Guild Group Gears Up for Bali in 09
Nearly 60 Guild members, spouses and guests met at the Embassy of Indonesia in Washington DC on August 26 to learn more about the world''s fourth most populous nation, which is hosting the 2009 World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA) convention on Bali, January11-16. The rich history and diverse culture of the 17,000-island Republic of Indonesia (population more than 230 million) were presented by Embassy Third Secretary Ricky E.V. Ichsan and Counselor for Press & Information Chalief Akbar.
World traveler Vicky Schwartz described her previous visits to Indonesian sites,
including the impressive 8th -century Borobudur temple near Yogyakarta on Java
(the next island over from Bali).
The informative meeting and embassy tour were arranged by WFTGA Trainer, Maricar
Donato, who briefed the group about the 2009 WFTGA convention at Bali''s
Discovery Kartita Plaza Hotel. The theme, Eco-Tourism and the Tourist Guide''s
Role, is most appropriate for the ecologically progressive island of Bali,
described as paradise on earth.Donato announced that the convention brings
tourist guides all over the world every two years when we forget all the things
that make us different and remember all the things that make us one.
Following the briefing, Ichsan led the Guild group on a tour of the ornate
embassy, built in 1903 as the Walsh Mansion.
