THINGS TO DO AND SEE
Versailles is a town to the west of Paris, France. Famous for its iconic castle, it offers a rich history, elegant architecture and beautiful gardens.
Versailles is a place of prestige, culture and tourism, attracting visitors from all over the world for its exceptional heritage.
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles is an architectural masterpiece located in Versailles, France. Built during the reign of Louis XIV in the 17th century, it is one of the largest palaces in the world. All its splendour is evident in its opulent rooms, French gardens and emblematic Hall of Mirrors. A symbol of the power and grandeur of the French monarchy, the palace is now one of the most visited tourist sites in France, offering a fascinating insight into the history and culture of royal France.
The Trianon Estate is a hidden gem located within the vast park of the Palace of Versailles. It was the private refuge of French royalty, a place to escape from the glamour of the Court of Versailles. It consists of Grand Trianon, an elegant pink palace, Petit Trianon, a country residence, and the Hameau de la Reine, a rural village. With its tranquil gardens, refined pavilions and romantic ambience, the Trianon Estate offers a unique insight into the intimate life of French royalty. It is a place full of history and elegance, where you can immerse yourself in the fascinating past of the monarchy.
Garden and Parks
The gardens of Versailles are a landscaped masterpiece covering over 800 hectares. Designed by the famous landscape gardener André Le Nôtre during the reign of Louis XIV, these gardens are an outstanding example of 17th-century French garden design. Decorated with flower beds, ornate fountains, classical statues and large pools, they create a visual symphony of unparalleled beauty. The gardens of Versailles are not only a place of beauty and serenity, but also a testimony to the opulence and refinement of the Court of Versailles at the time of the French monarchy. They are a major attraction for visitors from all over the world, offering a unique experience in a historic and majestic setting.
Royal Tennis Court
Just a stone’s throw from the Palace of Versailles and in the heart of the historic district, the Royal Tennis Court offers a unique experience! It is a place where time has stood still. You can still find extraordinary documents, busts and paintings that bear witness to the important history that took place there.
King's Vegetable Garden
The King’s Garden in Versailles is a horticultural treasure dating from the 17th century. Created during the reign of Louis XIV by Jean-Baptiste de La Quintinie, this kitchen garden was designed to provide the royal court’s table with fresh fruit and vegetables. Today, this almost 9-hectare garden is a place where agricultural and botanical heritage is preserved and enhanced. Visitors can admire the orderly flowerbeds, majestic greenhouses, shady walkways and carefully cultivated plant varieties. Le King’s Vegetable Garden is a place of history, beauty and knowledge, where you can discover the importance of agriculture in the daily life of French royalty and the evolution of agricultural practices over the centuries. It is a real treasure for lovers of nature, history and botany.


Although Melnik is the smallest town in Bulgaria, it is so attractive that often the number of tourists exceeds the number of its inhabitants – 230. Melnik is known for its old houses with remarkable architecture, history, stunning scenery, weird rock formations and rich wine.
The town itself is like a landmark with its old white houses nested next to each other, surrounded by the unique sand formations known as the Melnik pyramids. The most famous house is the Kordopulova house, the largest in the Balkans from the Renaissance period. There is an exhibition inside of the house arranged as a cellar in the form of a tunnel dug in the rock with huge vats for storing Melnik wine, which visitors can taste if they want. The historical museum is housed in the Pashova house. The ground floor presents the main occupation of the people in Melnik – wine making. The museum exhibits relate to the everyday life of the town during the Renaissance, as well as drums and other items related to wine making.
Be sure to check out the Boyar House – a real medieval monument. It is the oldest house in Bulgaria and is located in the eastern part of Melnik. The Boyar house was inhabited until the early XX-th century but all that is left today are its impressive ruins.
Besides history and architecture, Melnik is the wine. The sand pyramids that surround the town from all its sides hold the wine cellars where this famous elixir is kept to ripen and mature. This is the only place that uses this kind of technology in wine making.
Also in the area is the St. Mary Spileotissa monastery. It is situated on a small terrace in the eastern hills of St Nicholas hill, southeast of Melnik. It was founded by Despot Alexius Slav in the early XIII-th century. Among other attractions are the ruins of the St. Nicholas monastery (XII-th century), the Slav fortress (XIII-XIV century), the Roman bridge, the old Turkish bath.


Monday, October 20, 2014 is the 300th anniversary of the succession of the House of Hanover to the British throne. In celebration of this historic milestone, Robert Long has been exploring the rich, artistic culture of the Georgian Period and its particular relationship to the study of flowers, plants and other gifts of the natural world.
For the previous six months, aspects of 18th and early 19th century England were examined with the generous help of Emory University’s Department of History. A sincere thank you is extended to research assistant James Radcliffe for his diligent pursuit, keen insight and analysis of valuable information. Each week a different topic of interest was chosen and researched including Georgia architecture, art, landscape design, politics, city and country life, entertaining, fashion and theater. The result of this fun endeavor has been an eye-opening glimpse into both little known, obscure personalities with fascinating stories to tell as well as famous major players on a broader stage in “enlightened” English society. Overall, the research has left us with the overwhelming impression of the vast footprint the botanical world had on the Georgian decorative arts and its lasting contribution, especially to modern day design enthusiasts.
It is our goal to continue our journey of discovery and to present each week stories, anecdotes and little know tidbits of this fascinating world – The Georgian Period.


Monday, May 26, 2014
A Day of Memories - Memorial Day 2014
One I do remember in name and face. I was a young sailor attached to an Attack Squadron in the Tonkin Gulf. He was one of our pilots I had come to know as my division officer. He was shot down over Hanoi and never returned to the ship and as far as I know, never returned to the United States and remains where he died. During the height of the Cold War Three others I knew when attached to an antisubmarine warfare squadron . Pilot, co-pilot and senso tech rest in their aircraft at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, and so many I didn't know. Those shipmates blown off a flight deck during night flight ops in the North Atlantic. The shipmate on a fast frigate also washed overboard while on midwatch in a stormy North Atlantic. Each one of these men made the ultimate sacrifice. No individual died more gallant than the other. They all died the same, in the service of our nation. Each one had family, had life plans and career goals. Each one died bravely and still remain at sea with no gravestone or flowers. Each one with honor and dignity in our service. Today I think of each of you.
May God bless everyone and your Memorial Day weekend be filled with joy and laughter. My shipmates would want it that way!
Fair Winds and Following Seas,
The Old Sailor


Welcome to The Orangery in Aberystwyth
Our Valentines menu is now available, please click here to view
This building, formally the Talbot Inn, was built in about 1830. It replaced the original coaching inn of the town, The Talbot’s Head, which was situated opposite and destroyed by fire.
By 1835, coaches were travelling three times a week from here to Cheltenham, leaving at 5.30 in the morning. On the same days omnibuses left for Cardigan, and on other days to Shrewsbury.
The part of the building now occupied by the lounge, together with the rooms above, was the original town post office. When the post office moved to its present location the Inn extended into the space.
The Talbot Inn once hosted fine balls and suppers and was one of the great meeting places of the town, and we hope that as The Orangery it will be again: and whilst we can neither stable your horses nor provide your manservant with quantities of porter ale, we can provide a charming and comfortable environment. Here you can eat the finest local food, and drink the best of wines and other refreshments.


HISTORY OF SEX MACHINE
The history of modern dildos and vibrators begins in the late nineteenth century. Interestingly, they were originally invented by doctors for the treatment of "female hysteria." It was quite a popular disease. It showed abdominal pain, breathlessness, anxiety and insomnia. It was thought that the best way to treat it was therapeutic pelvic massage. However, soon doctors began to complain about boredom and wrist pain, but soon in 1862, American physician George Taylor, created the first steam vibrator.
Today we know that rubbing the clitoris did not cure hysteria, and wealthy patients in the Victorian era went to the doctor to receive the pleasure they did not experience at home.
The success of the device was unbelievable, it soon left the doctor's offices and could be bought for home use. Pleasure was in the hands of women themselves. Initially, they were large, rather complicated machines for electricity and batteries, consisting of pedals, water turbine and engine. The speed range was from 1,000 to 7,000 pulsations per minute, and therefore their price in 1904 ranged between $ 15 and $ 200, depending on the model. Some of the first models were very expensive, such as "Chattanooga", which was sold for two hundred dollars at the end of the 19th century.
It was the fifth electrical device used in households, right after the sewing machine, fan, coffee machine and toaster. He also overtook a vacuum cleaner and an iron for several years.
In 1917, they were already widely available in the USA, also in mail order sales. They became so popular that they were included in the set for home appliances, such as a vacuum cleaner or a mixer. Not without a reason - in the end, not so long ago, first of all women used them. Gentlemen for many years were unaware of what these devices are really :)
Modernized version of the sex machine from 1891 under the name MANIPULATOR:
NOW TIME FOR FIRST DILDO :)
Probably the first dildo - 28,000 years ago.
The first dildo found dates from 28,000 years ago! German scientists made them from 12 pieces. This item was found in the Fels Höhle cave near German Ulm. It is 20 cm long and 3 cm wide. What this item really served - it is not known. Perhaps the ancient inhabitants used it to light a fire. Perhaps he also had a slightly "different" application ...
Archaeologists have also discovered a stone penis from before 6,000. years around Israel. However, also in this case - its use raises doubts. He was probably associated with the cult of fertility and was a symbol of harvest. A similar stone object was discovered in Sweden and in the USA in the state of Maryland. We can only speculate on the use of each of them.
A stone phallus found in Sweden. Currently - an exhibit at the National Heritage Board museum
It is known, however, from which such gadgets were produced in ancient Egypt. Papyrus bags were filled with ants or bees. It sounds quite violent, but insects were used in this case to produce vibrations. All you had to do was shake the sack properly to infuriate the insects. Can you? You can. And without a battery. Cleopatra could also afford a little luxury. Among her toys, she also had a marble dildo and a leather bag filled with donkey's milk of a known shape.
In ancient Greece, it was put on wood. The wooden dildo was covered with leather. Sometimes, glass filled with warm milk was also used. Prostitutes were used to promote such a valuable product. Here, the sources were provided by the notes left by the ancient Greeks from the plays staged in amphitheatres. An example is the comedy Herondas z Kos, in which two friends - Metro and Koritto, exchange information where you can buy a good dildo. As it turns out, the artistic accessories made of leather were made by a shoemaker from far away Jonia, which is today's coast of Turkey.
As we can see, there were several precursors of the modern vibrator. However, the discovery of this invention took a long time. More or less in the 14th century, hysteria was a rather common disease among women. It showed abdominal pain, breathlessness, anxiety and insomnia. Due to the fact that the diagnostic tools were not available at that time - doctors invented the strangest causes of the disease. Hysteria was supposed to cause a wandering of the womb inside the body. She wandered the body in search of moisture - when it reached her head - it caused dizziness. The remedy for this was to satisfy women using wooden vibrators, or - vegetables and fruit.
In the later Middle Ages, such practices were completely forbidden. All the feminine afflictions were dangerous diseases, and any evidence of bodily pleasures was evidence of fraternizing with dark powers. So the treatments have completely changed: either exorcism or burning at the stake.
Vibrators returned to favor only in the nineteenth century. They were used primarily in doctors' offices, where they were treated with previously mentioned hysteria. Inventing devices that can cure hysteria without the help of a doctor - it meant more time and money for him.
Chinese bowenite dildo


