A trip to Keukenhof Garden

The Netherlands is knows for windmills, wooden shoes and flowers.  Yes, tulips to be more precise.  In the past 64 years, over 50 million visitors from every corner of the world have discovered the delights of Kukenhof garden, the former estate of a 15^th century countess, located  in the town of Lisse.  With over 800,000 visitors expected this year, my daughter, Julie Brandt, and I counted ourselves among those.  While the cold winter delayed the tulips from opening, when we arrived in late April, the fields were becoming a rainbow of color.  In addition to more than 7 million flowers on display, there are four pavilions showing a fantastic collection of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, orchids, roses, carnations, and many other flowers.  This year the theme is Great Britain - the land of great gardens.  hile Keukenhof is only open from mid-March to mid-May, if you visit, you will be overwhelmed by a spectacle of colors and perfumes.

Keukenhof is easily reached from Amsterdam and was one of the stops on our AMAWaterways Holland cruises. 

Being Green

From Things That Make You Go Hmmm

I thought this was an interesting read. Brings back lots of memories and, yes, times have changed, but it wasn't bad growing up "in the day".

Things That Make You Go Hmm.

Being Green

Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman, that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.
The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days."
The young clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations."
She was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.
Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were truely recycled.
But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.
Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags, that we reused for numerous things, most memorable besides household garbage bags, was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our schoolbooks. This was to ensure that public property, (the books provided for our use by the school) was not defaced by our scribblings. Then we were able to personalize our books on the brown paper bags.
But too bad we didn't do the green thing back then.
We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.
But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.
Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throwaway kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy-gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.
But that young lady is right; we didn't have the green thing back in our day.
Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.
But she's right; we didn't have the green thing back then.
We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.
But we didn't have the green thing back then.
Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 23,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint.
But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?
Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smartass young person.

Suriname - Where the Heck is That?

When I told people I was going to travel to Suriname, I heard things like, "Where the heck is that, in Asia?", or "I've never heard about Suriname, tell me more", even "Why would you be going to a little country in South America?".  In some ways, I felt the same......Why had I chosen a country that required me to look it up on a map to know it's location?  Well, after spending a week there, I know.

Do you sometimes dream about making a world-trip?

All the different fragrances and sounds, the variation in cultures and people, exotic food and extraordinary natural splendour?  Unfortunately, for most people this remains just another dream.

Not everyone has the time available to just pack up and go somewhere for a year, not to mention the money to do so. A trip to Suriname is however an enjoyable alternative! Because in Suriname you not only still find pristine nature but also various population groups often still living their traditional lifestyle. Here is an appetizer of some Suriname features.

Heritage

Suriname offers a lot of possibilities for cultural tours, thanks to the rich history of the country. A walk through the historical city center Paramaribo is certainly worth your while. The characteristic wooden buildings from the colonial era, in which you will recognize the European architecture, can be found here, but they were modified to locally available materials and tropical conditions. The culmination is the wooden St. Petrus and Paulus Cathedral, a combination of 19th century European style in a traditional Surinamese form. Here, in the largest wooden church of South America, Petrus ‘Peerke’ Donders, declared a saint, lies buried.

From Fort Zeelandia to the Jewish savannah There are monuments of the colonial era all over the place. Fort Zeelandia, for example, named after the residence of Zeeuws admiral Abraham Crijnssen. Once a Dutch fort , now a lovely Surinamese museum with cultural historical displays. The fort is located in the loveliest part of Paramaribo, along the water, where a statue of queen Wilhelmina gazes out over the river. Another lovely fort can be found in Commewijne: The Open air museum ‘New Amsterdam’. This magnificent rebuilt fort offers various sights from the colonial era, but you can also enjoy a pleasant hike, view the exhibits or have a drink. You will not only find signs of the Jewish community at the large synagogue on the Keizerstraat, situated right next to the mosque State, but also specifically in the ‘Jewish savannah’, the 17th century settlement of the Jewish community in Suriname. It was the only location in the Americas where the Jews had their own place of residence, with freedom of religion and personal jurisdiction. The remnants of the buildings and the cemetery are perfectly preserved, and the area is well maintained. A daytrip by boat to the Jewish savannah is a pleasant way of getting to know Suriname history.

