP47uDdMghqhjUBVCgCtyllu4SecZJppxZN-KiakxWlXNh1CqefCSqzspfH9hUvf_7kiOxZEPeG2xX0seY3_Kn5sOXgPLPp4VZrqjYK1q_2p8KZS_OnqFPOfsu9SQj1v0O8R37z78gpW0LWKNpYWkS7NduKLQ5sl0HRlSFSGDcT7QuFQA/w320-h320/088630CF-DAC1-47FD-8D1E-5E19168631B2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa Cruz Surfers Lighthouse Calming Energy </td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I celebrate my popular picture taken a couple years ago. 20k views since 2019, 99 downloads that I shared on another web page group. Thank you. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;">My offer today is people may order this special treasure gift photography print for youself or a special person in your life to embrace this ocean energy and beach state of mind in your home every day. Share this special coastal place that I frequent each year. </span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> Many thanks for sharing this and supporting me as an independent small woman business locally in Santa Clara, CA. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Profile link: "Buy my artwork and prints" @MeetDonnaW on Twitter and Instagram. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I am grateful to share with you this piece of coastal living and ocean energy I experience. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I am happy to support you in setting up your orders for prints, <a href="https://www.lighthousetravelandtours.com/Info/TripRequest?mid=75952" target="_blank">contact me at my website. </a></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br /><a href="https://www.saatchiart.com/print/Photography-Santa-Cruz-Surfer-Lighthouse/1719620/8134148/view" target="_blank">This is where you may order the prints yourself</a>. <br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span></p><div class="Body" style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><i><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Santa Cruz Surfer Lighthouse is surrounded by hills of beauty that hikers enjoy, as well as water and beach activities. It is also a spiritual and relaxing place to turn off the electronic devices, and enjoy mindful conversations with the the locals. ~ The Fun Tour Guru</span></span></i></div><div class="Body" style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><i><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></i></div><div class="Body" style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><i><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Yes I am offering this special picture to purchase so you may enjoy this special ocean and beach energy vibe. </span></span></i></div><div class="Body" style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><i><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></i></div><div class="Body" style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><i><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Thank you - with gratitude and kindness. </span></span></i></div><div class="Body" style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="Body" style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"><i><span style="color: #20124d; line-height: 19.26px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Do you like this article? Tell us in comments below and share with your friends.</span></span></i></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Anonymous quote shared on the internet and no reference to mention. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Picture rights Donna West, FunTourGuru</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Please see this offer from the web host I use that I am sharing with you. Yet I do receive a commission payment. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3704348329333610166.post-15520644903405387492020-12-05T16:28:00.007-08:002023-04-07T13:50:03.697-07:00Finding Family History and Christmas Again in Germany <p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Finding Family History and Christmas Again in Germany </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">My Top Christmas Destination shares my family history, travel, and local communities engage with family owned businesses surrounded with amazing architecture - some reproduced. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">[My short story first appeared with eight other bloggers in a December 2016 collaboration article "</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><i>9 Travel Bloggers Share Their Top Christmas Destinations"</i> from Brian Ballman. The article is not online at this time.] </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I chose to visit Germany in December for these reasons – my family history – my Grandmother grew up 100 years ago in Ruhland, near Dresden, Germany, and after losing my parents a few years ago I needed an extra dose of our family, traditions, and festivities.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p9pTdvpiMZk/X8wPih9IBMI/AAAAAAAAE0c/kM57jhplwVQ3elpSqdRGcu_Jkb0mIvGCwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Dresden%2BGermany%2B2014%2BChristmas%2BHolidays.