1964 – 17th Year
Kessler, Bill (235)
Betty (To Pratt Diagnostic July 19, back July 26),
Ed Corris (*th Yr, began '55, out in 56-57, back in 58
Dave Klayman 6th year
Peter Vickery 9th Year
Carl Boches 7th Year
Joe Janis July 19th arrived, back from Vietnam
Summer after Ritz
Blue Red Kombie Motor Augusta
Visitors: Tom & Shirley, Paul, Jack, and Evelyn, others....
Black won color war
Click on a year to see the detail.
Join the list--very exclusive... only about 238 campers in the history of the camp!


Since early childhood in Ireland images of far-flung places have always fascinated me. The albums of pictures taken by my father, a world traveler and accomplished amateur photographer, fascinated me. He worked for a small brewing company in West Cork and often received letters from suppliers overseas and he would give me the stamps for my collection. Stamps became the window to my world. By the age of nine or ten I had a long list of the many places I wanted to visit – Lake Titicaca, Katmandu and Samarkand to name just a few!
In the 1980s I was definitely engrossed in all things Japanese and was very influenced by the extravagance of Noh costumes. In the 90s, career demands and lots of travel forced me to put my art on hold. But I never stopped collecting images and formulating ideas for that day when “I would get back to painting”! Finally that day arrived in 2012 when I retired – free at last!
I’d always wanted to try collage and mixed media. Mixed media allows me to pull images together, re-size or distort them and enhance with paint, pencil, and a variety of different tools. I work on paper, illustration board, canvas and wood panels. I use found and created images.
Some of the series I’ve done recently have tended to be reflective, taking time out to look at the past and ponder what the future will bring. Not unusual thoughts for anyone who has recently retired I think.
My themes generally evolve around history, travel and social commentary. I have always been interested in the period from around the 1890s to the end of the First World War, when old empires collapsed, new ones emerged and the world changed forever. In the Ireland I grew up in these events had huge consequences.
Some of my pieces contain social and historical narrative. For instance “Love at First Sight” was a result of the Marriage Equality debate here in California. My “Tall” series is a response to the social hypocrisy of the Victorian and Edwardian periods that was reflected in the dress codes for men and women
at the time. Women were confined in extremely uncomfortable corsets to create the “hour-glass” figure. Men had only to suffer tall starched collars while the military went on a splurge with plumed hats, skin tight pants and highly polished riding boots. Yards of gold braid and rows of medals threatened to tear shirtfronts apart!
It doesn’t always have to be serious. Sometimes you just want to have a little fun and bring color and images together.
Anything can happen; the tallest towers overturned; those in high places daunted; those overlooked
regarded. - Seamus Heaney.


Detroit Tamil community has strongly supported TNF’s charity events since 1978. It has hosted four national conventions of TNF. The first TNF event to be held in Michigan was the Third Annual General Body Meeting held at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, from July 1 to 3, 1978. Thirty-five families attended the meeting and two movies, “Nenjil oar Aalayam: and “Gayathri” were screened (remember, it was 1978 and watching Tamil move in America was a big deal!).
TNF’s 12th General Body Meeting was held at the Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti in 1987. Invited guests included Mr. P. Chidambaram and Mr. Arunachalam, both ministers in the Government of India.
In 2001, the Annual General Body Meeting was held jointly with the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America from July 6 to 8 in Southfield, under the leadership of Mr. Ganesan Naidu and TNF President Mr. Gomes Ganapathy.
TNF’s 32nd National Convention was held during the Memorial Day Weekend (May 27-28), 2006, at the Ford Performance Auditorium in Dearborn under the leadership Dr. Athi Narayan, Mrs. Geetha Pradeep and TNF President Dr. P. Chockalingam.
In 2014, TNF Michigan Chapter, under the leadership of Dr. M. Subramanian and in partnership with Michigan Tamil Sangam adopted Namakkal District for the ABC Educational initiative and raised close to $50,000, a record to date for TNF’s chapter/regional events.


Welcome to Westlake Village. This town is the most affluent in Ventura County. Westlake Village is a master planned community built in the early seventies. At the time, it was one of the largest master planned communities in the country.
The town is known for it’s upscale homes from Westlake Island and lake to North Ranch, Hidden Valley and Lake Sherwood. There are several Public and Private Golf Courses in the area.
Also, Westlake Village is the world headquarters for Dole Pineapple.


- Property Info
- Mortgage Info
Situated in the heart of the heritage district and mere steps from Revelstoke's shops and restaurants, the location of this beautifully restored Revelstoke charmer is about as good as it gets. About 10 years ago the entire interior of the home was stripped back to the studs and a loving re-build began. Improvements are too numerous to list; however, the owners get an A+ in blending old world charm with high-end modern convenience and efficiency. Highlights of this home include a wrap-around covered front porch, a deck off the master bedroom with a hot tub and views of Mt Begbie, hardwood floors, custom wood windows, a heat pump and newer furnace, a 200 amp panel, upgraded insulation, plumbing and electrical, newer roof and extensive custom woodwork throughout the home. This is a true example of a heritage restoration done right. Call for a viewing today. (id:10452)
|Square Feet||1622 sqft|
|Days On Our Website||232|
|Lot Dimensions||0.11 ac|under 1 acre|
|Air Conditioning||Heat Pump|
|Heating||Electric - Forced air, Heat Pump|
|Sewers||Municipal sewage system|
Listing Office: Royal LePage Revelstoke
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SNAME New York Section Hears Paper Describing World War II Battleships
At the February meeting of the New York Metropolitan Section of The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, the members were treated to an interesting presentation on the design and construction of World War II U.S. Navy capital ships. The meeting was held at the Buttonwood Restaurant, located in lower Manhattan, New York. Section chairman Arnold M. Stein presided and welcomed Rear Adm. L.V. Honsinger, USN (ret.), past president of the Society, to the meeting. Mr. Stein also presented a certificate of recognition for outstanding contributions to the field of naval architecture to John C. Neidermair. Mr. Neidermair played a major role in the design of naval ships during World War II and the postwar era. Mr.
Neidermair was ill and the certificate was accepted on his behalf by Admiral Honsinger.
The paper, entitled "United States Navy Capital Ship Design and Construction During World War II," was presented by the co-authors, Robert O. Dulin Jr., manager, Programs Management Department, John J. McMullen Associates, Inc., and William H. Garzke Jr., supervisor, Systems Analysis Department, Gibbs & Cox, Inc. The paper described the basic characteristics of World War II American capital ships, with emphasis on their major technical attributes. These ships were compared and evaluated to similar foreign ships.


The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office remembers the following deputies who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty:
Special Deputy Vernie Melford Roberts
Special Deputy Roberts was shot and killed with his own weapon while transporting a juvenile prisoner from one juvenile facility to another. Deputy Roberts was driving and his wife, who was also a reserve deputy, was in the front passenger seat.
The suspect, who was in the back seat, was somehow able to reach from the back seat and grab Deputy Roberts' wife around the neck. He then demanded that Deputy Roberts pull the vehicle over and surrender his gun. After stopping, and exiting the vehicle a struggle ensued and the suspect gained control of the weapon and shot Deputy Roberts twice.
Deputy Roberts was flown to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. His wife was uninjured.
The suspect then stole the unmarked cruiser but was later captured after a short manhunt. He was tried as an adult, convicted of first-degree murder on January 10, 2001, and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.