Prehistoric rock art

Another unique feature in the region is the ‘caves of Werehpai’ at the indigenous village of Kwamalasamutu on the Brazilian border. Unique rock art was discovered here in the year 2000. The extraordinary images were chiseled out using special stone chisels. Nowhere in the Amazon basin has such a large quantity of rock art been found. And the pottery that was found there, appears to be the oldest material to have been found in Suriname. Its interesting monuments can be seen all over Suriname. Sometimes collected in one of the many museums, such as the Marron Museum in Pikin Slee, in the middle of the jungle. The cultural heritage of the Saramaccaners in particular, are collected here; functional and decorative objects, clothing and ornaments.

Culture

Suriname society is a unique mix of population groups living side by side on a basis of equality. Their cultural expressions largely determine the face of the country. For example, the various prayer houses ensure a colourful appearance of the street front. In the city, mosques, synagogues, churches and mandirs are standing side by side in a unique fashion. Some population groups prefer to dress in their traditional clothing and delicacies from various parts of the world are sold everywhere to the extent that sometimes you may think you are in Africa, than again in India, China or in Indonesia. It is a colourful collection of cultures that live together in Suriname, yet each has retained their cultural traditions. For the visitor it is not only nice to see, but you can also enjoy the different culinary and cultural expressions. The Javanese community that boasts with rich traditions like their ritual dance the ‘Jaran Kepang’, is still regularly performed. You will also experience the annual Holy Phagwa festival of the Hindustanis, the Chinese dragon dance, an old-fashioned Creole Kaseko band and many other cultural expressions almost everywhere in and around Paramaribo.

A large part of the original indigenous Surinamese population is still living in the interior. This is where the various tribes, including the ‘Trio’, ‘Akurio’ and the ‘Wayana’, still live in traditional villages. They still make a living of fishing, hunting and farming here. Another population group in the interior in Suriname, are the Marrons. They are the descendants of the slaves who refused to work on the plantations. There are various tribes, of which the Aucaners, Saramaccaners and Kwinti are the best known. These Marrons have upheld several of their customs originating from Africa quite well. You will see the women doing their wash in the river while the children are playing in the water. The men are busy hunting or making woodcarvings with typical Surinamese-African designs. There are various tour operators organising trips into the interior. You can then enjoy the surrounding area in comfortable resorts, while getting to know the culture of the Marrons or the Indigenous people. Enjoy a ‘Pepre Watra’, the hot soup made from cassava and fish, learn to shoot with a bow and arrow or dance on the stirring beat of the drums.

                                                                Come in please!

Events

All kinds of activities are organized in Suriname, from cultural tinted performances to major events. There are a number of annually recurring activities. As far as music is concerned, there is the Jazz festival, where well known names appear on the program at an ever increasing rate. But the Salsuri salsa event also attracts fans from both locally and abroad. There are film festivals, Miss pageants of the various ethnic groups, the annual Marathon and the National Art Fair.

The four-day Savannah rally is also always a large draw card for the public , with participants from all over the world. The circuit takes you on a ‘Four Wheel Drive’ to places where you would normally never go by car!

Obviously, every population group has its own annual festival. This is usually a national holiday, with festivities on the Square of Independence or in the Palm garden. The day is filled with live music, markets and cultural performances, such as the spectacular Dragon dance on Chinese heydays.

The ‘Four Day Night’, a local event that can best be described as a combination of the Dutch four days festival with aspects of the Brazilian carnival, also has a very special place.

