February 2014 - Women Welcome Women

Issue 79
Our Global Village
February/March 2014
The Golden Road to Samarkand !
The Silk Road was Sonja’s dream and when she threw out the idea in a 5W newsletter in 2012
she quickly found six others who shared it. Mary (Ireland) wanted to buy a yak in the famous
cattle market in Kashgar, Bernadette (UK/Ireland) pressed our guides on political issues with
great diplomacy; Heather left her
cattle farm in south Australia for the
chance of exotic travel; Yim
(Cambodia/Sweden) keen
photographer and Sonja’s friend;
Jinder (UK via Kenya/India) frequent
5W traveller. I’d thought about the
and
ark
Sam
in
are
Squ
famous places and architecture we
Fabulous Registan
would see and that we’d travel where
Alexander the Great, Ghengis Khan, Marco Polo and Tamerlane had been. It
would be fabulous. History would fall into place! It was my first 5W adventure!
From Almaty, Kazakhstan, a comfortable post-soviet city with an excellent metro, art
collection, Turkish/Swedish baths in a palatial ‘30s building, and where any car was
prepared to act as a taxi if you struck out your hand, we flew to China. We travelled west
from Kashgar. The province of Xinjiang is home to the Uighurs, originating from Mongolia.
Our restaurants included former Russian and British consulates, relics from the 19th
century stand off known as the “great game”. Mary did not buy a yak! But Heather was
swept up in a waltz when we chanced on the city’s population dancing en masse under the
night sky. We drove out of China through the Tien Shan foothills and over the Torogart
pass into Kyrgyzstan (yurts, yaks, nomads and vodka for the high altitude). A special link
with Switzerland has fostered tourism here in yurts and in guest houses. We stopped for
lunch in a yurt village en route for Tash Rabat, a caravanseray at the head of a green
valley, below towering mountains where yaks grazed. One could feel the sense of arrival
such a place would have given the medieval traders. Our delightful meal in the yurt with
Tusan’s family and later in ordinary houses gave us a feel for the country, which we could
not otherwise have had in a short visit. I loved the landscape, 90% of Kyrgyzstan is
mountains, as is Tajikistan. The vodka was decanted into a plastic water bottle so it could
pass seamlessly between countries. “Anyone for a nip”? “Heck its only 10am”!
Lunch in Tash Rabat yurt village
Mary, Una, Bernadette, Heather, Sonja and the little girl is
Piri (Moon Princess), daughter of Tusan,
the family who hosted us
Turkmenistan, the counterpoint to Kyrgyzstan, is awash with gas and oil, the cult of
Turkmenbashy, its first president, to whom every building in Ashkabat is a monument in
marble and gold and to the lost cities of Konya Urgench, Nisa and Merv and the blazing
Karakum desert. Over the famous river Oxus – the Amu Darya (hidden in the back of our
bus, to avoid the long walk over the 900m metal bridge). We had a mile to walk later that
day between borders back into Uzbekistan in 40C. Huge trucks heading for Europe and
Russia were lined up in the no-mans-land. At the immigration post the boy in army fatigues
had no knowledge of a country called Sweden! This was on our last leg to Bukhara and
Samarkand. The other
‘stans’ built national
identities around heroic
and legendary figures Timur Malik (Tajikistan),
Manas (Kyrgystan),
Tamerlane
(Uzbekistan). But we
were discovering that
the recent history of
Turkmenistan, at Konya Urgench, Mary, Sonja
these countries,
& Bernadette carries the baby!
created in 1991, is just
as fascinating as the
long ago. The largely totalitarian leaders grasped independence as a means of
continuing the power they had under the soviets rather than move towards
democracy - they are the modern day sultans and a new “great game” between
the US Russia and China is in play. Our questions were often given the party
line or stonewalled “We have no statistics on that” was said and received with
Kashgar - lunch in former Russian consulate
humour and a wink!!
Sonja, Heather and Yim
Read more on Page 2 ..........
October's Baltic Coast Gathering is featured on Page 2, If you have items you would like discussed at the next Annual Trustees'
Meeting, see Page 2, Letter from 5W Chair, AlmuthTharan on Page 3, Upcoming Gatherings and Get-Togethers featured on Page 7,
Full list of Local Groups around the world on Page 8, Office & Members’ Noticeboards enclosed
5W, 88 Easton Street, High Wycombe, Bucks HP11 1LT, UK
Tel/fax: +44 (0)1494 465441, www.womenwelcomewomen.org.uk
The Golden Road to Samarkand continued .....
We saw four lost cities, six world heritage sites, saw the fabulous majolica covered madrassahs,
mausoleums minarets and mosques and the ramparts of ancient Khiva and Khujand. Registan Square in
Samarkand was the finale, a knock out public space with madrassahs on three sides all highly decorated.
We handled gorgeous textiles, embroideries, carpets of wool and silk, tent hangings and felt work and
watched carpet weaving and silk dying. We sipped green tea as Sonja negotiated for a large Bukara
carpet. We drove past cotton fields and were told that “students” compulsorily take part in the harvest,
which is all hand picked. I had seen a painting in Almaty of cotton harvesting in soviet times when
machines were used.
Our guides, Althena, Delia, Yelena, Johnson, Marat and Sharboz were wonderful, as was Sevara, our
patient agent in Tashkent who had answered our emails and flexibly adjusted the trip to suit us. We were
all ill one way or another and Plov - the national dish of Uzbekistan and central Asia - says it all about the
food! It was a revelation and continues to be – thanks to Sonja and fellow travellers for fun & friendship.
