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Vernon grannies tour the world with travelogues

Grannies à Gogo is about to launch its ninth season of travelogues
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Wayne Emde takes in the sights at Rothenburg, Germany. (Photo submitted)

These grannies have perfected the art of armchair travel.

Grannies à Gogo is about to present their popular 2019 season of four outstanding destinations for their ninth season of Travelogues.

The first in the winter series focuses on river cruising from Budapest to Amsterdam on Friday, Jan. 11. The next looks at both touring and teaching in Vietnam, China and Cambodia on Friday, Jan. 18. The third travelogue explores Newfoundland’s Vikings, icebergs and birds on Jan. 25, and rounding out the series is a sensory exploration of India on Friday, Feb. 1. All the presentations are scheduled for 10 a.m. at the new location of the Schubert Centre, 3505 – 30 Ave, in The Emerald Room.

Wayne Emde initiates this series on Jan. 11 with Three Rivers: Budapest to Amsterdam as he follows the major European rivers through four countries from Budapest to Amsterdam.

“I knew it was going to be different,” Emde said about his European river cruise. “First off, there were only about 160 guests compared to the thousands that I was used to on the ocean cruises. And, instead of days at sea, this ship was never more than a few hundred yards from shore as the vessel motored up the Danube and down the Rhine.”

Emde wandered through thirteen historic cities, shot superb photos, drank local brews and “watched the scenery slide past for fifteen days.”

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In the second travelogue, Jan. 18, Sandee Carson presents China, Vietnam, Cambodia – Teaching & Touring. She taught English in China and at an all-English campus in Vietnam, finding many differences between the people of those two countries.

Carson will share her impressions of Chinese artistic talents and her happy adventures in Vietnam travelling by bicycle and on the back of a motorbike on the Mekong Delta. She spent two weeks in Cambodia over the Tet holiday, or New Year’s break, and enjoyed all the special carnivals and festive markets in addition to historical highlights of Cambodia.

The season’s third travelogue, Jan. 25, takes guests to Newfoundland as Marnie and Ted Melnyk present The Rock – Vikings, icebergs and birds. As part of their Canada 150 project to visit all three of Canada’s coasts, one stop was Newfoundland, or The Rock, on the Atlantic coast during iceberg season.

The Melnyk’s covered the province from the far southeast corner to the far northwest and will show us their findings as they visited St John’s, Placentia, Trinity, Bonavista, Twillingate, Gros Morne, Cow Head and St. Anthony. Along the way, they experienced spectacular icebergs, multitudes of seabirds and learned of Newfoundland’s long history going right back to the Viking settlement.

Rounding out the Morning Travelogue series is India by the Five Senses seen through the photos and commentary of Suzie Sims. She presents a collage of how India feels to her western sensibilities and the audience will be able to imagine the smell of cattle dung, used for fuel, as the patties lay drying in rows and sacred cattle wander the streets. Images of traffic congestion thick with a dozen modes of transport from rickshaws and bicycles to huge, fantastically decorated trucks conjure sounds of blaring horns, bicycle bells and shouting. The sense of touch is found in emporium fine silks, in the exquisite saris seen on many women, and the rough blankets that shroud the street dwellers. And images of spice-laden Indian cuisine will set your taste buds afire.

Join Grannies à Gogo as they travel to these four beguiling destinations. Admission is $5 at the door. All proceeds directly support bereaved African grandmothers raising their orphaned grandchildren. For more information about Grannies à Gogo: the Vernon - South Africa Connection go to www.granniesagogo.com or email granniesagogo@gmail.com.


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An iceberg floats off the coast of Newfoundland. (Marie and Ted Melnyk photo)


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