Travelogue Series

Wednesdays. October 12, 19, 26, November 2. The Ludington Center.

October 12, 2-4 p.m.: Richard Lewin. “Staycation Jewels.”

There are many places in the Albion/Jackson, Michigan area that may be “unknown” JEWELS that we locals may not be aware are even there. This Travelogue will consist of conversation and photographs of these Jewels.

October 19, 4:30-6:30 p.m.: Mauricio Marengoni. “Brazil: a different experience.”

Brazil is one of the largest countries in the world (if you take Alaska out, Brazil is larger than USA). In this travelogue we will be talking about the different areas in Brazil, some of the history, culture, and gastronomy. We will visit places that most tourists never heard of, but, of course, we will pass through the main touristic areas in Brazil going from Rio de Janeiro and Salvador in Bahia to the Amazon river and the Iguaçu falls.

October 26, 2-4 p.m.: Carolyn and Dennis Gaswick. “Burma, or is it Myanmar?”

Whether you know it as Myanmar or Burma, this is one of the most devoutly Buddhist nations on earth with a dazzling array of golden pagodas and ancient temples filled with gilded Buddhas. From the stilted villages of Inle Lake to the stupas of the Bagan plain and volcanic Mt. Popa, we’ll explore the countryside as well as life in Mandalay and Rangoon. We’ll discuss customs from the chewing of betel nuts to the education of monks. For all the recent political upheaval, and we’ll touch on some of it, Myanmar remains at heart a rural nation of traditional values and welcoming people.

November 2, 2-4 p.m.: Pat Tomasik. “Welcome to the New Vietnam and Cambodia.”

For anyone haunted by memories of the Vietnam War, this travelogue offers a refreshing and healing vision. In 2011 two friends, Carol Gnich and Pat Tomasik, travel to Vietnam and Cambodia and behold the natural beauty, the cultural richness, the welcoming spirit, and the surging energy of two nations rising up after years of trauma. You will be uplifted along with them as they tour this area and discover a whole “new world” to replace the war-torn previous one.