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p9pTdvpiMZk/X8wPih9IBMI/AAAAAAAAE0c/kM57jhplwVQ3elpSqdRGcu_Jkb0mIvGCwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Dresden%2BGermany%2B2014%2BChristmas%2BHolidays.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Dresden, Germany Christmas Markets 2014 Picture by Donna West</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I love living in the California, I often miss this special time of the season of the outdoor lights, aroma and scents in the freezing cold night air, and festivities of the small communities when growing up in the Middle West USA. I chose this particular German Christmas Market Tour departing Frankfurt with the final destination of Berlin where I stayed an extra week with my cousins many who I never met before in person and walked the sidewalks beside my Grandmother's spirit of a 100 years ago. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AxVIARUI9cA/X8waJXYHfhI/AAAAAAAAE1U/lfZMdfQtreMxtnAQPR7X1kzyoOUDDBllwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Grandmother%2BLinda%2BSeidenmann%2BWest_cropped%2B1_edited-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1469" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AxVIARUI9cA/X8waJXYHfhI/AAAAAAAAE1U/lfZMdfQtreMxtnAQPR7X1kzyoOUDDBllwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Grandmother%2BLinda%2BSeidenmann%2BWest_cropped%2B1_edited-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Grandmother picture I carried on my trip. Donna West</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eeLAYr-iu8E/X8wSd-Wo9fI/AAAAAAAAE00/kNGaVf7Ep-MI4mDmUhoqQ3b4y5hvM9ULwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2014_RuhlandChurch_DonnaWest_DSCN0920.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eeLAYr-iu8E/X8wSd-Wo9fI/AAAAAAAAE00/kNGaVf7Ep-MI4mDmUhoqQ3b4y5hvM9ULwCLcBGAsYHQ/w240-h320/2014_RuhlandChurch_DonnaWest_DSCN0920.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In side our family church, Ruhland, Germany 100 years - <br />Picture by Donna West and Cousin</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I had the opportunity to see the popular larger markets in towns like <a href="https://www.funtourguru.com/2016/11/food-for-thought-frankfurt-style-germany.html" target="_blank">Frankfurt</a>, Rothenberg, and Nuremburg. The special likeness about these is that each community has an individuality. For example, <i>Nuremburg</i> is where I eat an unhealthy dose of Lebukuken (gingerbread cookies). I found the smaller communities like <span class="m_-4077412172345300085gmail-st"><i>Eisenach</i> may have a different regional type of Gluhwein recipe or German sausages. I walked through <i>Wartburg Castle</i> that was decorated with a medieval Christmas setting and saw local merchants selling handmade wares like wooden string puppets and there were outdoor wood fires to keep warm by.</span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span class="m_-4077412172345300085gmail-st"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2K80SsROrqc/X8wWFt324XI/AAAAAAAAE1A/gWFVTS4vi0gdhl3iLnMAHM6Wz0kiPEnuACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Puppets%2BArchitecture%2BWartburg%2BCastle%2BDSCN0258.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2K80SsROrqc/X8wWFt324XI/AAAAAAAAE1A/gWFVTS4vi0gdhl3iLnMAHM6Wz0kiPEnuACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Puppets%2BArchitecture%2BWartburg%2BCastle%2BDSCN0258.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Architecture and String Puppet Merchant <br />Inside Wartsburg Castle Picture by Donna West</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span class="m_-4077412172345300085gmail-st">My favorite is the <i>Dresden Striezelmarkt</i> which is one of the oldest German markets. Perhaps it might be a favorite because I in</span>herited a 1930s black and white postcard from <i>Dresden, Germany</i> looking across the Elbe River at the church and government buildings. I was entranced with the history of Dresden – I enjoyed seeing the historical architecture of the Zwinger Palace, Semper Opera House and the Church of Our Lady even though most of these buildings were destroyed in war. Yet the buildings are now re-created for us to enjoy. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: medium;">The markets were scattered around these buildings. I discovered many of the small business merchants did not know how to speak English and I learned to use my sign language to communicate as I purchased small treasures and gifts. People were friendly and a kind gentleman who spoke German walked over and helped me talk to one of the merchants. I saw a man, merchant, wind up by hand an old wooden merry-go-round for children to ride on and tasted my first hot white chocolate when I went inside a chocolate store to warm up. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nh_kgkVLxGM/X8wRBQEH4_I/AAAAAAAAE0o/gOORNDHPLdoD6NNbY1pyt1oMh9L0yDl8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2014%2BWood%2BMerry%2BGo%2BRound%2BDSCN0441.