The culmination of it all is the Surifesta festival on New Years Eve, with magnificent fireworks and lots of music. You can enjoy modern night-life every day in one of the many casinos, restaurants or discotheques.

    In short, in Suriname you will find something for everyone !

In Suriname worden allerlei activiteiten georganiseerd, van cultureel getinte optredens tot grootse evenemente

bruny Island Cruise

Over the years, I have sold many Bruny Island cruises to my clients, however, was never fortunate before to have experienced it for myself.

I was part of the group of agents who traveled to Tasmania, Australia this year and the exciting part for me was finally seeing and experiencing the Bruny Island cruise.

The day started with a 45 minute bus ride from our hotel in Hobart to Adventure Bay where we were to start our cruise. Upon arrival at the ferry queue, we were able to relax with a cup of tea or coffee (your choice) and a wonderful muffin before “suiting up” and starting our cruise.

There were about 40 passengers on our boat, and we were all dressed as warm as possible and finally covered with a wet weather jacket. The additional cover was really important as the temperature on the water turned out to be quite cool. It is important to know that it can get cold on the water, even in the summer, so be prepared and adequately dressed.



Even though the water was rough that day and the winds quite strong, we had a fantastic time viewing towering cliffs, outstanding rock formation, seals, migrating shearwater along with some Albatross. We got close to the cliff walls and were able to view several caves. The water was too rough for us to go into the caves, but that would provide a reason to visit again, as some of my clients have done.



The crew/guides were very experienced and they stopped the boat often to provide us with photo opportunities and interpretation to show & tell us about the wildlife, geology and history of the coastline. They are readily available to assist any passengers who may become seasick during the tour. Ginger is readily available and each of the passengers is encouraged to take some before starting out.

The highlight of our trip, however, was seeing a whale approach our boat. One of the passengers thought she had observed the spray from a whale and the crew stopped the boat to see if there was one in the vicinity. Yes, the whale was there and played close to the boat for several minutes. As it swam in front of the boat, I can still see it rise up out of the water, turn it's head towards us and smile.....While I don't have this in a picture as evidence, I can still see it when I close my eyes. What a story I have to tell my clients about this tour. Would I do it again? You bet I would!

The Role of Women in Japanese Companies

The following post was written by my niece, Crysti Jones, who currently teaches in Japan.  It is quite insightful.

The Role of Women in Japanese Companies

Before coming to Japan, I would have never thought myself a feminist in any sense of the word. I never felt particularly discriminated against because I was of the "weaker"sex.  In the almost three years of living in Japan, I've started to have a change of heart.  In a country where husbands are still expected to speak on behalf of their wives, a majority of young girls still dream of growing up to be Shufu (housewives), and many companies fear hiring young single women expecting them to quit the second they get married, it has started to dawn on me that maybe not all people were created equally, especially in the workplace.

There are a lot of things that can be discussed (see article - Global Gender Gap - Japanese women are 94 out of 134 countries in equality in the workplace) that I'm not going to get into.  A lot cultural norms and expectations can be thrown out to explain this data.  I don't have the time or energy to discuss every angle of this debate. But at the end of the day all I want to know is, if Japanese women wanted to work, do they have the same opportunities for employment as Japanese men?

I've asked this question to many Japanese men and women.  Women will almost always give a resounding "no", while men tend to be convinced that Japanese women don't want to work, they want to maintain the status quo of housewife and mother which is still a strong cultural expectation. However, if you read this government statistics website, you will see that women's opinions are changing. More women want to work and more women want to continue working while they have children.

So what's stopping them?
Most people would agree that the Japanese workplace is stressful.  The expectations placed on workers for long hours,  few holidays, intense after hours drinking and OCD like training, can make even the most sane person feel insane.  Many employees at major companies crack under the pressure.  But quitting a job or losing a job can mean career suicide to the average Japanese.  Mobility between jobs is extremely low and still highly frowned upon (despite recent TV dramas depicting a trend in companies that help people change jobs).  Add to all of this the fact that many women are placed under the status of non-regular employee (54% of women and 19% of men), it's no wonder that many women feel discouraged.  If your job is always seen as temporary, it may be impossible to ever establish a career (see the stat on the number of women placed in clerical positions).  With all of this, it's no wonder more women still opt for the less stressful route of being a Shufu (housewife).