Una Carlow, UK
Children in old town Kashgar,
photo by Mary Haugh
Pleasure & Leisure at Baltic Sea Coast, Golden October 2013
During September/October 2013 Helen Gilgen (Adelaide) and I travelled
throughout Romania and into Germany where we met up with 29 other 5W
women for the Baltic Sea Coast gathering. For the week long get-together we
were accommodated in small groups in comfortable apartments throughout the
quaint seaside village of Prerow. This whole beautiful Darss peninsula is still fairly
rural and not overdeveloped ( no fast food chains!) During our stay we did a days
ferry boat to Hiddensee Island, a fisher persons paradise. A Mississippi style boat
trip to watch hundreds of migrating cranes. A wonderfully exhilarating coastal
walk to a nature
centre and old
lighthouse left
most of us
exhausted, so a
slow trip back
by horse and
cart was terrific.
We had plenty
use
tho
ligh
lk to the Darss
of leisure time
Coffee break after wa
zog, Sandy Bell,
a Schütz, Heinke Her
to hire bikes
Karin Schulze, Monik
Josetta Wood
and cycle
through glorious
green forests and along
coastal pathways.
Some evening meals were
self catered and others we all
got together at restaurants for
fabulous food and lots of chitchat.
Anne Webb & Josetta Wood
Thanks to Almuth for all her
and the West Beach driftwood horse
hours of work in organising
this relaxed and friendly gathering. I shall always have very fond memories of orange berries
on Sandorn bushes, thatched roof cottages and the beauty of this whole delightful area.
Thanks to all the other girls on this gathering, great to make new friends and of course meet
up with old.
I would also like to say a big thank-you from Helen and I to Reka (her children Rebecca &
Norbit) from Gilau Romania for a tasty lunch and hospitality. Gaby from Menden for showing
us so many sights in the Ruhr Valley and having us to stay, Christl Teickner for guiding us
through her town of Bremen and Marianne for all the wonderful sightseeing in your area,
accommodation and driving us to the gathering and the many outings we had with you and
Karin. After Helen came home I had another week in Germany and was lucky to stay with
Doris and Wilfred who also showed me the many sights of Cologne, great to see you both
again. My last stay was with Barbara Hager and Barbara Hertz, a beaut stay with you and
thanks for showing me more of Dusseldorf, Claudia Banos good to see you at the gathering
and thanks for catching up again in Dusseldorf.
Thank
you all for a happy & wonderful holiday!
Horse drawn cart for those tired of walking!
Therese Whitehead, Australia
Monika Schütz, Sandy Smith, Anne Webb,
Catherine Lodge and 15 others
Annual Meeting of the 5W Board of Trustees
The next meeting will be held
in Germany on 2nd & 3rd June 2014
If you have any items or suggestions that you would like
discussed at the meeting, please send them to the office
by end of March for inclusion on the Agenda.
You can either mail or email to
[email protected]
In September 2013 I was delighted to visit beautiful
Shropshire, UK for the first time and I wish to convey my thanks
for Jane Hider of All Stretton for a most hospitable extended stay.
I was also accommodated by June Thornton in Bath, Babs Ridge
in Bradford-on-Avon, Jane Hebson in Worcester and Lyn
Longridge in Stratton, plus Sue O'Neil from Bibury, who was a day
hostess. In London I stayed with June Hall at her B&B. Grateful
thanks go to these members and also to Patricia Foster from
Cyprus, who met me in London, where we attended a performance
at the theatre.
Carolyn Gibbs, Sydney, Australia
-2-
Dear members,
on behalf of the Board of Trustees, I wish you all a happy and successful 2014. This not-so-new-anymore-year is once
again full of memorable data, memories, but also new chances.
Hardly anybody will have missed the fact that one hundred years ago, the First World War started: a lot of new books
published, probably a lot of official ceremonies later this year. For me as a German born in the 1960’s, World War One
used to be old history, something in dusty text books. But I knew that this is different for people in other countries in
Western Europe and overseas. In 2012, the 5W gathering in Flanders Fields organised by the Belgian members gave
me a personal impression of one of the battlefields – I was deeply moved to see the traces of that war in fields, towns
and forests, even though all this is almost one hundred years ago. I would not like to have missed this experience of
bad history – yet I am glad that 2014 is connected with more pleasant events, too.
In 1989 - 25 years ago - the Berlin Wall fell and with it the whole “iron curtain” that had divided Europe for a long time.
In the summer of 1989, a small group of 5W members from the West came to East Berlin to meet up with a few East
German women who were members of 5W back then.
In May 2014, a lot more 5W members will come to Berlin – as it happens, to East Berlin again, but it has really
changed from 25 years ago - to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Women Welcome Women World Wide. Most of the
participants will only meet for a few hours, but I am sure many old friendships will be renewed and new friendships made on that day. As not
all members can and will come to Berlin for that day (and I would not know where to accommodate them all) – do celebrate 30 years of 5Wexperience in your area with local members or a 5W guest – or go and visit some 5W members further afield. Tell your friends and travel
companions about 5W, maybe they would like to join our jolly company.
And also, let us know about your celebrations, about the old and new friends you met, tell us your stories,
Have a wonderful celebration year,
Almuth Tharan, 5W Chair
Earlier this year I was lucky enough to take a Long Service Leave and travel for three
months. I visited Russia, the Baltics (where I unfortunately had my passport stolen), Finland,
Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
Of course I caught up with 5W members along the way. In Finland I was fortunate to stay with
Liisa Marie Kujala and her husband and had several magnificent days in their holiday home. I
picked apples and raked autumn leaves with Outi Hallamaa and sat in the sun chatting with Kirsti
Roine and her husband. Marja-Liisa Lehikoinen and Aulikki Schönach showed me how beautiful
Finland was. Liisa, Kirsti and Marj-Liisa also
introduced me to the wonderful Finnish
institution of sauna and ‘skinny dipping’ and Outi
encouraged me to try pickled herrings.
