Foggy Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco

Fun Friday Picture

Bridge to no where?  Do you really want to cross this bridge when you come?

Do you ever have the kind of day where you just do not know what lies ahead or on the other side?  (Disclosure: This picture was not taken today.)

Travel tip:  Be prepared for all weather conditions when in San Francisco. 

One of my favorite quotes:  

"Happiness is found along the way, 

not at the end of the road" ~ The Fun Tour Guru

Art is the New Gold Found in Our Sierra Hills,CA

Travel tip:  
As I remind you to remember to step off the beaten path in Northern California (again and again) ~~ this time I recommend for you to go visit some of our fabulous local artists.  I must say there still is 'gold' in our hills with artists like this one (below). 

This artist's work (drawings, paintings, and sculpture) may be found at Hanford St. Gallery, in Amador County through March.  Please direct your interest and questions to the Gallery. 

David Camardo

From Horse Shoeing to Art

 

Picture credits to Hanford St Gallery website and you may read more in an article in Sierra Lodestar 

So much to discover locally ~ The Fun Tour Guru 

Happy St Patricks Day!

Women and Classic Cars Start in Germany

The first car driver is from Germany


I am not sure whether it is discovering my own German roots or simply that my brothers always tease me about my own driving - I really connected to this special story I want to share with you.

Women and Cars Date Back to the 1800s

I have seen many articles about Danica Patrick, NASCAR driver.  Who is the first woman driver?  I uncovered a fun story to share about the first woman driver – many years ago.  I chuckle as I write this because it may even be the first account of a stolen car too. 

I know almost everyone is familiar with how Mercedes-Benz started.  There is a hidden story that recently caught my eye.  Carl Benz invented the first patented car in 1886 (Reich Patent No. 37435, information from the southwest Germany tourism website). 

There are many questions that surround this invention during the early years because Carl would only travel short distances around town in the car.  However, Carl continued to tinker around with his invention for a couple of years.  And no one paid much attention to what he was doing.

Except one person. A woman who wanted to see her mother.

Bertha Benz - Courtesy of Daimler AG

It was Carl’s wife, Bertha, who was getting rather anxious and tired of how long Carl was taking with his darn invention. And, because she wanted to go somewhere – take a trip to visit her Mother – she started planning out her idea.  Bertha knew this trip idea would not be well received if she approached  her husband about it and he would never permit her to take one of the cars out for this distance.

So instead of asking in advance, Bertha sneaked out early one morning along with her two sons and took the car for the 60 mile round trip to visit her mother.  She made the 60 miles without complications. 

Can you imagine the look on Carl's face when he went to his shed that morning, opened the doors, and found his invention missing?

From Mannheim to Pforzheim in Southwest Germany

Remember the road conditions are not as we know today. Bertha probably traveled over a one-lane dirt road.  Where does one fill up with fuel?  

Bertha stopped at a pharmacy - the first known filling station - in Wiesloch to fill up the car about half way along the route – because she knew Carl used ligroin, a solvent-like petroleum only sold by pharmacists. 

The car Bertha actually chose to drive was a model 3 which Carl had designed with an extra seat and it had an extra place for her sons to sit.

This trip is the one that received attention from the public of Carl’s invention, the horseless carriage invention. Although Bertha did pre-plan the trip, I am not sure she thought about the results it would have in the future. 

Is Bertha a courageous woman?  I do think she is.  I also believe she went on the trip simply because she wanted to getaway to visit her relatives.  What do you think? 

1888 Model III Motorwagen Courtesy of Daimler AG

Remember not to fret about opinion differences between couples (and friends and family) as they may turn out to be million dollar ideas.  

Do you like this story?  Join in with our discussion about why cars started on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+.  

Travel Tip:  We may follow this fun trip when visiting Germany and retrace the famous memorial route from Mannheim to Pforzheim in southwestern Germany. 

Hint:  Don't forget to visit the Carl Benz Museum just outside Mannheim.  

I am grateful to connect to ~ and thank you to my new friends at TourComm Germany on behalf of the State Tourist Board Baden-Württemberg for sharing much of this information which I assembled and used in this story! 