What is the result of current Japanese cultural views on women in the workplace?
1 in 3 single Japanese women fall below the poverty line. As jobs for men no longer fall under lifelong employment, the concept of marriage as a way to achieve security is slowly starting to erode.  Fewer men and women are wanting to get married for various reasons, leading to a falling birth rate which means soon Japan will no longer be able to support it's top heavy population.  Leaving them to either increase the amount of foreign workers or tap into a already present but under represented workforce: women.

How do men feel about this (mind you I've only talked to men in Tokyo about this where the workplace environment is much different than in rural areas)?

I think many men like the idea of having a wife to care and provide for them as the cultural norm. However, if they really want to practice self-sacrifice for the greater good of the country, they would acknowledge the fact that the greatest economic prosperity in Japan occurred during the 80's at the height of female employment (table 8).
 
On the other hand, I've talked to quite a few disillusioned Japanese men (both young and old). It seems that more and more men don't feel like they can marry because they don't have the economic means to support a housewife or family.  The men who do marry and have children feel the strain of having to be the sole provider for a family in such dire economic times. With job security unstable and cost of living staying the same or even slightly rising, it can put a large burden on men in the workplace.  Recently, many Japanese men that I have talked with have said that they want their wives to continue working and to become more financially independent.  Part of this desire might stem from the cultural practice of the women taking the man's salary and then paying out a small allowance for him to spend.  While some men are ok with this, some men seem to becoming a bit bitter about the freedom and spending power of their unemployed wives.  Similarly, men feel that single women have become too difficult, expect too much from the men financially.  They would much rather be single than in a relationship where they feel expected to give more than they receive.  Thus many fewer men and women wanting to get married. 

So what does this have to do with women in the workplace?

Kathy Matsui, of Goldman Sachs believes that if Japan employed more women the GDP could rise 17%. If you ask most Japanese men and women how to solve a majority of Japan's economic and even population crisis problems, they will almost always say, "change the Japanese work place."  Both sexes agree that changes need to be made to change the level of stress inflicted by employment in Japanese companies and that there needs to be an increase female employment. 

So what happens next?
1) Cultural expectations of gender roles in relationships have to be more flexible. I know, this is quite taboo.  Especially as many older Japanese people mourn the fact that young women no longer embrace the concept of ryōsai kenbo (the result of the Bubble economy where parents spoiled their children).  Many feel that this was really the downturn of everything and that if Japan would stop following the West, everything would go back to normal.  You know, normal, as in the Taisho period when nationalism was all the rage and women were considered incompetent.  I've even heard older people talk about the glory of the Meiji period and Edo period...seriously? I guess to some people those were the good ol' days (even though almost no one living now was alive during that time).  At the end of the day, it comes down to cultural changes.  I'm sorry, but every culture at some point has to change in order to keep up with global changes. Needs, wants, and desires of the population shift and thus changes in cultural norms and expectations will have to shift with them in order for the country to survive. No culture has ever survived by going backwards.  I believe Japanese people are trying to make this change, but are in the midst of growing pains where they can't quite work out how these changes fit in with cultural expectations that they were raised with. 

2) Women need more opportunities to develop careers in order to drop poverty rate and increase financial independence:

a) Programs, like this one, need to be expanded to provide full-time employment
b) Adequate childcare programs need to be made more accessible and affordable
c) Mentality about women in the workplace has to start changing. This will probably need to be done through government programs starting as early as elementary school as well as government initiatives and incentives to place requirements on companies to train (not just promote) women to become leaders.