In Sweden, where I travelled on an emergency
passport, I was fortunate to stay with Sonja
Holmedal, who was a brilliant help with credit
card and travel issues and Agneta Ronnback,
who took me on a scenic walk around Stockholm
and introduced me to vegetarian food. I also
met Pia Sundberg and Jill Hilford and enjoyed
good food and interesting conversation.
The next adventure was in Denmark, where Alice
Vilstrup took me bike riding. I had not been on a
bicycle for longer than I care to remember, so it
was quite an experience. Alice cycles at 20 k/h.
I was excited at biking at 11! I also had a lovely
time with Dorte Staermose, who took me to meet
Sonja Holmedal, Janene Hancock
Erna Kleiner and the Little Mermaid and, of
and Agneta Rönnback
course, Princess Mary’s home - a lovely
Tasmanian connection.
I travelled on my own and, while I thoroughly
enjoyed my trip, it was lovely to meet with 5W ladies and experience their friendship and travel
sharing experiences. It definitely made my trip even more interesting and I saw places and had
experiences I would not have been able to have without them.
Once again, 5W proved what an exciting organisation it is to belong to.
Janene Hancock, 5W Trustee, Tasmania, Australia
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Dorte Staermose and Janene Hancock
Liisa and Jukka Kujala
The Great Lakes Group got together in October to visit
Grand Rapids, Michigan, where they hold the world's
largest art show - ArtPrize, 1500+ pieces of art over 168
venues. Twelve members came from Chicago, SW
Michigan and Traverse City. Jeanne Clark, Lynne
Siemon, Marilyn Jamora and Sandy Powell stayed with
Jeanne and 8 members stayed overnight at Mary
Schultze's.
From the left - Cynthia Russell (seated), Rebecca
Myers, Mickey Nuccio, June Scott, Naomi Pope, Mary
Schultze, Flora Breidenbach (seated) and Cathy
Harold
-3-
Following my contact with Beryl (one of the new 5W members) after
the bushfires at Springwood, I was talking to another Hawkesbury
member, Irene Neff, and we decided to see if we could organise an
impromptu get-together with some other members before Christmas.
Surprisingly, the Springwood ladies had been thinking along the same
lines, so within about a week we had replies from nine ladies with six
being able to join us for a lovely late lunch on 9 December in nearby
Richmond.
If you are not familiar with our area, both Kurrajong and Springwood are
in the Lower Blue Mountains and are not too far from each other (34 Km
or half an hour’s drive), but both are about 72 Km from Sydney or one
and a half hours by train (on different rail routes). Consequently, very
few of us are able to get to Sydney City very often.
As it turned out, we had seven ladies who made the effort and joined
Irena and I for a very pleasant afternoon in the converted old National
Bank Building - now named the Bank Bazaar, a delightful gift and coffee
shop. Those who came included Coral Walsh and one prospective
member from Switzerland who was visiting the Hawkesbury area. We
hope to do the same again in about 2-3 months and next time possibly in
Springwood (and with a bit more notice!)
Joy Wilson, Australia
My experience in Germany (Munich, Nuremberg, Berlin), Austria
(Salzburg and Vienna) and Czech Republic (Prague) was a wonderful
one and a retirement trip to remember. It was made especially good
because of the 5W members I met in several of the cities. They were
gracious, knowledgeable and quite helpful in the information they
shared and the time they took to host my sister and me. I have
travelled to South Africa, England (Cambridge), Morocco and several
other places for academic fellowships and this was my first travelling
abroad on my own, so to speak.
The 5W ladies made our journey both enjoyable and unforgettable,
teaching me without knowing it, how to be the kind of host to others
that I was the recipient of. Ajile Rahman, USA
Joan Asplin, Coral Walsh, Ilona from Switzerland, Joy Wilson, Beryl Wright,
Irene Neff, Marina Knowles, Kay Thomson & Lucy Mark
Thank you so much Adelaide, South Australia 5W on the terrific
programme prepared for our visit in August. I met so many interesting
people from Australia and overseas and hope to visit them in the future.
I’m bound to miss out some organisers/hosts but, in particular, thank you
so much Sue Ormsby who put up with my idiosyncrasies and provided a
lovely room, good food and companionship, allowing me to watch TV
(election news) ad infinitum. Thanks once again and hope Victoria 5W
can offer similar hospitality in the future.
Pam Swirski, Victoria, Australia
5W Nepal Tour, September - October 2013
After months of preparation, ten ladies from Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Kent, Northern Wales and British Columbia in Canada, accompanied by
our tour leaders Renee and Penny, met up at the famous Kathmandu Guesthouse in Nepal to begin our adventure. The group, most of whom had
not met each other before, all had one common goal - to experience the majesty of
Nepal and make a difference to the lives of disadvantaged Nepalese children at the
Children's Welfare Centre (CWC) orphanage, and we did!
The tour started with visits to some of the world famous sites in the Kathmandu Valley
region before leaving for the serenity of the beautiful countryside and our home for
the next four nights in Godiwari, where CWC is located. We spent the next few
enjoyable days visiting CWC, getting to know the children and the dedicated staff. We
played games, read books, helped with homework and enjoyed a number of delicious
meals with the children.