The Bankers' Manifesto of 1892 - Jeff Nielson
September 5, 2014
Charles Lindbergh Sr. (1859–1924) was a distinguished U.S. politician. In our (dubious) “history books”, however, it is the exploits of his son, Charles Lindbergh Jr. (the famed “aviator”) which are remembered. A closer scrutiny of the career of the father leaves little doubt who was the real “hero” in this family.
Lindbergh Sr. served as a Congressman in the Republican Party from 1907 -1917. During that time; he was one of the most vehement and outspoken members of the U.S. government against the creation of the Federal Reserve, and the rapidly growing influence/power of the Old World Order banking cabal whom we know today as the One Bank. Indeed, as detailed in the superb documentary, The Money Masters, Lindbergh Sr. may have been the most-strident opponent of this banking cabal in that era whom did not succumb to an assassin’s bullet.
Lindbergh quit the Republican Party in 1916, having reached the conclusion (98 years ago) that both U.S. political parties were already irredeemably corrupt, and under the control of:
“…a sinister influence…which, if it is not checked, intends to completely undermine the original purpose of the formation of our Government – change it from the purposes of democracy, and instead make it of a monarchical and plutocratic system, and to bring all the world into one control and one system, which for purposes of deception of the plain people, they would call a “world’s democracy,” but which in fact it is their plan to make the rule of the wealth grabbers, maintained by simple organization of themselves and disorganization of the masses pitting the masses against each other.
Though somewhat longwinded; in that one statement Charles Lindbergh Sr. identifies two of the most-dominant truths in our own societies of the 21st century. First he identifies who is this “sinister influence” which seeks to “bring all the world into one control and one system”. It is “the wealth grabbers” (which he would later call “the Money Trust”). We identify them today simply as “bankers”, along with the tiny cabal of ultra-wealthy Oligarchs hiding in the shadows and pulling their strings – aka “the One Bank”.
Lindbergh also describes a century ago the precise propaganda paradigm which these “wealth grabbers” intended to create as a front for their systematic looting of our societies. While (nearly) all have forgotten the name “Charles Lindbergh Sr.”; we’re all familiar – Sheep and non-Sheep alike – with the mythology he predicted one hundred years ago: the so-called “New World Order”.
How did Lindbergh know? How could anyone “predict” the relentless consolidation of wealth/power which we have seen from this banking cabal over the last century, and precisely describe how they intended to pursue their (evil) objectives? While it is impossible to see into the mind of this (deceased) political hero a hundred years later, and thus be in possession of all that Lindbergh had learned; we do have one, very large clue as to how/where Lindbergh Sr. came by his knowledge: from the bankers, themselves.
At some time during Lindbergh’s years in the U.S. Congress, he is purported to have presented the document below openly in Congress, a document which Lindbergh titled “The Bankers’ Manifesto of 1892”. More than 120 years later, all (original) traces of this document have been wiped-clean from the internet, but (for the inquisitive) it may still be possible to verify the legitimacy of it through research at a large public or university library.
For many, however, such verification will be seen as redundant. This is simply because The Bankers’ Manifesto of 1892 describes – in even greater detail than the previous Lindbergh quote – precisely what we have seen unfold over the past century since Lindbergh (purportedly) brought this document before the U.S. Congress.
Because it is not overly long; it is reproduced in full. For any readers who still remain skeptical as they begin reading through this; ask yourselves one question. If this document is not bonafide; how could one (now-forgotten) U.S. politician have “predicted” events over the next one hundred years with a level of detail/precision not even matched by Nostradamus, himself?
The Bankers’ Manifesto of 1892
We must proceed with caution and guard every move made, for the lower order of people are already showing signs of restless commotion. Prudence will therefore show a policy of apparently yielding to the popular will until our plans are so far consummated that we can declare our designs without fear of any organized resistance. The Farmers Alliance and Knights of Labor Organizations in the United States should be watched carefully by our trusted men, and we must take immediate steps to control these organizations in our interest or disrupt them.
At the coming Omaha Convention to be held July 4th (1892), our men must attend and direct its movement, or else there will be set on foot such antagonism as may require force to overcome. This at the present time would be premature. We are not yet ready for such a crisis.
Capital must protect itself in every possible manner through combination (conspiracy) and legislation. The courts must be called to our aid, debts must be collected, bonds and mortgages foreclosed as rapidly as possible.
When through the process of law, the common people have lost their homes [i.e. the growing millions of “homeless people” in our societies today] they will be more tractable and easily governed through the influence of the strong arm of government applied to a central power of imperial wealth under the control of the leading financiers. People without homes will not quarrel with their leaders.
History repeats itself in regular cycles [i.e. there is no “New Normal”]. This truth is well known among our principal men who are engaging in forming an imperialism of the world. While they are doing this, the people must be kept in a state of political antagonism.
The question of tariff reform must be urged through the organization of the Democratic Party, and the question of protection with the reciprocity must be forced to view through the Republican Party.
By thus dividing the voters, we can get them to expend their energies fighting over questions of no importance to us, except as teachers to the common herd. Thus, by discrete action, we can secure all that has been so generously planned and successfully accomplished.


History of the Miguel Angel Builes Ethnographic Museum
In the decade of the 50, in the Seminary of Missions of Yarumal, began to collect objects elaborated by the natives of the places where the missionaries realized the first missions: From the region of Magdalena Medio, crossing by the old territory of the Apostolic Prefecture From Labateca, until reaching Arauca and later the territories of the Great Vaupes that currently covers the departments of Vaupes, Guaviare and Guainia, Istmina (Choco) and Buenaventura on the Pacific Coast. This was the origin of what we know today as MIGUEL ANGEL BUILES ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM (MEMAB).
Appointed in honor of Bishop Miguel Angel Builes, founder of the Yarumal Missionaries, the museum began at the Yarumal Missions Seminary in 1962. In 1970, the then Superior General of the Missionaries, Father Heriberto Correa Yepes, and The General Council of the Community, determined the construction of a building in the city of Medellin that was destined for a museum, and share with the community this important collection of objects that show a great cultural richness of the indigenous and Afro ethnic groups. The Yarumal Missionaries interact in Colombia and other regions of Latin America, Africa and Asia.
The General Council of the Missionaries of Yarumal commissioned Father Francisco Arango Montoya, the management of the foundation of the museum in the city of Medellin and as its first director. Father Arango was distinguished for his dedication to the study of indigenous cultures and to cartography in various areas of Colombia, which is why he earned and received the title of anthropologist, Honoris Causa, from the National University of Colombia.
In 1972, Brother Bernardo Arboleda, was in charge of the management of the transfer of the objects that were in the seminar of Yarumal and worked in the organization and arrangement of the exhibition halls to open the doors to the public the 29 of September of the same one Year, on the occasion of the celebration of the first anniversary of the death of the Founder, Monsignor Builes.
The Museum has an inventory of more than two thousand ethnographic pieces for daily use, ritual and subsistence, representative of diverse cultures of Colombia and other countries, arranged in five permanent exhibition rooms: Amazon, Antioquia and Chocó, Caribbean, Asia , Africa and Latin America and Archaeological Hall. It also has a temporary room where visual arts and thematic exhibitions are held and also offers educational and cultural programming.
Since 2009 MEMAB has begun a process of updating and renewal, which has had the support of various institutions, including the City Hall of Medellín through the Secretariat of Citizen Culture and its programs of PADRINO PLAN and PUBLIC TRAINING; The Ministry of Culture of the Colombian government, through the calls for incentives in which the museum has won in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. The MEMAB has also had the timely support of other benefactors such as The Missionaries of Scarborough, Toronto, Canada and individuals. Thus it has been able to renew its rooms with a new content and audiovisual aids, seeking to update itself from the new advances of museology and museography.
At present, MEMAB continues to seek strategic alliances with other institutions, with the objective of continuing with its work of preserving and disseminating the cultural heritage of the ethnic groups of Colombia and other regions of the world where they carry out their missionary activity the Javerian Missionaries of Yarumal .
The mision of Miguel Angel Builes
Enthnografic Museum Builes is focused on:
Enthnografic Museum Builes is focused on:
- Preservation of the cultural heritage of Colombia.
- The contribution to the process of training of children and young people of the Department of Antioquia and the Andean Region, in aspects like:
- The knowledge and acceptance of the diverse cultural expressions and forms of life that exist in our nation.
- The urgency of valuing, preserving and disseminating the cultural heritage of our country.
- To emphasize the importance of the missionary activity in the transformations and social processes of the human groups of Colombia and the world, where the Missionaries are present.
History of the Yarumal Misionaries
The Seminary of Foreign Missions was founded in Yarumal, Antioquia, on July 3, 1927, by Bishop Miguel Angel Builes, Bishop of the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Osos (Antioquia, Colombia).
It was approved by the Holy See as a Pontifical Missionary Congregation in 1937, with the official name: Yarumal Institute of Foreign Missions (IMEY), better known as Yarumal Missionaries or Javerian Missionaries, in honor of its patron, San Francisco Javier.
The first missionary priests were ordained in 1938 and began their missionary work in the North Coast of Colombia, with center in Simití, Bolivar. Year after year, the missionaries were founding missions in diverse territories of Colombia, among them: Labateca, Santander; Arauca; The great Vaupes that currently comprises the territories of Vaupés, Guaviare and Guainía; Buenaventura; Istmina (Chocó) and San Andrés and Providencia, territories in which they interacted with indigenous, mestizo and afro-descendant communities.
Since 1971, missions have begun in several countries in the Americas: Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Brazil, Panama, Peru, Honduras and the United States; Of Africa: Marl Coast, Cameroon, Angola, Mali, Kenya and Ethiopia; And Asia: Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines.
The IMEY has been consolidated as a Congregation of Priests, Brothers and Lay Associates, for the announcement of the Good News of salvation to those who do not know Jesus Christ and among them the poorest.
Bishop Miguel Angel Builes, founder and first Superior General, is recognized as "the Missionary Bishop of Colombia", because he founded, in addition, three other missionary congregations: The Missionaries of St. Therese of the Child Jesus in 1929; The Contemplative Teresitas del Santísimo in 1939 and the Sisters Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy in 1951.