Corroboree -The Rainbow Lorikeet

I received this wonderful email from Janine of Echidna Walkabout.  Her love of nature is evident when you read this story.

First there was "Corroboree - The Trade Show" (and what a great event it is!)

Then there was "Corroboree - The Movie!" (LA, 2008)

And now there is "Corroboree - The Rainbow Lorikeet!" (Melbourne, 2011) He is right now flying around the parks and beaches of Port Melbourne!

Corroboree the Lorikeet is named after the North American Aussie Specialist trade show held this year in Melbourne. Many important moments in his life coincided with the event.

On Saturday 29th October just before registration, I was taking a run down the beach in Port Melbourne. I noticed a pair of Rainbow Lorikeets in their nest tree squawking and looking down at the ground. There was baby Corroboree sitting at the base of the tree. Not at all where he was meant to be!

We didn't have time to look after him*, but I couldn't leave him there to be attacked by dogs or run over. So I scooped him up (to raucous protest from him and his parents) and took him home. A quick examination showed him to be healthy, uninjured, but too young to fly or leave the nest. I hastily rigged up a temporary nest hollow, drove him back down to the beach, hoisted it up his nest tree and popped him inside. I crossed my fingers, dressed for the Welcome Function and rushed in to register for Corroboree.

Rainbow Lorikeets, and many of our parrots, nest in hollows inside large old trees. Rainbows prefer hollows over 5m (15ft) high, about 80cm (30inches) deep, and 13cm (5inches) in diameter, set at a 45degree angle. Pretty specific, hey? But in Port Melbourne there aren't too many hollows like that left, so they have found ways of using the planted Palms along the beach! They chew a hollow just under the fronds of the Palm, but probably can't excavate deep enough for their liking. So the young lorikeets are always in danger of falling out prematurely (which is probably what happened to Corroboree).

The nest hollow I created was made from a length of plumbing pipe, with a few additions to help it drain and to help him climb out. It looks odd, but it was as close as I could get. I figured he only had another week or two before he could fly, so it would just have to be adequate for a short time. All he needed was a safe, warm place off the ground, where his parents could feed him. But would they? Luckily we had experience from a year ago with a baby lorikeet we kept in care. His parents found him within 2 days, and visited him every day after that.

I put up a note on the tree so passersby would understand and hopefully not interfere. In our experience, people are great - very caring and helpful if they know what's happening.

As soon as Corroboree, the event, finished we went down to check on his progress. We watched, tears of happiness flowing, as both parents landed on the temporary hollow, went inside, and then re-appeared. Everyone sounded happy and healthy. Later we saw Corroboree poke his head out of the hollow, look around, and then go back inside. All was going really well.

But Corroboree's trials were not over. On 16th November a man climbed up a ladder and took down the hollow. A couple passing by saw this, and having read my sign, asked what he was doing. He told them it was his bird and he was taking it home (!!!! how dare he??!!!) They argued, grabbed the hollow (with Corroboree in it) and took him to the local vet. The vet called me the next morning, told me what had happened and released him, healthy and hungry, back to our care*.

We couldn't risk putting the hollow back at the beach, so kept him here for 2 days. By this time he was almost fully fledged (ready to fly) and seemed really healthy. Every day we put him outside in his little cage so he could have some sun. Sunlight helps growth and is crucial for young birds. There was an unexpected bonus though - his parents found him within 20 minutes of his first visit outside!! They sat on his cage, kissed him through the bars and generally fussed all over him. The whole family sang and carried on like it was Christmas. It was beautiful. I've put the video on You Tube

>From this time, little Corroboree became very determined to get out. He tried flying several times in the house. We gave him a bit of flapping practice and also gave him flowers, which he learned to eat very quickly. He became so distressed at being kept in that we put him outside in his hollow. We thought that if he wasn't ready to fly, he wouldn't. Well, he was ready! He waited in the hollow until he heard his parents fly over, then he called them and took off.