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nh_kgkVLxGM/X8wRBQEH4_I/AAAAAAAAE0o/gOORNDHPLdoD6NNbY1pyt1oMh9L0yDl8QCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/2014%2BWood%2BMerry%2BGo%2BRound%2BDSCN0441.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wooden Merry-Go-Round, Dresden, Germany 2014 Picture by Donna West</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">My tip is don’t forget to check the schedule of Christmas pageant music in the newly renovated Church of our Lady. Our group sang holiday songs while riding on the cable car on a Funicular Railway to our dinner on a hilltop overlooking Dresden where we of course saw fabulous views of the city. My favorite memories was the tour of the regional Christmas cake bakery, a <a href="https://www.funtourguru.com/2015/11/dresdens-christstollen-bakery-in-germany.html" target="_blank">Dresdner Stollen bakery and talking with the bakers</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TXxOAy1MEjI/X8we6xQXrjI/AAAAAAAAE2M/L6P9XNfA2Yk6AtYoKjTcCmAc0UEV81ODwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Tasting%2BChocalate%2BDresden%2BGermany%2B2014.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TXxOAy1MEjI/X8we6xQXrjI/AAAAAAAAE2M/L6P9XNfA2Yk6AtYoKjTcCmAc0UEV81ODwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Tasting%2BChocalate%2BDresden%2BGermany%2B2014.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tasting Chocolate in Dresden - Donna West</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yfEAqfaPZHQ/X8wfM315zPI/AAAAAAAAE2U/ENSVdH72XFQl6mRwv2qObcgpzWheJb8jQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Hot%2BWhite%2BChocalate%2Bin%2BDresdan%2B2014.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yfEAqfaPZHQ/X8wfM315zPI/AAAAAAAAE2U/ENSVdH72XFQl6mRwv2qObcgpzWheJb8jQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Hot%2BWhite%2BChocalate%2Bin%2BDresdan%2B2014.JPG" width="320" /></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Warming up from the cold air - Donna West</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 107%;">I am inspired by both paternal and maternal Grandparents stories as my research and talks show how they moved to different locations in their own past life times. It is our personal history now we share authentically. </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 107%;">Finding Family History </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: large;"><span lang="DE" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span lang="DE" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://youtu.be/y4Cz5dnNtA8" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05); color: #0f0f0f; white-space: pre-wrap;">Watch my personal heritage journey </span><span class="yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color" style="background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05); border: 0px; color: #065fd4; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">trip</span><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05); color: #0f0f0f; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Finding Family History </span><span class="yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color" style="background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05); border: 0px; color: #065fd4; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Germany</span><span style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05); color: #0f0f0f; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></a></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large;">Let's make a difference through our personal stories now and record them now. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Be a part of our complimentary exclusive Lighthouse traveler group and receive deep insights by email into your personal heritage journey and local community history globally. Each personal heritage journey trip you go on you will receive a family group sheet of your ancestry family tree. <a href="https://www.lighthousetravelandtours.com/Info/TripRequest?mid=75952" target="_blank">Tap and join today</a>. </span></div><div style="font-size: xx-large;"><br /></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px 0in;"><b style="background-color: transparent; font-size: large;"><i><span lang="DE" style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 107%;">Fröhliche
Weihnachten and ~ My
Familienwurzelnand (Family Roots) Stories ~ The Fun Guru Tour</span></i></b></p><pre class="tw-data-text tw-text-large XcVN5d tw-ta" data-placeholder="Translation" id="tw-target-text" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; border: none; line-height: 36px; margin-bottom: -2px; margin-top: -2px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px 0.14em 2px 0px; position: relative; resize: none; width: 293px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">Highlights of the </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;">Family History Trip</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwFwmycZejh8A0NHIIsa8lVQbrGRe56YILsWFPXvtYyLIMeI3ioaSp4f_f_qZOUk2HqxlfPWAZdUMZGy6RBhQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></pre></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0