But this place has a history.
This is the ongoing story of what took place on Goole’s doorstep and its environs, properly the parish of Airmyn before local boundaries were re-drawn. Feedback from the public will help to re-populate a place that has been forgotten, except by those lads who biked to the fishing ponds, those with memories of the railway and its sheds
(see http://www.goole-steam.com/ ), canal traffic and farming times. Contributions welcomed from family historians with links to the past – especially life in the farm cottages, work at the brickyard, along the waterways, down Dutch River Side, between Goole and Rawcliffe. Let’s build a bigger Friends of Oakhill Community.
The retreating ice left behind it the Humberhead Levels – a marshland landscape with islands of drier woodland. Conditions around Thorne, though, were different. Sphagnum moss thrived in the acid soil and created a raised peat bog.
Archaeologists have found bog oak timber and ancient track-ways preserved in peat on the Somerset Levels, another wetland. Nearer to Oak Hill, Peter Halkon and colleagues discovered log boats at Holme-on-Spalding Moor. Never mind bodies set up for the conservation of nature, Thorne Moors (now protected as a SSSI – site of special scientific interest) disclosed a well-preserved Bronze-age human body when peat deposits were extracted for agricultural purposes. One early commercial concern, long before the arrival of Fisons, was The British Moss Litter Company, formed by several local farmers and landowners, including the Smiths of Potter Grange, who saw these “wastes” as offering a useful manufacturing resource for animal bedding
As embankments were built up to prevent this low-lying land being flooded by the tidal Ouse and Aire, the waterlogged wastes were drained into dykes with sluice gates controlling the flow. The most obvious single feature of the landscape (before the arrival of industrial chimney stacks and gigantic sheds) were the long straight lines of the drains. Modern pumping stations, named after their predecessors at Oaks Hill and Orchard Cottage, do the work of older outlets or cloughs, maintained now by the Goole & Airmyn Drainage Board, but historic maps show the Old Drain running beside the farm track to Airmyn Pastures and Oaks Hill. That approach road has been diverted yet still serves Percy Lodge, while the Old Drain acts as the western boundary to contain the spread of industry. Collecting its fill of dumped rubbish beside an old wooden footbridge scorched by fire, the tracks and banks providing non-permissive motor-bikers’ trails, it is still just possible to turn one’s back on contemporary living and stand in the shoes of those who lived here long ago.
Cloughs could be closed to allow water on to the land for warping, as well as opened for draining the fields. Agricultural drainage lowered the level of the land as water was pumped out but the gradual settlement of fine sediments improved the fertility of the soil before the manufacture of “tillage” and fertilisers. The outlet of the Town Drain was marked on the 1853 Ordnance Survey as Wades Clough, the family name of the tenant farmer at Oak Hill in the 1830s, and possibly earlier still. According to archived documents, Wades had farmed at Armin or Hook for a hundred years or longer. A lease is recorded in 1757 to a Mr. Wade, of Armin, believed to have been “Billy” Wade’s grand-father.


The company was originally grounded in 1993 although it’s history reaches the end of the 80’s. Back in the days when the biggest neighbor of Poland was the Soviet Union and there was practically no private initiative allowed, today’s owners of Milo have started to sew their first jackets on two simple sewing machines in one of their rooms in a small flat in Warsaw. In those times they were one of the very few polish climbing and mountaineering garment manufacturers and pioneers in this branch. After the political changes, in the early 90’s, they started to build their experience in the biggest polish outdoor brand at that time – and a no longer existing one. Although the company had its best years in those days, they decided to quit. They wanted to develop their own ideas and specialize in climbing and mountaineering garment. This was the moment when Milo was grounded. In 1993 a small company was starting it’s big climb. Right from the start the products were oriented to be originally designed and produced to meet up the highest quality standards. First jackets were made using the Sympatex membrane but soon it proved to be not enough. The range of products was constantly broadened from light and simple cotton items to highly technical Gelanots and Polartec jackets and the most recognizable and appreciated range of Extendo trekking pants. Unconventionally designed backpacks and accessories have made the collection even more complete. After a few years Milo became easily recognizable in Poland and gained a deserved opinion of a high quality brand. Soon came the time to go abroad. Even if the first visits to international trade fairs were everything else than successful, they brought the necessary experience to take profits from in the forthcoming years. After a while the number of foreign partners came close to the quantity of the polish ones and the exportation of Milo products became the main company’s objective. That’s how it looks now and Milo is still setting its climbing route… that’s why its motto sounds “Milo …of climbing”.
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The Walvis Bay municipality has announced that a book titled ‘Walvis Bay: Coming of Age’ will be launched at the first council meeting in January and will be available from the municipality at a cost of N$280. The visually striking book consisting of six chapters and 216 glossy pages was produced to showcase the harbour town’s role in Namibia’s past, present and future.
It offers a historical journey of the town since its integration into Namibia in 1994 and contains striking photos by renowned photographer Jay Roode and others.
“Come and explore the story of Walvis Bay. We describe why Walvis Bay is such a unique place, share what has changed in the past 21 years and celebrate what the town has to offer.
Founding Father Dr Sam Nujoma resolutely refused to set foot on Walvis Bay’s soil until the port city was united with the rest of Namibia. We tell you how it all came about and believe me, it’s a fascinating story,” former mayor Uillika Nambahu wrote in the foreword. OTIS FINCK


Picturesque Brundall calendar 2024 - £10
- Price £10 each, plus £3.00 postage and packing (UK) (up to two calendars)
- For Brundall postcodes there is no charge for postage and packing
- A white envelope is included with the calendar for onward posting as a gift.
1. Use the online form below and pay by bank transfer:
Account name: Brundall Local History Group
Sort code: 30-96-17
Account number: 00888503
Please add your surname and CAL to the bank's payment reference code: eg SMITHCAL
2. Download the pdf form, print and post it with your cheque to
Jenny Robertson, Treasurer, Brundall Local History Group, 13 Laurel Drive, Brundall, Norwich NR13 5RE.
Download the order form
If you have queries about payments and postage overseas, please email email@example.com
Calendars will also be available for sale at our regular talks.
Copyright: Nothing on this website may be copied or published without the permission of the Brundall Local History Group. This does not mean we will not give permission, but you do have to ask us. The archive material has come from many sources and there are many copyright holders.


The three North Carolina Maritime Museums preserve, protect and present North Carolina’s coastal history. They paint a picture of the history and maritime culture that includes fishing, boat building, piracy, decoy carving, life-saving, war, underwater archaeology, shipwrecks, boating, the seafood industry, and marine life, science and ecology. Each of the museums is unique, and offers year-round public programming, and free admission. Donations are appreciated.
The North Carolina Maritime Museum began as a collection of natural history specimens in the U.S. Fisheries Laboratory on Pivers Island, N.C. circa 1904, but did not become the North Carolina Maritime Museum in its present incarnation until 1984.The Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center was added in 1992.
In July of 1997 the North Carolina Maritime Museum was transferred from the N.C. Department of Agriculture to the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.
In late summer and early fall of 1999, the N.C. Maritime Museum expanded operations to include branch museums on Roanoke Island and at Southport.
In February 2007 the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Roanoke was transferred to Roanoke Island Festival Park. Also in 2007, the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum was brought into the Department of Cultural Resources.
The new maritime museum system now is comprised of the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras, the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort and the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport.
Today, the North Carolina Maritime Museums are part of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.


Mar Joseph Arumachadath
Mar Joseph Arumachadath was born on 10 April 1960 at Uppukandam, in the Erattayar parish of the present Diocese of Idukki, in Idukki District, Kerala as the son of Late Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Mariakutty. After his High School education, he joined the Missionary Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in 1978. His religious profession in MCBS was on 17-5-1981 and priestly ordination on 7th May 1988. He did his philosophy studeis at St. Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Alwaye and theology studies at Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune. He holds a Doctorate in Theology from Leuven University and has published his thesis “The Church as community of Jesus’ disciples.” After his ordination he served for two years in the Retreat Team in Sannidhanam Ashram, at Illithode, and later as secretary to the Superior General. From 1999 to 2002 he was the Rector of the MCBS Minor Seminary at Athirumpuzha. From 2002 to 2005 he was the provincial superior of the Emmaus Province of MCBS. While working as the Vice-Rector of Sanathana Major Seminary, Thamarasserry, he was appointed the First Bishop of the Eparchy of Bhadravathi on 21 August 2007. The official announcement took place on 29 August 2007. He was ordained Bishop on 25 October 2007 at Bhadravathi by His Beatitude Mar Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil, the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church and was enthroned on the same day by the Major Archbishop himself.


Ms. George was appointed as General Manager of UMC – Urban Movie Channel in March of 2018. Prior to that she was the Company’s first Chief Marketing Officer from January 2017 to March 2018 after serving as President, US managing North American distribution for four years and spearheading the integration of Acorn Media and Image Entertainment, which were acquired by the Company in October 2012. Before this integration, Ms. George served as Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Acorn Media after progressing from her first role with Acorn as Marketing Manager in 1999. During this time, Ms. George helped to build Acorn’s brand profile as the “chief curator of the best Brit TV” (TIME magazine) and grew the brand’s footprint across retail while developing a growing business in the digital home video market. Ms. George came to Acorn from technology sector company Icarus Corporation where she advanced from product marketing to managing sales and marketing efforts for Latin American markets.


Project Type:Resin Bonded Gravel
Completion Date:March 2013
Project Location:Kensington Gardens, London W8 4PX
Project Area:In excess of 3000 m²
Case Study DownloadKensington Palace
Total Protection (Great Britain) Ltd were involved with installing a new surface dressing to the surrounding paths of the notorious, Kensington Palace in March 2013.
Situated in Kensington, Chelsea, it has been residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century, and is currently the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and Princess Eugenie.
An excess of 3,000m2 of 1-3mm Brittany Bronze Resin Bonded Gravel was installed to the surrounding areas of the Palace to provide a natural, non-slip surface.
Durability and aesthetics were two of the main requirements that were achieved while undertaking the works within the limited time frame Total Protection were given.
Works were efficiently completed to a high standard and in time for the grand opening from Queen Elizabeth.