It was one of the proudest moments of our lives! He flew strongly to a big tree in the next street about 60metres away - a huge first effort for a baby. He sat up there and called, and a group of 3 adult Lorikeets came and played with him. But he didn't beg food from them and they didn't offer it. They left, and shortly afterwards came his parents. We can tell because his behaviour changed - he begged for food (rather persistently) and they gave him several beaks-full.

We think he stayed in that tree overnight, and left the next morning. Roger thinks he heard him call the day after (its funny how you get to know their individual calls). Every time we hear a family of Rainbows fly over we think of him! We have no way of tracking him now. But he's had a lucky start to life - let's hope he stays lucky!

Maybe all the positive energy at Corroboree The Trade Show kept this little guy going!

Thanks so much for your concern and good wishes.

Janine & Roger
* Janine is a registered and licensed wildlife foster carer. Putting a baby bird back in their nest to be cared for by their parents is the first and best option according to wildlife care practice. Contrary to popular belief, Australian birds don't seem to reject their offspring if they've been handled by humans.

--

JANINE DUFFY Director Marketing ECHIDNA WALKABOUT PO Box 370 Port Melbourne, Victoria 3207 AUSTRALIA
E: janine@echidnawalkabout.com.au Web: www.echidnawalkabout.com.au
Ph: +61 (0)3 9646 8249 Mob: +61 (0)427 808 747 Fax: +61 (0)3 9681 9177
OPERATIONS & GROUP enquiries contact: Roger Smith Director Operations A.B.N. 72 716 985 505

A Koala Story

This wonderful story was passed along to us from
Down Under Answers and Janine Duffy, at Echidna Walkabout in Melbourne.

“After 13 years of crippling drought in south-eastern
Australia, last year we had rain - buckets of it. So
much so, that all the roads in the You Yangs washed
away. It took 6 months for the National Parks Service
to fix it all, and for all that time everyone was locked
out and we couldn’t see our precious fluffy darlings!
Just prior to the floods, we discovered that Koala Pat
had produced a baby out of season!! Koala breeding
season down here is October to March, and gestation
is only 35 days, so April should be the latest births.
But Clancy would have been born in May! What a
cheeky thing! Of course, we were thrilled. One of
the most difficult things about being unable to go
into the You Yangs, was knowing that baby Clancy was
growing up without us.
So the minute we were allowed back in we rushed
to the You Yangs to

find Pat. We found
her, but without
Clancy. We were
not surprised -
koala babies often
leave their mothers
at 12 months of
age. And by this
time Clancy was
already 15 months
old. He/she could
have been anywhere! For a month we searched with
no luck and we were losing hope.
Then one day I stopped for lunch in the You Yangs.
My guests were tired, so after lunch I left them to
have a bit of time together, and I went for a short
walk. I found a beautiful big, fluffy koala who looked
back at me calmly. It’s Pat, of course. Obviously this
koala knew me well, and wasn’t disturbed by my
presence. Then I looked closely. It wasn’t Pat - her
nose pattern was all wrong. But she was the spitting
image of Pat! Suddenly it occurred to me - she was
Clancy all grown up!!!! Like mother, like daughter....
I don’t need to tell you that there was a bit of
blubbering, lots of phone calls & text messages
around the Echidna Team. Koala Researchers Mary
& Donna were so excited they re-arranged their day
and were in the Park within two hours.
Since then we’ve seen Clancy again, her mum Pat,
and her grandma Smoky, all near each other. Three
generations of Koala Ladies. We hope Clancy sticks
around!”

About Echidna Walkabout: Echidna Walkabout offers
unique small group experiences in to the bush to see
kangaroos, koalas, emus wallabies, etc., in their natural
environment out of Melbourne. Echidna Walkabout has
been involved with Koala Research in the You Yangs and
Brisbane Ranges since 1998. For more information
check out them out on Facebook