From: Howard Koontz
Sent: Monday, October 11, 2010 9:38 AM
To: Rinda Kanidinc
Subject: Oberammergau, Lourdes, Fatima

Dear Rinda,

We took you Oberammergau, Lourdes, Fatima tour last week. We had a wonderful time. The tour guides were outstanding. We had Jesus after Germany. He is great. The Priests were understanding, funny, and a little Mystic. We had a good flight with Lufthansa and the weather was wonderful. Rosemary said that it was one of the best experiences she ever had on a trip. Please forward any info about your "In the footstep of Paul" tour for next year.

Thanks again,
Howard S. Koontz, RN, BSN
USNR/RET
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From: Mary Anne Huminski
Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2010 1:57 PM
To: Amanda Fortunato
Subject: Pat Verhelle pilgrimage -Oberammergau, Medjugorje & Italy-September

Dear Amanda,

I just want you to know how much I enjoyed my tour. There is nothing I would change. For me, it was perfect and I look forward to another .

Sincerely,
Mary Anne Huminski
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From: John Toner
Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 7:48 AM
To: Rinda Kanidinc
Subject: The Holy Land and Oberammergau ~ Passion Play - August/September

Rinda,

we had a terrific time!!!! What a fantastic tour!!! Father Diaz
was superb!!!! Claudia was also great and certainly knowledgeable. I would
recommend this tour to anyone!!!! The group attending was also superb,
that rounded out the complete picture!!!! Great Job!!!!!!
If you have any Fatima tours on your future agenda, please let me know!!!!

Again, Thanks!!!!
John
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From: A. Pollich
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2010 4:24 PM
To: mike@206tours.com
Subject: Oberammergau in September

Dear Mike,

Just to let you know that my pilgrimage to Oberammergau over Labor Day weekend was absolutely beautiful! I loved the gorgeous alpine region where the town is located and spent some time exploring on my two days there. I was able to attend Mass on both days in the beautiful church in Oberammergau. On Sunday, the choir and orchestra were a wonderful addition, but I liked the simple setting for the Saturday evening Mass as well. Unfortunately, I was not able to see the light show in the church because I was not at a hotel in the village itself.

Accommodations in Murnau were fine, the food and service excellent, as was also the case in Oberammergau. The transfers worked out just great, and I really enjoyed meeting and mixing with the group when it finally arrived from the Holy Land. They had so much to share! Having a precise itinerary for the group as well as for myself really helped me in terms of planning how to spend my time during this weekend. Thank you!

Last but not least, I found the passion play really awesome, a spectacular portrayal on a grand scale of the most important event in human history. It is very well done; the villagers truly put their heart and soul in it. I met some of the locals who were in the play and saw how much it meant to them to participate. The music is also profoundly moving and enhances the action on the stage. Fr. Diaz felt that the connection to our biblical roots as shown in the play added much to the understanding of Christ's ministry and passion, and I agree. The use of Hebrew at key moments, especially the first Consecration, I found most moving and impressive. There is so much more I could say.

You have provided great spiritual directors on my two tours this summer, and I deeply appreciate that.

If I could have changed anything about this trip, it would have been the length. But wonderful things also come in small packages, and this was certainly the case here!

Thank you again for another superb experience in visiting a site that has helped me to appreciate and grow in my Catholic faith.

God bless,
Anneliese
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From: Rev Dairo Diaz
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 11:36 AM
To: Rinda Kanidinc
Subject: The Holy Land and Oberammergau ~ Passion Play - August/September

Hi Rinda,

My pilgrimages to Rome, the Holy Land and Oberammergau were great.
Everyone had a great time. I did not see anything negative to be mentioned.
On the contrary all the tour guides, drivers and hotel personnel were very punctual and organized.
Thank you very much for letting me be part of these pilgrimages.

In Christ & Mary,
Fr. Diaz
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From: nicholas zientarski
Sent: Sunday, July 11, 2010 1:02 PM
To: milanka@206tours.com
Subject: thanks

Milanka,

Thanks so much for that great lunch last week and for your dedication to the Church and to priests. You are really doing great things for so many by offering all the pilgrimages.

Attached is a group photo from Oberammergau. I still have to see about a group photo from the Holy Land. God bless and enjoy!