We then flew to Pokhara with its mirror-like lakes and soaring mountains. Our
excellent lakeside accommodation was ideally located for us to take a canoe ride
across the lake or walk lakeside to explore the town. Irene, Bernadette and Liz had
an amazing experience going paragliding, while Moira and Pam enjoyed the thrill of
an ultra lite flight. Some of us preferred to be pampered and enjoyed a traditional
Nepalese massage!
Relaxed and refreshed, we headed by bus to Royal Chitwan National Park and more
adventure!
Here we enjoyed an
oxen cart ride,
elephant ride through
the jungle, visited the
elephant-breeding
centre and watched
elephants bathe in
the river.
Pam Varco, Moira Maslin, Berndadette Crawley, Eleri Armes,
Cassandra Bartlett, Ann Liffen, Renee French, Penny French,
Finally it was time to
Beverley Brice, Liz Davies, Nene Hartnell & Irene Neff
return to Kathmandu
and spend our last
day with the children.
A visit of mixed emotions - sad to be leaving, but thrilled to be presenting CWC with
a donation of over $16,000! The size of the donation was largely due to a
Nepalese friend in the hotel industry who provided us with huge accommodation
discounts and helped with other savings along the way. One of the ladies on tour,
Nene, donated a cow to CWC and most of the group presented another cow as a
thank you gift to Renee Cansdale, the member who organised the tour. Now
CWC does not have the expense of purchasing milk for the children.
I can honestly say it was an amazing two weeks, the accommodation, tours and
overall organisation were excellent. We shared lots of stories and new experiences, enjoyed
many good meals together, climbed hundreds of stairs, shopped and shopped some more, and made some wonderful new friends. The
experience has made me realise just how lucky we are. A big thank you to 5W.
Namaste!
Cassie Bartlett, Queensland, Australia
-4-
The Tasmanian 5W ladies had an early Christmas get-together at
Karen Fontain's beautiful bush block. The weather was magnificent what a change - and everyone had a lovely time eating, drinking (nonalcoholic punch, of course) and enjoying stimulating conversation. Two
members and one husband travelled from the north of the state to join in
the festivities. Two years ago some members from the south travelled up
north for a Christmas feast and we hope to make this a regular event.
Even though Tasmania is a small state, we have difficulty all getting
together, but of course we have a fabulous time when we do.
Janene Hancock, 5W Trustee, Australia
Back row: Deidre Wallace, Ali Cummins, Karen Fontain,
Kaye McPherson & Janene Hancock
Front: Alison McArd, Judy Wright & Marlene James
Thanks to 5W I
was able to
meet Randi in
Oslo, Norway.
We had a nice
walk around the
city together.
What a surprise
for me was a
shop where
huge pieces of
dried meat
were hanging
from the
ceiling moose,
reindeer,
sheep, fish etc. I did feel
sad to see pieces of whale meat, sorry Randi! I am so happy about
5W existing around the world and hope to show my beautiful city of
Hamburg to many 5W friends.
Lilli Zilz-Barile, Germany
My trip to Israel November 2013.
Israel, the Land of Milk and Honey and the rest has not yet found peace for
over 60 years and
with its most stringent security polices in the world
it has become less
of tourist destination
for most. However I
have been longing
to visit Israel since
2002 and my trip
to The Holy Land
where Christian,
Jews and Muslim
history came
alive for me for a
very short period,
was made
possible with the
help of 5W
member Ilana
Honigsblum.
With useful
advice and
encouragement
from Ilana I
Bethlehem wi
th Palestinia
found a guided
n student
tour for seven days
in late November 2013 to see all the important
sights and met up with ordinary Arab Palestinians and Israeli Jews. Due to
intense travelling schedule, sadly I was not able to meet and have coffee
with Ilana Honigsblum in Tel-Aviv. However I am grateful to her for
becoming my pen friend and making this unforgettable journey a possibility.
I came home with head full of new experience to share and 500 photos to
show to family and friends; here are few for publication.
I have more to say about my trip to Israel in my travel blog which can be
accessed by logging on to ….. davinderstravel.blogspot.com
Davinder Richards, UK
The Baltic countries, Helsinki, St
Petersburg and Moscow - May 2013
In May this year I was fortunate enough
to be part of a South African group tour
that went to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia,
Finland and Russia. The tour was
absolutely marvellous in all the sights
that we were taken to and places we
could explore individually. But the
highlight of the trip was most definitely
meeting wonderful 5W members. In
Vilnius, Lithuania I was warmly
welcomed by Rima Simonaitiene, who
took me around her beautiful city
showing me different parts not covered
Pirjo Saarinen & Riana in Turku, Finland
by the group tour. What a wonderful
personal insight she gave me of her life
as an English language teacher, as well as of her beautiful city, Vilnius.
Unfortunately, I did not manage to make contact with 5W members in Latvia, Estonia and St
Petersburg, since they did not reply or could not be contacted via email. And unfortunately in Moscow,
my time there was too short to meet Marina Routkovskaya, but we spoke on the phone.