Norman Paul Katzaman, age 94, of North Heidelberg Twp. passed away on Monday, January 4, 2021 at the Reading Hospital.
He was born in Jackson Township, Lebanon County on October 30, 1926 to his parents Clayton W. & Helen R. Dietrich.
He is predeceased by his wife of 31 years, Ella P. (Nye) (Reber) Katzaman.
He is survived by his son, Dale H. Reber and his wife Janice S. (Haag) Reber, with whom he resided. He is also survived by his step daughter, Faye M., wife of George Ludwig Jr., 9 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, and 15 great great grandchildren.
He is predeceased by his son, Harold W Reber, and his siblings, Clarence C Katzaman, Elsie Geib, Grace Schnee, Carl Katzaman, and Erma Schock
Norman served in the US Marine Corp. from 1948 to 1959, being honorably discharged as a Gunnery Sergeant.
Norman served first at Camp Delmar, California where he was trained as a field teletype. He was then stationed at San Diego California, before serving in Korea during the Korean War with the 1st Marine Division at the battle of the Chosin Reservoir. He was a telegraph lineman, running the first lines of communication for the Marine camps, and always recalled running three miles back to camp with the chinese shooting at his feet for fun to keep him running. Wounded later on in Korea, when his truck rolled over on him, he was transported to Japan, where he recuperated before being sent back stateside. He later served in Hawaii, remembering fondly of the pineapple fields and all the ripe pineapples they were allowed to eat from the fields.
He was then transferred to Quantico, and while stationed there served as the Honor Guard at President Eisenhower's inauguration.
He received the National Defense Metal, Good Conduct Medal W/2, Korean Service Medal W/3, The Presidential Unit Citation W/1, UN Service Medal, Korean PUC.
Upon his return home in 1960, he worked at The Wernersville State hospital as a cook, for 30 years, retiring in 1990 as Chief Cook.
He was an avid baseball fan & nascar fan, attending many races with his family. He loved deep sea fishing with his son and grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by his family and his cat Chloe.
Burial will be private at Heidelberg Cemetery, Robesonia.
Cole Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Robesonia is handling arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 314 Good Dr., Lancaster, PA 17603 or to the American Heart Assn., 610 Community Way, Lancaster, PA 17603.
Online condolences may be made at www.ColeFH.com
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Norman P. Katzaman, please visit our floral store.


THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND FAVS!
The original name of the ship was "City of York" and was built in 1952 in Newcastle, England. The Cruise liner departed London in November 1953, and maintained its service until sold to Michael A. Karageorgis, Piraeus in 1971, when she was renamed as "Mediterranean Sky" and started the first line between Patras - Italy till the late 80s. Due to the companies’ financial situation, the "Mediterranean Sky" was arrested in 1997, whilst in Patras. She remained there till 1999. Then she was towed to Eleusis laid up and was virtually abandoned. Then, in late November, 2002, she started taking on water and began to list. In order to stop her sinking, she was towed to shallow water and was grounded. In January 2003 the ship keeled over on her side in Eleusis Bay where she remains awaiting her fate.
Built: 1952 Vickers Armstong, Newcastle, England
Launched: 30 March 1953
Completed: 26 October 1953
Length: 164.8m - 541ft
Beam: 21.7m – 71.2ft
Engines: Doxford Type Diesels – 12,650 BHP
Speed: 18.8kn max / 16.5kn service speed
Passengers: 107 - First Class
Later Names: Mediterranean Sky 1971
You may NOT reproduce my images in any form without my written permission. Copyright © Alexandros Tsibos. All rights reserved.


This is just a partial list of the unique inventions that Australia has contributed to the rest of the world.
A full list can be found on the Wikipedia site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Australian_inventions
Invented by Australian aborigines and mainly used for hunting.
A wind instrument of the Indigenous Australians of northern Australia. It is crafted by selecting a section of Eucalyptus branch that has been hollowed by termites.
A type of spear thrower that adds thrust as part of the throwing action. It is said to have been the fastest weapon in the world until the invention of the self-loading rifle in the 19th century.
1838 - Pre-paid Postage
Using pre-stamped sheets as envelopes began in New South Wales.
1856 - Regrigerator
The world's first principal vapor compression ice making machine and refrigerator.
1889 - Electric Drill
Designed primarily to drill rock and dig coal, the electric drill pas patented on August 20, 1889.
1902 - Notepad
A Launceston stationer decided it would be a good idea to cut sheets of paper, back them with cardboard and glue them together at the top. Before then paper was only sold in sheets.
1906 - Feature Film
The world's first feature length film was The Story of the Kelly Gang and was a little over an hour long.
1940 - Zinc Cream
The white sunblock made from zinc oxide was first developed by the Fauldings pharmaceutical company.
1948 - Hill's Hoist Rotary Clothes Line
The famous rotary clothes line with a winding mechanism allowing the frame to be raised and lowered.
1953 - Solar Hot Water
Developed by a team at the CSIRO.
1958 - Black Box Flight Recorder
A voice and instrument data recorder invented by Dr. David Warren in Melbourne.
1979 - Boinic Ear
The cochlear implant was invented at the University of Melbourne.
2000 - Wi Fi
The first wireless transfer of data in a local area network developed by a team at the CSIRO.
Back to All Things Uniquely Australian list