You may find additional information on the Bertha Benz website.

Women and Classic Cars ~ another fabulous story 
for Women's History ~ The Fun Tour Guru

We found some great German Hostels you may reserve on your own through our travel website, Lighthouse Travel and Tours.   Check it out now! 

Cäcilie Bertha Benz (maiden name Ringer)
born on May 3, 1849 in Pforzheim,
deceased on May 5, 1944 in Ladenburg

Credits:   Images courtesy of Daimler AG

Remember Santa Cruz CA

I am without words today while I watch the the coverage happening in San Jose, CA at the HP Pavilion ...somber day.  Santa Cruz Police good byes. Communities come together....

Santa Cruz, CA (Courtesy of DW)

Remember our Santa Cruz community today ~ The Fun Tour Guru

Family History Trips for Everyone

Travel Trend Continues

The baby boomer generation likes to travel and has more time to go with their grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or younger adults on family trips and it is safer way to travel for our youth – plus it helps our active parents.

I like to take my younger relatives (nieces, nephews, and cousins) on my trips where we discover together the places our ancestors lived in Germany and USA in the late 1800s and early 1900s and where our current relatives live today. 

Reading history books is fun, it is even better to show and experience the history with our personal stories together as we pass these traditions along. 

Plan and Research Family Ancestry Trips

Multiple Generation Travel is not a New Idea. 

Leisure travel began primarily with wealthy people who wanted to see buildings, art, and cultures in faraway regions, and often this meant going as a family. I read stories in my old family letters about the trips my Grandmother (born and lived in Germany until she migrated to USA in early 1900s) went on with her family in the 1890s.

I admit these travels usually had a purpose and may not have been for leisure. It is fun to trace these family roots and to check out the new attractions in Germany with my great-nieces.  My childlike personality seems to shine when I am with them and it is is win-win situation for everyone. 

Traveling with our younger relatives strengthens our relationships within our families.  I wrote in my original June 4, 2010 article from Suite101.com: “Often, we don't think about the natural bond created between people while traveling together.” This is a natural, fun way to create this through our trips.  

Be Aware of Challenges 

Sure, at first, we may begin with a couple of heated discussions because we have different ways of doing things. We need to remember to be patient and flexible – and learn to adjust our needs on both sides as we start.  

Help Parents

Parents may be focused on work and not as available for vacations with their children.  Grandparents and older relatives (Aunts, Uncles, and mentors) get the chance to enjoy some travel time and get better acquainted with the younger adults and children in their family.

An example of this was seen in the 2010 movie, Letters to Juliet. Three characters, grandmother, son, and a young writer, travel together on short car trips in search of something. As mentioned in the movie, not everyone in real life has immediate family available to travel with. A mentor, or person who helped out at some time, even acted like an adopted parent, may also enjoy traveling with children.  

 The fun part is to see where our own ancestors grew up, went to school, and with social activities like hikes, dances, and shopping. These are stories which are passed down as they get older. 

Find Ancestors Paths in Many Regions Like Germany

Two Things to Remember

• Be sure to establish a few simple ground rules while planning for multi-generational trips. This is a great time for younger relatives to connect, learn to be flexible, and learn new ways of doing things by observing how the older adults handle travel situations.
• And vice versa, remember older adults learn new ways too!  Things like new technology tools and apps, as they celebrate with someone during fun bier festivals, eating Nuremburg sausages and German pastries, and exploring unusual German car museums. 

Do you like this article? Please review the items in this sidebar and share with your friends.  Comment and talk with us below! 
  
There are so many ways we may get acquainted through travel ~ The Fun Tour Guru 


Images Credits from:

Book on the map  - Photographer:  Alexandre Menard 06/15/2008 

Every year, the Old Town Festival attracts about a million visitors to Nuremberg's Old Town. About 60 events with 800 participants offer free entertainment: folk, plays by Hans Sachs, traditional fishermen's jousts, as well as jazz concerts. Photographer   Uli Kowatsc 2001 

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