In Finland I was overwhelmed by the welcome extended to me by Finnish members I had made
contact with before my departure. All of the women I sent emails to responded warmly and were keen
to meet me, but some of them were away themselves. However, in Helsinki, Mirja Lehtovaara rushed
from Tahtela by bus and train to meet me one evening. She was aware of my interest in architecture
Riana and Anna-Liisa in Helsinki
and thus we spent some time looking at Eliel Saarinen’s fascinating railway station, from where Mirja
had to catch her train back home. Anna-Liisa Tormanen came all the way from Espoo to show me
around beautiful Helsinki - if it were not for her I might have missed many special buildings and intimate places such as the restaurant Karl Frazer,
the Pohjola Building, Aschan Cafe Jugend and the Art Nouveau district, Katajanokka. During a whistle-stop morning tour in Turku yet another
Finnish member, Pirjo Saarinen, rushed to the restaurant where I was having a quick lunch. I was astounded at the warmth and friendliness these
5W members extended to me, a total stranger. It is without a doubt that making these personal contacts enhanced and added a very special aspect
to my trip. I felt far from a mere tourist passing by impersonally in Vilnius, Helsinki and Turku. In return, I hope that one day I would be able to
extend the same warmth, welcome and friendliness to the women who welcomed me so warmly, if very briefly, into their lives and their cities.
Riana Rosenbaum, South Africa
-5-
In October 2013 I had the
privilege of meeting Rita Enders,
a Canadian 5W member who
lives in California. Rita works on
a floating campus for college
students for a ‘semester at sea’
each Fall. It so happened that the
ship was docked in Cape Town
for 4 days during which Rita
rented a car and drove out to
Betty’s Bay to pay me a visit.
Time passed in a flash with
constant conversation about all
sorts of topics and in-between
we visited our local botanical
gardens, Rita explored the land
colony of penguins in Betty’s
Bay, saw the tidal pools where I
enjoy swimming all year round,
and she also spent some time
in nearby Kleinmond. We
enjoyed a morning in nearby
Hermanus, known for its whale
watching and to our delight a
na in the
Southern Right Whale
Rita Enders and Ria Gardens
tanical
happened to be in Walker Bay.
Harold Porter Bo
Betty's Bay
There was also time for Rita
and I to browse the many
stalls with African crafts – Rita went
home with a beautifully carved salad bowl as well as placemats with
hand painted indigenous birds on them. Far too soon it was time for
Rita, the perfect guest, to return to the ship for the next leg: Buenos
Aires, Argentina. Riana Rosenbaum, Betty’s Bay, South Africa
News from Devon In November some of the 5W Devon Group met a
Japanese member, Hisae Hirose in Totnes. She was staying with an ex
member with whom she had corresponded for many years, Hazel
Mackintosh. The members present were Jill Ashby, Pat Grant, Barbara
Butcher and Pat Beasley. We had lunch together and spent some time
being taught to do origami. Hisae had come all the way to Devon for a
few days. In September Jill Ashby and I drove to RHS Rosemoor to
meet Doreen Vernon from Australia, Mary Todd from Ireland, Moira
Maslin from Kent and Caroline Greenlees from Ireland. They were
touring the West Country in Mary's car. It was nice to see Doreen again,
as I had her to stay with me several years ago.
Pat Beasley, Devon, UK
is a
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Than
I just want to express my deep appreciation for the 5W association
and for the individual members in Australia who made my 8 week trip
such a wonderful experience. Judith Wright in Tasmania was outstanding
in the help she gave us, particularly as she was really ill with flu when she
met us at the airport. She not only provided us with such useful
information, she lent us her sat-nav, got us a discount on a great
apartment in the most wonderful Strahan - a highlight of our trip - but
conveyed an inspiring love of her homeland and humanity. She was so
cheerful too! I had a most fantastic trip and 5W ladies are amazing
ambassadors. Their welcome, whatever the difficulties - fires, flu or
failure of Wifi - makes me very humble.
It also makes me wonder whether we could all get together somehow and
make the world agree that rape and torture must stop. Surely everyone
could at least agree to start on protecting children?
Barbara Ferris, Hereford, UK
On a recent visit
to Rome, Kathie
Parkinson and Val
Ferigan met up
with Margherita
Durando, a 5W
member.
Margherita invited
us to have coffee
with her, which
we had in a
friendly cafe at
the foot of her
apartment - this
was very
welcome, as we
had jumped on a
bus going the
Kathie, Val and
Margherita
wrong way!
Margherita lives in a charming apartment
and has other apartments a few streets away which she rents out. 5W
members are offered these apartments at a very reasonable rate. We
were taken on a walking tour to visit a beautiful church where a wedding
was taking place. The area looked very interesting and we would have
liked to explore it more. Rome is steeped in history and we are now home,
still staggering from all the culture fed to us by our charming Roman guide,
Marcello. Val Ferigan & Kathie Parkinson, UK
Feedback from US visit, summer 2013 Mary McConnon was my first
face-to-face contact with 5W. She met me downtown, welcomed me
warmly and took me out for a lovely lunch in a really beautiful restaurant
overlooking the San Francisco Bay, before giving me a mini-tour of the
Berkeley area. Later, I stayed for a whole week in the peaceful
Richmond district of 'Little Russia' in San Francisco as the guest of Joyce
Sabel. Joyce was so kind and welcoming and generous and her
beautiful flat was a haven from the craziness of the city. We found much
in common and later met to go to a memorable performance of the San
Francisco Mime Company in Yerba Buena gardens and to share dinner.
Caroline Sherwood, UK
Teddies and Madagascar : The follow-up
In the February 2013 issue of the Newsletter, I wrote about my knitting teddies and how I contacted
Clairette, our member in Madagascar and asked her if she would help me get the teddies to needy children.
