Balkan Tours and Travels

Archive for December, 2010

When Charles Roberts gunned down five girls in an Amish school, the nation was horrified. When the Amish community lined up to forgive him and his family, the nation was stunned. How could the family and friends of the dead possibly forgive a man who killed five innocent children in cold blood? How could they honor the memories of those beautiful little girls after forgiving the man who sent them to their death? How could families sit down to meals three times a day, looking at the empty place at the table, and still forgive the man who took away a beloved child and sister?

The answer lies in an important truth about forgiveness. Forgiveness is not about letting someone “get by” with evil deeds. Forgiveness is about redeeming relationships by building them on truth.

Some people commented on the Amish willingness to forgive by noting that the killer had never expressed any remorse. The note he left behind only clouded attempts to understand his actions. It did not include anything remotely like remorse. The killer’s final act was to kill himself, destroying any hope that he might later express remorse. Many people felt that Charles Roberts did not deserve forgiveness, and most especially, he did not deserve forgiveness from the parents of the girls he killed.

When Jesus taught about forgiveness, he never said that forgiveness was to be dependent on remorse. He taught us to pray saying, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” There is nothing in that prayer that suggests we ought to wait until wrongdoers say “I’m sorry.” Some of the people who hurt us never will say that they are sorry. They may not even feel that they have done anything wrong. If they do sense any error on their part, they may continue to justify their behavior in any number of creative ways, always finding some way to excuse themselves from any need to apologize. If we only forgive those who apologize first, we might not forgive many people.

The Amish recognized the real problem that would arise if they did not forgive the murderer of their children. They knew that the painful wounds in their hearts where their children were ripped out of their lives would fester and spread if not healed by forgiveness. We often think that forgiveness is a gift to the one who behaved badly, but the people who are harmed need it just as much. The myths surrounding the Hatfields and the McCoys or Romeo and Juliet are built on truth we can observe every day. The Balkan peninsula has become iconic for its fixation on wrongs perpetrated hundreds of years in the past. Unwillingness to forgive eventually transforms into a destructive force that cannot be subdued without the act of forgiveness.

The Amish quickly responded to their tragedy by embracing the family of the murderer in their forgiveness, because they practice forgiveness in their daily lives. It is hard to forgive, and just as weight-bearing exercise allows a progression of work with ever heavier weights, practicing forgiveness in small things prepares a person to forgive in large things. When this tragedy struck, the Amish already knew that they needed to forgive the killer and his family. They recognized that there could be no healthy relationship between the Amish and the family of the killer if this disgraceful behavior were allowed to build barriers between them. The Amish burst through the barriers of shame and fear and pain with forgiveness modeled on the grace of God toward sinners. They didn’t forgive the killer and his family out of a need to hide the shameful act; they did it in order to deal with the shameful act.

Forgiveness is all about dealing with reality and accepting truth. The Amish did not try to tell anyone that what Charles Roberts did was “okay.” They acknowledged the horror of his behavior and chose to forgive in order to bring that horrible event into the light of God’s love and grace. By forgiving the killer and his family, they opened themselves to God’s work of love in their hearts, healing their memories, strengthening them to get through each day, giving them hope for a future in time and eternity that was not doomed to despair by the poisonous blend of grief and vengeance. Likewise, as the Roberts family received forgiveness, they, too, were permitted to deal with reality. They did not need to try to hide themselves from the vengeful stares and ostracism of the Amish. They did not need to try to justify what Charles did or to refuse to speak of him lest someone remember what he did. The forgiveness of the Amish plainly uncovered the horrible truth of this horrible act and prevented it from destroying either the Amish or the family.

Forgiveness is about doing away with victims. Five girls died, and many others were injured, some permanently. In a Balkan mentality, this event would be mourned and memorialized for generations to come. The families of the victims would look at the family of the perpetrator for opportunities to repay wounds with wounds. The transactions of vengeance would continue for hundreds of years until nobody really knew any more what it was all about. It would simply be “us” against “them.”

This is a picture of our human predicament. A lot of our behavior is colored by somebody’s unwillingness to forgive. Too many of our relationships are built on the shoddy foundation of lies – the unwillingness to face the truth and accept the truth and love each other in the light of truth. It is really hard to forgive, because it is so hard to deal with the truth. We need to get over that problem.

Balkan

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection and the NYC Department of Buildings have stated that sewer linings are “Illegal” and “Not an approved repair method”. There are many reasons why sewer liners are not approved.

Just some of the reasons liners are illegal:

Sewer liners coat defects without correcting them (back-pitched pipe, disjointed pipe, root intrusions, crushed pipe, etc.). Sewer Liners cut off branch connections (area drains, rain leader lines, storm sewer connections, neighboring connections, etc.). Sewer liners can intrude into the Public sewer system. Sewer liners decrease the working diameter of the existing pipe.

Many unsuspecting homeowners have been victimized in New York City. Typically these installations are done by unlicensed plumbers and contractors who are not licensed in any manner. The frequent result is an illegal installation, done without permits, completely unsupervised by any government agency or licensed individual, that does not work. Installed completely unsupervised by an unlicensed individual even the best of materials are likely not to function properly or be dependable. As these installations are typically performed by unlicensed “shell” companies, once installed unsuspecting homeowners frequently have little recourse. If you have had such an installation performed, or been victimized by a contractor performing such an installation in NYC please email me, you may be entitled to a complete refund. It is also suggested that you contact the NYC Department of Buildings Department of Investigation. Personally, I feel that the manufacturer of the product should be put on notice, as they regulate who they authorize to install their product and they should know where this product is legal or not an authorized type of repair.