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Kanchipuram is one of the seven sacred cities in India. History proclaims that Kanchipuram was ruled by the Pallava Kings...Explore
The Goddess Kamakshi is in a sitting posture in the temple. This posture is called the Padmasana posture. The Padmasana ...Explore
Kanchi Kamakshi temple is situated at about 5 acres of land and has four entrances. The main entrance of the temple...Explore
Brahmasri Neelakkal C.N.Ramachandra Sastrigal in the service Sri Kamakshi Ammal.
The ancient text ‘Sowbhagya Chintamani’ provides a valuable account of Sri Kanchi Kamakshi Amman temple and the traditional families that were conducting worship and rituals in the temple. According to it, families belonging to six Gothrams were ordained this great duty of worship. But centuries ago, families belonging to four Gothrams left Kanchipuram for Thanjavur (then Tanjore) for various historical reasons. At present, only two families of Bharatwaja Gothram and one family of Kausika Gothram are residing in Kanchipuram and conducting rituals in the temple with hereditary rights. The family of Brahmasri Neelakkal Ramachandra Sastrigal belongs to Bharathwaja Gothram and is called as the grand old ‘Neelakkal Lineage.
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Read Best Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History – Blockdiagramwiring.co
At The Same Time Adolf Hitler Was Attempting To Take Over The Western World, His Armies Were Methodically Seeking And Hoarding The Finest Art Treasures In Europe The Fuehrer Had Begun Cataloguing The Art He Planned To Collect As Well As The Art He Would Destroy Degenerate Works He DespisedIn A Race Against Time, Behind Enemy Lines, Often Unarmed, A Special Force Of American And British Museum Directors, Curators, Art Historians, And Others, Called The Momuments Men, Risked Their Lives Scouring Europe To Prevent The Destruction Of Thousands Of Years Of CultureFocusing On The Eleven Month Period Between D Day And V E Day, This Fascinating Account Follows Six Monuments Men And Their Impossible Mission To Save The World S Great Art From The Nazis To think I almost didn t read this five star book because I plan to see the movie That would have been a terrible mistake The movie is based loosely on the book Very loosely indeed Robert M Edsel s The Monuments Men is a nonfiction account of a group of mostly American art historians, museum curators, and one very special art conservationist from Harvard s Fogg Museum, George Stout To give you an idea of the stature of these men in the art world, after the war they went on to become the heads of New York s Metropolitan Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Isabella Stewart Gardner, The National Gallery, The Frick, The Fogg, The Yale University Art Gallery, The Balti, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Dallas, Toledo, Brooklyn, and Worster Art Galleries, and the Library of Congress One of them was Lincoln Kirstein, who with Balanchine created the New York City Ballet.Theirs was a particularly difficult job Just a few men, most of them in their 40s and much too old for army service in the middle of a vicious war Kirstein lost 45 pounds during his six weeks of basic training with men half his age But he and the others tracked down and protected our Western art heritage from the rapacious Germans, especially Hitler and Goring, who stole millions of art objects from the countries they conquered and from the particularly fine collections of Jewish families like the Rothchilds and Seligmanns.The story really began in 1943 Leptis Magna with Lieutenant Colonel Sir Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler of the Royal Artillery The British North African Army had reached the ruins of the great city of the Emperor Serverus The British had held the area earlier until they were pushed back into Egypt by Rommel When the Italians reached the area they published a story of British destruction of the site, smashed statues, empty columns, collapsing structures, graffiti on the museum walls.The accusations were false The place had been collapsing on its own for 2000 years and the columns were empty because the Italians had taken the statues themselves The graffiti was not on museum walls and it was just inches away from the graffiti the Italians had left in the area.But the British had no way of countering the Italian claims of Allied destruction They had no archaeologists or historians in North Africa Now the British were back in Leptis Magnis and they really were destroying the site Trucks and tanks were routed over the paving stones of the ruins of the old city and Wheeler was appalled He went to the Civil Affairs officers and pointed out they really were destroying the site this time, the most complete Roman ruin in all Africa Never heard of it, said the officer.Wheeler tried to explain the importance of the site Are you a historian asked the officer I m an archaeologist, Wheeler replied, Director of the London Museum Then do something about it, Director With the help of a colleague from the London Museum, Wheeler rerouted traffic, photographed the site, posted guards, and organized repairs.And the men respected their attempts to preserve the site Throughout the story of The Monuments Men the art conservators and historians and curators found that if they told the troops about the towns and regions they were fighting for the men became increasingly curious and wanted to know Lincoln Kirstein wrote histories of the cities of Metz, Nancy, and Achen which were read eagerly by the troops.It was hard work One man would be attached to an entire Army and with a rank of lieutenant and no transportation, no typewriter, no paper even, they were trying to alert the men with sufficiently high rank to do something to preserve what they found after the battles in eastern France and Belgium Time and again they arrived to discover the Germans had just days before taken monumentally important art objects such as Michaelangelo s Bruges Madonna and the Ghent Altarpiece of Van Eyck Taken them east into Germany to protect them from the uncivilized American barbarians.I didn t think I was going to be impressed with what I thought was a military history with a patina of art laid on But of course the book was not that at all You do have to know which British or American, or for that matter, Soviet army is where because the men assigned to the American groups were responsible for the area taken by the soldiers.Meanwhile, back in liberated Paris 2nd Lieutenand James Rorimer was learning from the head of French Museums, who had been part of the Resistance, what had been taken by whom and when And that a volunteer assistant at the Jeu de Paume named Rose Valland had repeatedly risked her life throughout the occupation spying on the Germans, keeping elaborate notes, photographs, and copies of receipts for art work that was chosen by Goring during than 20 trips to the museum and sent to his house outside Berlin and to Hitler Much of this art was from the collections of the Jewish families of Paris and it was because of Valland s work that so many of these works were returned to the owners after the war.As Germany crumbled it became a race for the monuments men to reach the hiding places in central and southern part of the country where most of the stolen art was stored The largest deposit of art was in a salt mine in Altausse which was in danger of being completely destroyed at the command of Hitler at the end of the war In addition, this was part of the area that was going to be under the control of the Russians The art recovered by the British and Americans was returned, all of it, to the country or individual who had owned it before the war, including those pieces taken from German churches and museums and stored for safekeeping The Soviets were stealing everything they could get their hands on and were so careless with the caches of art they found that hundreds of important paintings were destroyed by rioting and fire.The movie is a movie There s apparently a totally fictitious love story, and the characters do not carry the names of the men who did the things the actors portray in the film Reviews haven t been that great, but I m looking forward to seeing George Clooney, Matt Damon, Hugh Bonneville, Bill Murray, and John Goodman portray the heroic monuments men. It s odd how you think your opinion of a bunch of murderous assholes couldn t sink any lower, and then you read something like this that makes you realize that they were even worse than you thought Nazis weren t just xenophobic bullies who institutionalized mass murder, they were also thieves They were probably lousy tippers, too During World War II a handful of art experts in the Allied military forces took on the challenge of trying to protect the cultural treasures of Europe As the war raged, these guys did their best to save historical buildings and art from the general destruction going on around them They also tried to track down and recover what the Nazis had stolen Hitler and his pals took advantage of the war to pull the biggest art heist in history, and this included looting the culture of countries they invaded as well as stealing the private collections of people they killed or imprisoned.This is one of those stories that I knew the basics of but hadn t realized the scale of the crimes committed, and I knew nothing about the men who tried to mitigate the damage The Nazis literally stole trainloads worth of art and stashed away so much that it required massive logistical efforts just to get it all recorded and returned after the war What s shocking than that is how few resources were initially dedicated to the preservation effort Eisenhower issued a general order instructing his troops to avoid damaging anything of cultural significance unless there was a military necessity, but only a handful of Monuments Men were scattered around Europe and they had no official support staff or supply sources Simply getting transportation was often difficult or impossible One of the men was briefly arrested as a suspected German spy when a zealous MP soldier refused to believe that anyone carrying out such a large and important mission would be wandering around by himself.Even though there weren t many of them and they had to improvise constantly, the Monuments Men did manage to save countless pieces of art including helping to track down huge stolen stockpiles that the Nazis had stashed away in mines and other hidey holes It was dangerous work and a couple of them were killed in action while trying to carry out their mission.It s an interesting and important story that gave me a new appreciation of some of history s forgotten heroes so why only 3 stars I dunno This is a weird one I can t point to anything of significance The writing is fine, and the research seems solid There s enough detail pointed out about the people involved to give you a sense of their character and make you appreciate their struggles I was planning on seeing the movie version, but then came the meh reviews for it so that killed my interest in the film and may have dampened my enthusiasm for the book There s nothing particularly wrong with it, and I don t regret learning the story, but for some reason it never hit that next level where I couldn t wait to read while I was in the middle of it. Though it s a fascinating bit of history, largely overlooked, this book felt like a chore to get through There s a plodding to the writing, and a lot of repetitiveness Repetitiveness throughout Repeating himself in different ways, as though to pad out the book Repeat Also, it feels like there are a lot of shortcuts in the narrative instead of character development A few of the Monuments Men emerge with full personalities, but often the reader is told things like this brilliantly matched duo of two Monuments Men with wildly different approaches to life, to art, to the military were so interesting, but without any evidence whatsoever to back up the description And the villainous Nazis are literally described as villainous something the reader is already primed to expect, of course, but without any new light shed on it Descriptions of Goring and his fate routinely end with some variation of him being called a greedy fool This is not new information or interesting information Readers should be able to draw their own conclusions about the personalities, valorous or treacherous, without the author needing to explicitly tell us that at the end of each paragraph It s either lazy writing or a distrust of our ability to connect the dots.And then there are some laughably written lines that took me out of the intrigue and heroism entirely Here s one They had lined up the metal filings of their own destinies like so many dastardly magnets Worth the read to expose yourself to the work of the Monuments Men on a very general level, but beyond that a disappointment. A handful of art warriors take on the Third Reich in this story chock full of both intrigue and culture Read it before the movie starring George Clooney comes out.


Day 1: Entry Cairo
Arrival Cairo Airport, meeting, assistance and transfer by A/C coach to your hotel. Check in at hotel in Cairo.
Day 2: Cairo
A/C coach by visiting the Great Pyramids of Giza one of the seven wonders of the world which were built as the royal tombs for the three kings (Cheopes, Chephren , Mycerinus) then visit the magnificent Sphinx The guard of the royal tombs , visit the Papyrus & Perfume factories then visit the Egyptian Museum where you will see the world's most prized collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities, including the famous treasures of King Tut Ankh Amon's tomb(Your rate exclude Tutankhamoun hall entrance fees) .
Day 3: Cairo
Breakfast at hotel, Starting your full day tour with our English speaking guide and A/C coach by visiting Coptic Cairo to see the church of Abu Serga which dates back to the beginning of the 15th century AD it was built in the Basilica style above the cave in which the holy family took refuge, then the hanging church that was built in the 15th century also in the Basilica style it was built upon Babylon fortress then visit the Synagogue of Ben Ezra for Jews, Finally Khan El Khalili Bazaar the great famous market and historical area to get a wide array of exotic gifts and souvenirs at the end of the day. Overnight at hotel in Cairo.
Day 4: Exit Cairo
Breakfast at hotel, Check out the hotel for your departure, transfer by A/C coach to Cairo International Airport.
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The use of welsh slate is an ancient art, dating back to Roman times. In fact, it was first used to build a fort in Segontium. Today, the slate industry continues to flourish in Wales, with many homes and businesses made of it. Read on to learn about its history and use in construction. Let’s take a look at some of the most common types of welsh slate.
The slate industry grew in popularity as the Industrial Revolution rolled in. However, the decline in the industry started much earlier, with an explosion in demand for roofing tiles and the advent of the Victorian age. As a result, the market for slate shrank from 54,000 tons in 1958 to less than two thousand tons in 1970.
Slate from Wales is highly durable, making it a popular choice for many construction projects. This material is completely water-proof, making it the perfect choice for buildings near the ocean. Additionally, unlike most other materials, it is untouched by UV radiation and pollution. Even if the slate is exposed to sunlight for several hours a day, it will stay untouched.
The landscape of the Welsh slate industry is a striking example of the industrial sublime. Three of them are open-air, and are characterized by steep staircases and stepped terraces. The underground quarries are even more striking. Visit Murnane Slate Roofing to see some of these quarries up close. There, you will be able to take a tour of the industry and view the amazing landscapes that surround it.
Slate mining used to be an artisanal process that was dominated by men working alone and in partnership. However, with the advent of mass-production, the process of extraction became much more efficient. The process of extracting slate was incredibly labor intensive, with a great deal of shifting stone required to make a single block that could be split easily. Consequently, the area was left with high unemployment and a low population.
The stone is 500 million years old and is made by compressing clay over thousands of years. In addition, the Welsh Mountains were formed due to the movement of tectonic plates. This combination of factors makes the Welsh slate an incredibly durable material for construction. There are numerous reasons why slate is so durable and popular, and it is the perfect choice for any project.