I concluded my article saying that I was “tempted to walk in the teddies’ footsteps”. Indeed, I went to Madagascar in May/June 2013. I first discovered the South-East of the 4th largest island in the world with a small
French group and then met Clairette for a discovery tour of the North-East: Ile Saint Marie and Ile aux
Nattes. I had got the tip from a French friend and Clairette was delighted to discover this part of her country
she had never visited before. We discovered two idyllic islands after a rough crossing and enjoyed seeing
a wonderful, tropical landscape, having some unexpected experiences like lemurs jumping on the table
next to us as we were finishing lunch. We also had a stroll on the beach in Tamatave (Madagascar’s main
harbour) and I could try a very tasty raw fish with ginger. Once we were back in Antananarivo, Claire took
me to the wonderful Anakely market which is constituted of several lovely pavilions, to the Pirates’ museum
in a back-street, to the Hydrological Institute where, thanks to large and detailed maps, I could better understand the geography and geology of this wonderful country.
These 10 days together gave us ample opportunitites to exchange about our respective countries and to
discover more of each other. No need to say, we had great laughs and giggles. I remember Clairette’s fit of
giggles as I told her that, in Europe, there are sunbeds!!
Of course, we also exchanged more about our common hobbies like reading for instance. The problem of
Madagascar is that bookshops are not really well provided with bookshops and Clairette loves to read.
Once I was back, I immediately sent her 3 books in English which she loved.
Needless to say, we also went to an orphanage where we gave away 42 teddies to deprived children.
Clairette had made all the previous arrangements, so that all the children were seated in a room as we arrived, the vice-head introduced us and we
had a lovely “Welcome” chorus. After the distribution, the children sang for us and we were given a tour of the orphanage. We could notice in the
dormitories that the teddies had very quickly found their place on the children’s pillows and this was a very moving sight.
I must say again how thankful I am to 5W to have given me this wonderful opportunity to travel and meet a great 5W member, so far away, yet so
akin. I hope we will be able to meet again, no doubt that the teddies will help us!! Dominique Munchenbach, 5W Trustee, France
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Recently I had a
new member
from Blackpool
come to visit,
Amanda
Whiteley. On the
day I was to meet
Amanda at the
station I had my
car “written off’. I
was “shaken” not
hurt thank
goodness. I rang
another local
Lake Macquarie
member to help
and Margaret
came to take
me to the
station, came
back for an
evening meal
and also took
ley
ch
da at Fort Scrat
us out the next
Margaret & Aman
day into the city of Newcastle.
The following day we took the bus to visit the Art Gallery as there was
an exhibition of evening/day dresses, shoes, jewellery, gloves and hats
from the 1920 ’s. The next day my daughter Debbie lent me her car so
I was able to show Amanda some more lovely places here. We finished
at Morisset Hospital to see the Kangaroos. There were very many and
Amanda was able to take lots of photos. Thank you Margaret McCabe
for helping, as a 5 W member is always willing to do. By now Amanda
will be home & I hope she has taken some happy memories with her. It
is always enjoyable to have members come to stay. Gloria Hodgson.
Lake Macquarie, Australia
Get-Togethers
FiveW Google Group
This group is for fully-paid-up, members of 5W to connect with other
members worldwide in the English language. You post a message to the
Google Group and it will get relayed onto all of the other members,
currently numbering about 300.
It's a great way of sharing news (of interest to other women around the
world) or finding out about other cultures and travel plans etc. The rules
are simple - be sensitive and respectful. When posting, please share your
location/nationality. It is easy to join, just go to this link here:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/fivew
Josiane Vossen has also set up a private Facebook group. If you would
like to join, simply type 5w women welcome women in the Facebook
searchbar, the 5W group will come up and you need to press 'Join Group'.
You will then receive a message from Josiane asking for your
membership number and country under which you are listed.
Any 5W member can start up their own email group - just let the office
know if you choose to do this and we will include details in the
newsletter.Please note that 5W Trustees and Office are in no way
responsible for the running, organisation or content of these groups.
Gatherings
With any enquiry about a Gathering, send an SAE or 2 International Reply
Coupons (IRCs) - from your post office
Cowboys & Cajuns
To accomodate all interested, I am running the Cowboys & Cajuns
program twice - in 2014 AND 2015. The 2014 dates are Feb 23-Mar 9
and the dates for 2015 are Feb 8-Feb 22. The first week we will stay on
the Riverwalk in San Antonio with day trips into the Texas Hill country.
Week 2 we will participate in the Cajun Mardi Gras through the University
of Louisiana at Lafayette. Last 2 days will be in the French Quarter of New
Orleans. 2014 is now full with a waiting list for 2015. The cost is being
finalized with a $2500 max.
Contact Mary Schultze at [email protected].
Berlin and around: History, Nature and Modern Times,
May 25th, to June 1st, 2014
WOW (Women of the World) weekend at the Southbank, London,
7-9 March 2013
The 2013 weekend was a wonderful event, with 3 days of talks and
debates on politics, feminism, hair weaving, self defence, the Archers,
Jane Austen.... with speakers like Julie Walters, Joan Bakewell, Ruby
Wax, Jenni Murray..... There were usually three events taking place at
the same time. This year the event runs from 7-9th March and the cost
for the three days is £30 (£15 concessions). There are also big name
events in the evenings which cost extra. (Last year Petula Clark, Sandi
Toksvig, Alice Walker, Naomi Wolfe
http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/women-of-the-world I would be
happy to arrange a lunch meeting area where any 5W members could
meet up and I could also help with accommodation information, if
required. Please contact me for further information, Angela Pryle
[email protected]
This gathering is running up to the festive 30th anniversary lunch, which is
part of the gathering programme. Get to know Berlin's historic and modern
sites, meet local members, visit historic Potsdam plus interesting and/or
beautiful places in surrounding Brandenburg region. Program price
including festive lunch on May 31st: app. 350€. Staying at 2-Star hotel in
the city centre. Accommodation price between 250 and 490€ for 7 nights.