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection has said “We have already experienced cases in which a lining has failed after a homeowner has expended funds for a repair which failed. For the reasons cited above, the D.E.P. affirms that relining of house connections is not an approved repair method in the City of New York.”

The NYC Department of Buildings has gone on record saying the following “Relining of house connections is not an approved repair method in the City of New York.”

In New York City the only legal, sensible, and long-lasting way to replace or repair a house sewer is with approved materials installed by a Licensed Master Plumber. A sewer line replaced in a manner approved by the NYC DEP is documented to last on average over 50 years, as opposed to sewer liners which result in a constant stream failed installations and complaints. As a partner in a Licensed NYC plumbing firm, I receive such complaints on a regular basis.

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A camp tour in Tanzania is one of the best adventures you have probably never experienced. To start with, almost all camping sites are built near game parks and game reserves where you can access wildlife view. The most famous camping tour in Tanzania is in the Serengeti National Park. The annual wildlife migration have attracted thousands of tourists from every corner of the world over the past years. During this time, millions of wildebeest migrate to the Serengeti plains in such of greener pastures. The herbivorous are are however accompanied by the big cats such as lions, cheetahs and the leopards who hunt them for food.

While on a camping tour in Tanzania, you will be watching the big five including birds, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, gazelles, ostrich and also hyenas. This will also include a balloon flight in the Serengeti Park where you will watch the whole wildlife population as you do your photographing. Different animals and birds make different noise and also have different characteristics. Spending your nights in camps and being close to the wildlife will help you learn, understand behavior and recognize their noise. As you drive and walk through the bush and forest, the tour guide will show you roots and leaves that are used to treat certain diseases.

Tanzania camping tour will also include climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro which is located between the Kenya Tanzania border. It will be extremely enjoyable climbing the highest peak in Africa for the first time. Tanzania has many game reserves, national parks and camp sites too. You will therefore have a variety to choose from depending on your budget. Other attractions you will afford to miss include the Ngorongoro crater, Zanzibar white sand beaches, birds and lakes. Game parks and game reserves are well preserved and without human destruction. This has greatly contributed to increase in wildlife population.

The local people are friendly and you will freely mix with various tribes and learn their culture. Different tribes will entertain you with songs and dance in camps during the night. Food will be prepared on open fire by professional chefs. You will also have champagne and other drinks to relax and refresh your minds. There are also pools at the camps where you can swim and relax. You will also have time to tour Arusha and Dar-es salaam where you will do your shopping. Most vehicles have pop up roof hatches to allow ideal wildlife view. Book your camping tour today and adventure the natural beauty of Tanzania.

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North India is an essential part of travel and tourism in India. There are several tourist circuits and travel destinations in the regions which can be visited and explored. Have a look at some prominent travel destinations which are located in northern India.

Delhi: Delhi, the capital city of India, is a prominent tourist destination and gateway for tourism in northern India. It is known for historical & heritage monuments and many other religious places and modern attractions. Major tourist attractions in the city include India Gate, Lotus Temple, Birla Temple, Akshardham Temple, Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb, Qutub Minar, Rajghat, President House, Parliament House, National Museum, etc.

Jaipur: Lovingly known as the Pink City of India, Jaipur is the largest and capital city of royal Indian state of Rajasthan. Major attractions in the city include Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, City Palace Complex, Govind Devji Temple, Birla Temple, Albert Hall Museum, Jal Mahal, Rambagh Palace, Amber Fort, Jaigarh Fort and Nahargarh Fort.

Agra: Agra is a historical and ancient city of India located on the banks of Yamuna River in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Agra is an internationally famous travel destination in northern India with its heritage attractions. Major tourist attractions in the city include Taj Mahal (one of Seven Wonders of the World), Agra Red Fort, Itmad-Ud-Daullah Tomb (the Baby Taj or Little Taj Mahal) and Fatehpur Sikri.

Kashmir: Also known as the Paradise on the Earth, Kashmir is a wonderful north India travel destination. It is renowned with extraordinary copious nature beauty. Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Mughal Gardens, Lakes, Dal Lake, Houseboats, etc are attractions in Kashmir.

Udaipur: Also known as the City of Lakes, Udaipur in Rajasthan is one of the most romantic and beautiful cities in India. It is widely acclaimed for its fairy-tale palaces, lovely lakes and beautiful gardens. Major attractions in the city include City Palace, Lake Palace, Jagmandir Palace, Monsoon Palace, Fateh Prakash Palace, Lake Pichola, Fateh Sagar Lake, Udai Sagar Lake, Saheliyon-Ki-Bari, Jagdish Temple, Eklingji Temple, Udaipur Solar Observatory, Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal, etc.

Varanasi: Located on the banks of India’s most sacred River Ganga in Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi is one of the oldest living cities in the world. It is a famous hind pilgrimage centre known for various temples and tourist attractions. Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Durga Temple, Tulsi Manas Temple, Alamgir Mosque, Bharat Mata Temple, Ganges Ghats, Benaras Hind University, etc are tourists’ delights in the city.

Apart from above mentioned travel destinations, there are many other fascinating and deserting destinations which can be visited and explored on north India travel and tours. Ranthambore National Park, Sariska Tiger Reserve, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Corbett National Park, Leh & Ladakh, Shimla, Manali, Mussoorie, Haridwar, Rishikesh, etc other popular destinations in northern India. Lots of north India travel packages are available in the market today to choose from. With a right package, you can enjoy best charm of north India tours and travels.

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