Dorris Kearns Goodwin being interviewed at The Henry Ford's Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation with the chair the Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in behind her.
- 2015 Kristina Sikora/KMS Photography Kristina Sikora / KMS Photography
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- 2000x1333 / 1.1MB
Abraham Lincoln, Corporate Event Photography, Corporate Photographer, Dearborn Event Photographer, Dearborn Photographer, Detroit Event Photographer, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Event Photography, Henry Ford Museum, KMS Photography, Lincoln Assassination, Lincoln Chair, Michigan Event Photographer, Photographer, Photography Studio, Special Event Photography, Special Events, The Henry Ford, [KMS] Photography
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SEA GAMES HISTORY
The Southeast Asian Games owe its origins to the South East Asian Peninsular Games or SEAP Games. On 22 May 1958, delegates from the countries in Southeast Asian Peninsula attending the Asian Games in Tokyo, Japan had a meeting and agreed to establish a sports organization. The SEAP Games was conceptualized by Luang Sukhum Nayaoradit, then Vice-President of the Thailand Olympic Committee. The proposed rationale was that a regional sports event will help promote cooperation, understanding, and relations among countries in the Southeast Asian region.
Six countries, Burma (now Myanmar), Kampuchea (now Cambodia), Laos, Malaya (now Malaysia), Thailand and the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) were the founding members. These countries agreed to hold the Games biennially in June 1959 and the SEAP Games Federation Committee was formed thereafter.
The first SEAP Games were held in Bangkok from 12–17 December 1959, with more than 527 athletes and officials from 6 countries; Burma (now Myanmar), Laos, Malaya, Singapore, South Vietnam and Thailand participated in 12 sports.
At the 8th SEAP Games in 1975, the SEAP Federation considered the inclusion of Brunei, Indonesia, and the Philippines. These countries were formally admitted in 1977, the same year when SEAP Federation changed their name to the Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF), and the games were known as the Southeast Asian Games. Despite its location closer to the Pacific archipelago than the Asian continent and not being a member of ASEAN, East Timor was admitted at the 22nd Southeast Asian Games in 2003 Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City.
The 2009 Southeast Asian Games was the first time Laos has ever hosted a Southeast Asian Games (Laos had previously declined to host the 1965 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games citing financial difficulties). Running from 9–18 December, it has also commemorated the 50 years of the Southeast Asian Games, held in Vientiane, Laos.
List of host countries


By Eric Nordstrom, Urban Remains
Finally made time to meticulously catalog long forgotten remnants (largely in the form of ephemera) I’ve collected over the years from 19th and early 20th century structures undergoing extensive renovation or demolition. Discovering and recording historically important material formerly sealed off and forgotten provides a portal to the past where “snapshots” from a different time can be reconstructed and integrated with the collective memory of a building, its neighborhood, and city.
Although I’m always eagerly awaiting future opportunities to engage these coveted spaces and seek out anything and everything left behind by people of the past, I must take a step back and thoroughly piece together what I’ve collected thus far. There are too many stories that need to be told – especially from demolished buildings that live on through rescued fragments, photographic images and the remnants of forgotten lives found buried in their walls. recording these finds will greatly enhance existing narratives I’ve already assembled, by including the critical element of personification.
This entry was originally posted in Urban Remains, Featured Posts, Events & Announcements, Bldg. 51, Salvages, Miscellaneous on February 27, 2017 by Eric.


The Ziyarat is a sacred journey or pilgrimage to significant religious sites and shrines. Ziyarat Tour Packages offer the opportunity to visit important religious sites and connect with spiritual history. These packages provide guided tours, transportation, and accommodations for an immersive and meaningful experience.
Ziyarat has a rich history and cultural significance in the Islamic tradition, with many believers undertaking the pilgrimage as a way to connect with their faith and seek spiritual enlightenment.
For those interested in exploring the history and cultural significance of the Ziyarat, there are several ziyarat tour packages available that offer guided tours to the various sites and shrines associated with the pilgrimage. These packages typically include transportation, accommodations, and expert guides who can provide insight into the history and significance of the various sites.
The Ziyarat has its roots in the Islamic tradition, with many of the sites and shrines associated with the pilgrimage being closely linked to key figures and events in the religion’s history. For example, the ziyarat tour packages include visits to the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad in Medina and the shrine of Imam Ali in Najaf.
In addition to its religious significance, the Ziyarat also has significant cultural and social importance in the Islamic world. It is a time for believers to come together, connect with their faith, and seek blessings and guidance from the revered figures and sites associated with the pilgrimage.
With its rich history and cultural significance, the Ziyarat is an experience that offers a unique glimpse into the Islamic tradition and the beliefs and practices of its followers. For those interested in exploring this sacred journey, there are various tour packages available that provide an expertly guided and enriching experience.
Ziyarat also known as Ziyarat Ashura or Ziyarat al-Warisa is a form of Islamic pilgrimage to the holy sites of the religion. It is a highly significant religious practice for Shia Muslims, who believe that the act of visiting these sites brings them closer to God and helps them to fulfill their spiritual obligations.
You can visit Ziyarat by choosing the packages as per your preference. Ziyarat Tour Packages offer a unique opportunity to visit sacred sites and perform religious pilgrimages in various locations.
The origins of Ziyarat can be traced back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad, who encouraged his followers to visit the graves of the martyrs who had died in the early battles of Islam. This practice was continued by the early Muslim leaders, who saw it as a way to honor the sacrifice of these martyrs and to remind the living of the importance of their cause.
The practice of Ziyarat expanded to include other important sites in the Islamic world, such as the tombs of the Imams and other religious figures. These sites became places of pilgrimage for Muslims, who would travel from all over the world to visit them and pay their respects.
Today, Ziyarat remains an important part of the Muslim faith, with many believers making regular pilgrimages to the holy sites. It is seen as a way to connect with the spiritual history of the religion and to reaffirm one’s faith and commitment to the teachings of Islam.
Exploring the history and cultural significance of ziyarat, or pilgrimage, is important for several reasons. You can select umrah and ziyarat packages to travel which will help you to understand the rich cultural and religious traditions of different societies and communities. This can provide insight into the beliefs and practices of these groups, and can also shed light on their historical and social context.
Studying ziyarat can help to preserve and promote cultural heritage. By understanding the significance of these pilgrimages, we can better protect and conserve the sites and rituals associated with them, ensuring that future generations can also experience and benefit from these traditions.
Exploring the history and cultural significance of ziyarat tours can also help to foster intercultural understanding and dialogue. By learning about the religious and cultural practices of others, we can develop a deeper appreciation for diversity and build stronger connections with people from different backgrounds.
Our Ziyarat tour packages offer the opportunity to visit some of the most sacred and revered sites in the Islamic world. From the holy city of Mecca and the Kaaba, to the Prophet Muhammad’s Mosque in Medina and the tomb of Imam Ali in Najaf, these tours provide a deeply spiritual and enriching experience for all travelers.
Our expert guides will provide in-depth knowledge and insight into the historical and religious significance of each site, allowing you to fully appreciate the importance of these sacred places.
In addition to visiting the main religious landmarks, our ziyarat tour packages also include stops at other fascinating sights, such as the Maqam Ibrahim and the Well of Zamzam in Mecca, and the Mosque of the Two Qiblas in Medina.
Our packages are tailored to suit the needs of all travelers, from individuals and families, to groups and organizations. We offer a range of accommodations, from luxury hotels to budget-friendly options, and can arrange transportation and visas for all our clients.
Join us on a Ziyarat tour and experience the spiritual beauty and significance of these sacred sites for yourself with Al Arafat.


St. Xavier’s Senior Secondary School, Jaipur is a Christian minority school under the administration of the Jesuits, a global Christian Religious Order, known as the Society of Jesus.St. Xavier’s Jaipur is synonymous with the best education conferred in an excellent and well-disciplined atmosphere. It has unrivaled commitments in molding the savvy feature of Jaipur, which is being witnessed today. The incredible organization in its 68 years of radiant presence has nurtured various students. The sylvan 21 sections of land lodging the stately three storied structure has poured affection on eras and the Alumni of this prestigious and reputed organization remained as the bastions of the sparkling legacy and the historical Blue and Gold legacy.


QUETZALCOATLUS Vikings Viking Age Middle Ages Medieval PU Foam Sword Weapon Toy for Berserker Soldier Knight Warrior Costume Battle Play Halloween Cosplay LARP Medieval Reenactments
Viking society has deep feelings for swords, and many people’s swords will even be passed down from generation to generation. Many men will receive a word from their father when they are about to come of age: “This sword once belonged to my grandfather, then belonged to my father, now belongs to me, and will soon belong to you.” It can be seen that in the values of Vikings, the sword is not just a weapon, it is the key to a man’s maintenance of his family and blood, and even has the sacredness of religion. There is a saying in a Viking proverb: “Who can separate a man and his sword? One is worth nothing without the other”.
The Ulfberht Sword
The design of this prop Viking sword is inspired by the Ulfberht sword in history. The word “Ulfberht” is speculated to be a person’s name, and it is impossible to confirm whether it is the name of a sword maker or a nobleman. The QUETZALCOATLUS Vikings Viking Age Middle Ages Medieval PU Foam Sword is made of high-quality PU material, which is lighter and safer compared to traditional metal swords. It has fiberglass inside to ensure its toughness, making it suitable for battle play, Halloween cosplay, and LARP (Live Action Role-Playing) Medieval Reenactments.
- High-quality PU material for a lightweight and safe experience
- Fiberglass inside for enhanced toughness
- Perfect accessory for Viking costumes
- Ideal for battle play, Halloween cosplay, and LARP Medieval Reenactments
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Is the QUETZALCOATLUS Vikings Viking Age Middle Ages Medieval PU Foam Sword safe for children?
Yes, the foam sword is made of PU material, which is safe for children to play with. However, adult supervision is still recommended.
2. Can the foam sword withstand intense battle play?
Yes, the foam sword is designed with fiberglass inside to ensure its toughness, making it suitable for battle play and LARP Medieval Reenactments.
3. Can I use the foam sword for Halloween cosplay?
Definitely! The foam sword is the perfect accessory for your Viking costume, adding an authentic touch to your Halloween cosplay.
The QUETZALCOATLUS Vikings Viking Age Middle Ages Medieval PU Foam Sword is not just a toy, but a symbol of Viking heritage and values. It represents the connection between generations and the sacredness of family and blood. With its high-quality construction and historical inspiration, this foam sword is the perfect accessory for any Viking costume, whether it’s for battle play, Halloween cosplay, or LARP Medieval Reenactments.