FULLY BOOKED. WAITING LIST IN CASE OF LATE CANCELLATIONS.
Almuth Tharan, Stubbenkammerstr 12, 10437 Berlin, Germany,
[email protected]
If you are visiting Sydney from overseas or interstate I would
like to welcome you to my annual 5 W lunch on Tuesday 18-3-14.
We meet at No 5 Wharf Circular Quay at 10-30 am, Travelling by “Rivercat
Ferry to ABBOTSFORD under the Harbour Bridge west along the
Parramatta River to Sydney Men’s Rowing Club (own expense).
You would meet members maybe for the first time & enjoy a lovely part of
Sydney. Gloria Hodgson
Bookings by 5-3-14 Telephone 02-49-508-648 OR e-mail
[email protected]
Belgium: Thursday 22 May 2014 A day in Antwerp to celebrate 30th
Anniversary of 5W.
Program: boat trip in the port of Antwerp – lunch (at your own cost). Visit
the “Red Star Line” museum (migration history): website:
www.redstarline.be
Celebration dinner. Cost: 50 euro, included: boat trip, Red Star Line
museum, Celebration dinner. Accommodation possible in hotel. Contact
before 5 April 2014: Martine De Geyter: [email protected]
June 2014 Festigals, New Orleans, USA
This is the most fun you can imagine... plus you get to be in a parade in
New Orleans! https://www.facebook.com/FestiGalsNewOrleans I am
available to help in any way I can, answering questions and guiding you
to those 'off the beaten track' places for interesting sights.
Martha Lady, [email protected]
-7-
30th Anniversary of 5W in Berlin
The festive reception to celebrate this merry event will take
place on Saturday, May 31st, 2014, at 12 o’clock at a venue in
the district of Prenzlauer Berg. There will be time to meet old
and new friends, a tasty lunch and some side events at the
venue plus the opportunity to join a guided walk led by Berlin
members after the reception. Cost: 55€. Currently fully booked,
a few places may become available end of February or after
late cancellations. Please contact:
Almuth Tharan, Stubbenkammerstr 12,
10437 Berlin, Germany, [email protected]
South East Queensland, Australia, 17-27 September 2015, 11
days and 10 nights
Come and play with us in sunny Queensland. Visit the glorious Gold
Coast, beautiful Sunshine Coast, see Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers,
fireworks and so much more that we would like to share with you. Add-on
holiday to North Queensland, Great Barrier Reef etc. We have had lots
of interest and will forward 'interested' members information as soon as
we have some idea of costs and final itinerary.
Contact Penny French Email [email protected] if you
are interested in joining us.
Local Groups
Arranged by local members for local members and visitors!
Meet for coffee...Visit places of interest...Make new friends...Phone around...Start a Group
Argentinian Groups, Buenos Aires Meet alternate months - details from
Hungary: Budapest Group Contact Maria Novak, tel: 1 3414 660,
any member there. Chubut - contact Nelly Maria Jesús Ellena, email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Japan: Chiba Group (Hara-Tance) Meets 2nd or 3rd Friday of even
Australia: Adelaide Group welcome local members and visitors. Contact
months with lunch at Secrets by the Seashore. Love to see you any time.
Cathy Young, tel: 08 8261 4253, email: [email protected] or
Contact Kayoco Tada on [email protected] or Sasami Yamada on
Jacqueline Parslow, tel: 08 8331 9345, email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Australia:Canberra Group Get togethers Feb, May, Aug, Nov.Contact
Betty Olsen, 15/3 Shepherdson Place, Isaacs, ACT 2607, Australia, tel: Japan: Fuji Group contact Riyoko MIURA (Shizuoka)
e-mail: [email protected]
(0)2 62901711, email: [email protected]
Japan: Nagoya Group : contact Noriko AOKI (Aichi)
Australia: Darwin Contact Jackie Das Gupta, tel: 08 8985 2650,
e-mail: [email protected]
email: [email protected]
Australia: Lake Macquarie Contact Gloria Hodgson, 8/166 Main Road,
Speers Point, Lake Macquarie, NSW 2284, Australia,
tel: 02 49 508648, email: [email protected] or Barbara McDonnell
,[email protected]
Australia: Port Macquarie Contact Shirley Martin (02) 6559 5200,
[email protected] or Desirée Hodgson (02) 6582 2863,
[email protected]
Australia: SE Queensland Group Meets on 2nd Sat of the even months
(Feb, April, June, August, Oct, Dec). The Group also arranges 2 Book
Groups on the 2nd Saturday of the odd months (January, March, May,
July, Sept and Nov), regular film days on the 4th Saturday of the odd
months (January, March, May, July, Sept and Nov), as well as other
activities. Contact Marion Jones tel: +61 (0)7 33554432 or
[email protected], SEQld Website www.seqld5w.org.au,
Facebook www.facebook.com/seqld5Wgroup
Kenya Kisumu Lake Region: Meets 4th Sunday of each month at 2pm at
Kenyatta Sports Ground. Contact Gladys Ogembo, P O Box 4984-40100,
Kondele, Kisumu, Kenya, mob 0733 901 772
Sweden: Helsingborg Group Contact Jill Hilford, [email protected]
Sweden: Stockholm Group Meet four times a year, once every season.
For
details
contact
Sonja
Holmedal,
tel:
8511
72300,
[email protected]. Visitors always welcome.
Switzerland: Basel Group
[email protected]
Contact Ursula Fink, tel 61 2725940,
UK, Cambridge Group: Contact Vicky Russell, PO Box 225, Cambridge
CB3 9RB, tel: 0776 5413461 or email [email protected]
UK, Devon Group: Please contact Pat Beasley on 01626-870676 or
email: [email protected]
Australia: Sydney Members meet monthly for various outings. Visitors
welcome. Coral Walsh (02) 9528 4096, [email protected] or
Grace Bendall (02) 9363 9025, [email protected]
Australia: Tasmania Pls contact Janene Hancock, 10 Heather Road,
Risdon
Vale,
Hobart,
Tas
7016,
tel/fax
03
62436757,,
[email protected]
UK, East Midlands Group: Next mtg on Saturday 12 November in
Leicester. Contact Sheilagh McIntosh, tel 0160 4634110,
email [email protected]
Australia: Victoria members meet for lunch every two months on a
Saturday in the city of Melbourne. For 2014 the dates are 10th May, 12th
July, 13th September and 8th November 2014. Contact Margaret Fleming
for time and venue: [email protected]
Australia: Western Australia Meet four times a year. Please contact Ann
Begg, 153 Whitfield Street, Bassendean, Perth, WA 6054, tel: 08 9279
9784, [email protected]. See website for upcoming dates .
UK, Kent Group: Contact Pauline McEwan 01227 452349,
email [email protected]
UK, London Group: Meets 1st Sunday of months of January, March, May,
July, September, November.. Contact Gerda Baron, 136 Chatsworth Rd,
London NW2 5QU, Tel: 020 8459 3608 or Maureen Jackson,
London N14 4SY email [email protected]
UK: Scottish Group: Meets first Saturday of most months, for lunch plus a
visit to an exhibition, garden or somewhere else to enjoy. Members living in
or visiting Scotland are always very welcome. Contact Jean Thompson,
0131 447 4622 [email protected]
Belgian Group Meets regularly 2 or 3 times a year. Details from Ria
Monten, rue d’Ardevoor 55, B-1357 Hélécine, tel/fax: (00)19-655839,
email: [email protected]
UK, South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire & Humberside
Contact Hazel Burnham on [email protected],
tel: 01724 764726
Canada: Vancouver Group Contact Elinor Warkentin 604-683-0898
[email protected] or check online at:
http://www.meetup.com/Vancouvers-5W-Womens-Travel-FriendshipGroup/
Denmark: Copenhagen Group Contact Alice Vilstrup [email protected]
Finland: Contact Liisa Huhtala-Halme, Kluuvintie 11, FIN-02180 Espoo,
Finland, tel: (09) 3072963, email: [email protected]
Germany: Berlin Group Meets every 2-3 months on a weekday evening.
For exact time and place contact Brigitte Wagner [email protected] or
Monika Blüm [email protected]
UK, Surrey Group: To be added to our mailing list if you live in or near
Surrey or for further information, please contact Christine Rutherford on
01372 728159 or email [email protected]
Germany: Bremen Group meets regularly 2nd Saturday of each month
- and enjoy visitors. Please contact: Christine Dalley,
email: [email protected]
Germany: Frankfurt Group Meet last Saturday afternoon of each month.
Contact Brigitte Clasen tel: 06151 21004, [email protected] or Joyce
Szameitat tel: 69 310191 4408, Mobile 0049 1766220 7217,
[email protected]
Germany: Kassel Group Meet every 3 months at a member’s home.You
are welcome to join us. Contact Brigitte Kroeger, Emil-von-Behring Str 26,
34576 Homberg, tel: 05681 71751, [email protected]
Germany: Munich Group Meets every 3 months at Eine-Welt-Haus in
80336 München, Schwanthaler Str 80.
Please contact:[email protected] or [email protected]
Germany: Düsseldorf /Niederrhein - group
meet every 3 month at a members home. You are welcome to contact:
Barbara Heger, Tel: 0211 - 35 48 07 or [email protected]
Germany: Stuttgart Group Meets regularly 1st Sat each month at
restaurant Trollinger or for various outings.
Details:
Bärbel Ott,
70565,0711 9074305 or Anne Ross, 0711 362498, [email protected]
UK, Welsh Border Group: Are you interested in joining our Group?
Meetings to include various activities and country walks, sharing meals and
making new friends.
Please contact Jane Hider 01694 723468,
[email protected]
UK, Wessex Group:
[email protected]
Contact
Jo
Sherrell,
01202
460739,
UK, Yorkshire/Lancashire group Meets 1st Sunday of most months for
lunch plus occasional other social activities. Contact Sue Coventry
[email protected] or tel 01706 817211
USA: Boston Group Members meet each month for social activities. New
local members and visitors, please contact
Kim Giovacco, [email protected] or 774 269 6558 for details.
USA: Chicago Group Contact Flora Breidenbach
[email protected]
USA: Sacramento Valley & Sierra Foothills Contact Jane Thomson
[email protected]
USA: Southern California, San Diego County Local Group meets the
1st Saturday of the month at 10 am at Panera Bread; Grossmont Shopping Center; 5500 Grossmont Center Drive, La Mesa, CA 91942. Polly
Mason for information: [email protected] or 619-644-0810
USA: Midwest/Great Lakes Group contact Mary Schultze at
[email protected]
USA: Minnesota Group Love to have visitors, contact Mary Roberts, 218
765 3305, email [email protected]
-8-