As some might recall, I traveled to Egypt and Jordan over the winter holiday. My wife and I took around 4,000 photos — we’ll spare you all the details and just stick to the highlights.
Both nations were fantastic: everywhere we went the people were pleasant, the sites stunning, and the food delicious. Everywhere was steeped with history. This post is briefly about Egypt, with a soon-to-follow post about Jordan.
At the time (about a year after the January demonstrations in 2011), Cairo had a bit of reputation for being unsafe and so there was essentially no tourists anywhere there. Fortunately, Cairo was quite safe and we ran into no trouble whatsoever and got to benefit from the lack of crowds at the various attractions; unfortunately, you could tell that business was slow for a lot of tourism-dependent merchants. Outside of Cairo there was a lot more tourists — the majority of tourists in Aswan and Luxor were Russians — and business seemed to be better, though the guides said that tourism has definitely been down since the revolution.
One of the great highlights of Egypt is, of course, the Pyramids of Giza. It should go without saying, but the pyramids are really big.


Happy Mother's Day! Have you ever done what Tenneva Jordan explains, "A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie." I remember seeing my mom do this one evening when a couple extra friends stayed for dinner. Good ole Mom watched each of us kids dig in to the plate of crispy fried chicken. After all of us - and our dinner friends - had our fill, Mom took the remaining piece. I know she didn't get satisfied or full on that one scrawny left-over wing but, it impressed me later to realize she was giving the best to her children.
What are you doing for Mother's Day this May 9th? I'm not sure what my three kids have up their sleeve for me but, I have asked all to join me at church. At least we can start our day sitting together in the pew.
Here's some Mother's Day history:
Our first North American Mother’s Day was "birthed" by Julia Ward Howe’s in 1870. Despite having written The Battle Hymn of the Republic (my own mom's fav song) years earlier, Howe had become distraught by the death and carnage of the Civil War and called on mothers to come together and protest what she saw as the futility of their sons killing the sons of mothers. She called for an international Mother's Day celebrating peace and motherhood.
June 2nd was eventually designated for the Mother's Day celebration.
In 1873 women’s groups in 18 cities observed this new Mother’s holiday. Howe planted the seed that would blossom into what we know as Mother’s Day today.
A West Virginia women’s group led by Anna Reeves Jarvis began to celebrate an adaptation of Howe’s holiday. In order to re-unite families and neighbors that had been divided between the Union and Confederate sides of the Civil War, the group held a Mother’s Friendship Day.
After Anna Reeves Jarvis died, her daughter Anna M. Jarvis campaigned for the creation of an official Mother’s Day in remembrance of her mom and in honor of peace.
In 1908, Anna petitioned the superintendent of the church where her Mother had spent over 20 years teaching Sunday School. Her request was honored, and on May 10, 1908, the first official Mother's Day celebration took place at Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton, WV and a church in Philadelphia, PA.
cited from http://www.mothersdaycentral.com/about-mothersday/history/


Nupe Hegemony in Akokoland in the Nineteenth Century: A Study in Local Imperialism in Pre-Colonial Nigeria, 1845-1897
This paper examined the imperial exploits of Nupe among the Akoko communities of Northeast Yorubaland between 1845 and 1897. The study adopted the narrative and analytical methods of historical research. Data for the study was gathered through primary and secondary sources. These involved oral interviews with some community leaders that were purposively selected. Secondary sources like relevant books, journal articles, newspaper publications and internal materials were also consulted. It noted that one major factor that aided Nupe’s successful military imperial raids and subjugation of Akoko area was the lack of unity among the communities. This was itself due to intercommunal warfare in the Akoko region between 1800 and 1845. The wars weakened the local armies and prevented any joint military force against a common enemy, the Nupe. The paper further documented, extensively, the nature of imperial administration established by the Nupe in the Akoko area between 1845 and 1897. Some impacts of Nupe hegemony on Akoko communities during the period of study were also highlighted. The paper concluded that Nupe hegemonic and imperial rule in Akokoland could have continued beyond 1897 if not for the invasion of the British colonial masters.


Role in the Movie
Oliver played Jackson, the nervous lieutenant of the AA (Animal Army). Fighting wisely and around for a long time, Jackson became mayor on April 5, 1948, the setting of the film. Jackson was taken by a Red-tailed Hawk, which, surprisingly, was his sister, back to his home, because he was crippled. Jackson, along with his sister, was killed by Peter Afrogaens.


Fujairah Rockwool Factory
It was in 1982 that Fujairah Rockwool Factory started operations and in the process became the first company to manufacture Rockwool insulation products in the GCC region. Begun with an annual capacity of 5000 metric tons,
Emirates Ceramic Factory (ECF) (subsidiary of Fujairah Building Industries P.S.C. (FBI) listed in Abu Dhabi Securities Market), established in 1980 and situated in the Emirate of Fujairah in United
Fujairah building industries was established in 1978 to produce masonary blocks, paving stones and kerbstones. Keeping in pace with the rapid development and expansion in the region.
Fujairah Marble & Tiles Factory
Having a long tradition of quality manufacturing for over 32 years, we mainly concentrate on manufacture of single layer terrazzo tiles built out of high resistance cement and other strongest aggregates.


We're in Sarajevo now, another beatiful Bosnian city. It's full of pretty red-tile roof houses, more than 200 old mosques, ornate Austro-Hungarian imperial buildings, and skyscrapers. All of this is surrounded by lush green mountains, from which the Bosnian Serbs shelled the city to bits during the war. In Mostar, you could still see the war everywhere -- as you walk down the former front line, most of the buildings you pass are just stone skeletons slowly disappearing behind trees and ferns. Here, most of the damage has been repaired, except for a few shrapnel-pocked walls and a couple of fancy landmarks looking for a generous patron.
Yesterday, we signed up for a tour of the city, which was great. Our tour guide Delila was a 23-year-old econ student from the local university, clad in super-tight jeans, a tiny halter top, and faux Gucci shades. She was kind of like a Bosnian Maggie, except slightly more made up and scantily clad. She invited along a similarly trendy friend named Ellie who was studying to pass the tour guide exam, so we got two giggly guides for the price of one.
My favorite part was seeing the Latin Bridge (shown in the picture, along with our sassy tour guides), on which Archduke Ferdinand was assasinated. There used to be bronze footprints commemorating the spot where Gavrilo Princip ran up to a corner and pulled the trigger, but they got ripped out of the pavement during the seige of Sarajevo because Princip was a Bosnian Serb. I was looking forward to going to the bridge because I thought it'd be an interesting curiousity, but it was more intense than I expected. It's actually kinda spooky standing on the spot where WWI started.
It was also really interesting listening to Delila and Ellie talk about Tito. We saw Tito keychains in Mostar, and several Tito portraits in Sarajevo. We took them to be kitschy relics until we met our tourguides, who were BIG Tito fans. Tito kept Yugoslavia's ethnic and religious groups from fighting, they pointed out (although they didn't mention that his tactics for keepting the peace were pretty nasty). They both said that Bosnia was living proof that socialism works, because the average standard of living was apparently way better in the former Yugoslavia. If econ students who dress in trendy ripoffs of luxury brands thought that, I'm guessing nostalgia for communism runs pretty deep in the Balkans.


Quilts are a time honored way to use scraps. These quilts were made by the women in my family, Grandmothers and Great- Grandmothers and I think one Great-Great Grandmother.
This sun bonnet sue is one of my favorites.
My Grandma was a member of a quilting group. They would meet once a week or month and quilt the top of a member’s quilt. Â It was a social time and also a time to get much needed work done. These quilts were made for use and they kept the family warm on the cold winter nights. Â My Aunts can sit down and tell you where each piece of fabric came from. They came from a time when women made their own clothes and skill with a needle and thread was valued.Â My Mom taught me to sew and I am teaching my girls or at least making sure they learn the basics. Â Sewing is expensive Â these days unlike my Grandmothers’ days when everyone had to have some skill at sewing.
I have been thinking about sewing some quilts with my scraps. I have sewn one quilt top that is just strips of fabric but the more complicated patterns are calling to me. I need to baste all the layers together but I keep putting it off.
Talk to you later,
My Grandma or Granny (Bethel) as we grand kids called her created quilts out ofÂ necessity. She had a large family and needed blankets. She was a part of a quilting group in her small town. I believe most of her quilts date from the 1940’s. Her quilts were made from the better parts of used clothing and some were quilts within a quilt in order to make use of all available materials. I believe that all of these quilts were sewn completely by hand. I know that they were quilted by hand. Having four kids myself, I am pretty sure that some of these were made in order to have something finished that she could look at everyday. Somehow that is important in the daily grind of dishes, meals, laundry and keeping a family running.
Should any of my family read this and want to add any information or if any information is wrong please send me an e-mail and I will fix it. She made many, many quilts and they were scattered among the 7 kids when she passed away so these are only the few that I was able to photograph.
Quilting was also a Â chance for women to get out and see other women. These were often qulited as a group and offered a reason for the women to get out and socialize. It helped to build the community and fostered the friendships that women need. I am pretty sure that we need gatherings like this again. I am hearing about knitting groups and sewing groups and churches that have quilting groups. There are quilting guilds and sewing retreats and so women are reaching out again to build friendships.
Well, these are a just a few. I have others to share on another day.


70 kms north of Dar es salaam lies the historic city of Bagamoyo. It was the former capital of German East Africa colony and also was starting point of the slave caravan routes and also the terminus of the white missionaries. Like Burton Speke, Stanley Livingstone. Bagamoyo has natural harbor for sailing vessels and dhow . Don’t miss visiting the Kaole ruins, German Museum, German State house, the old market, Caravan sarai, the old fort, Arabic tea house, crocodile farm, 1st East African post office and 1st East African Secondary School.