-Fr. Nick
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From: Kim Bellone
Sent: Friday, July 09, 2010 11:28 AM
To: Milanka@206tours.com
Subject: Oberammergau & Turin Pilgrimage, May 2010

Dear Milanka,

I am sorry that it took so long for me to send you a "Thank You". Our pilgrimage to Oberammergau and Turin was another spiritual and faith filled experience. The passion play brought tears to my eyes and left me speechless. It was such an emotional experience. You truly felt Gods presence, especially at the crucifixion of Jesus. At that moment, the skies rumbled with thunder and flashed with lightening. I cannot even explain what I felt at that moment, I just cried.

The Shroud of Turin was another emotional experience. To stand there and take in, what that piece of cloth represents made me weep. It is something that I will never forget.

On this Pilgrimage, we also were lucky enough to have a day in Milan. We were able to visit the Santa Maria della Grazie church, and view Leonardo da Vinci's, The Last Supper, and to visit the Duomo di Milano. Both were breathtaking. From Milan, we took a train through the Swiss Alps to Germany. What a treat! Some other highlights were stops at Lake Cuomo, Stift Melk, an Austrian Benedictine abbey, Neuwachstein Castle, the Mirabell Gardens and Festung Hohensalzburg in Salzburg and Vienna.

Our guide Fred was wonderful. He was always very patient and helpful with us, especially to those who had special needs.

Our spiritual director, Fr. Mickey Bancroft was our "Good Shepherd" for the first few days. After our first day in Milan, he pulled double duty and acted as our guide as well. (We did not meet up with Fred until the second half of the pilgrimage). Fr. Mickey always had a ready smile on his face (even when some of his sheep wandered off; as sheep tend to do), was available to answer our MANY questions, and always made sure to spend time with all the pilgrims. His daily Masses were wonderful and full of the Holy Spirit (which for me, were the most special moments of the pilgrimage). Fr. Mickey made sure to include as many of the Pilgrims as possible, as Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Server, and Cantor. He made this a truly Blessed experience for us all.

Thank you again for everything! I am looking forward to our next 206 pilgrimage in 2011, to Rome Florence & Venice.

Warmest Regards and Blessings to all,
Kim

"The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

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From: Kathie Flanagan
Sent: Saturday, June 12, 2010 3:49 PM
To: rinda@206tours.com
Subject: The Holy Land and Oberammergau - MAY

Dear Rinda,

Wow! Moms and my pilgrimage to the holy land and Oberammergau was an amazing spiritual experience for me. George was a very knowledgeable guide. Not only on the holy land but also in the catholic religion. He also has a great sense of humor. He made sure we were all safe and well taken care of. I feel very blessed to have had the privilege to have had him as our guide. Fr.Nick was wonderful, his homilies really made the whole experience a truly amazing spiritual awakening for me. My family, friends and co-workers say that I have return with a glow and spiritual high that they have never seen before. I have highly recommended 206 tours to everyone. I really can't say enough about 206 tours, everything was beyond my expectations.

Thanks a million God Bless
Kathie Flanagan
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From: REMY AUDITOR
Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 2010 11:06 PM
To: milanka@206tours.com
Subject: ONCE IN A LIFETIME JOURNEY, MAY 12- MAY 24, 2010

Dear Milanka,

This "once in a lifetime pilgrimage" - I planned 10 years ago. The year 2000 I was already in pilgrimage to Rome for the Jubilee, therefore, I missed the Oberammergau passion play. I prayed that I will be able to make in 2010, which was also the memorable year because of the Shroud of Turin. Thank you for making this possible for me and my husband, Rudy. 206 always made it a very spiritual and enjoyable the most. The guides are very knowledgeable, which I get to know, like Javier, and Jesus, and now new acquaintance, Miguel. I will probably meet them again sometime in the near future pilgrimages I will do Lourdes and Spain, via 206 tours always.

It was so nice to meet you in person. Thank you for sharing with us your personal attention, and your inspiring story of your life.

I pray for your continued sucess and good health.

Sincerely.
Remedios (Remy) Auditor

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From: Paul Dharmaratne
Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 2010 9:30 AM
To: 'Rinda Kanidinc'
Subject: The Holy Land and Oberammergau - MAY

Dear Rinda,

First let me say that the people we joined and Fr Nick, who we knew well, made our journey of faith very, very special. Our guide “George” and Coach driver “Salim” Are two of the nicest people you could meet. George’s knowledge and passion for his homeland and our faith is unparalleled, he was a font of information to a level of detail you couldn’t get from any book. At a practical level the choice of hotels was excellent, our coach was comfortable and clean and Salim our coach driver was much more than the driver. He made sure we didn’t walk any more than we needed to through his sometimes amazing manoeuvring of the coach into the tightest of spots and was there to help us with buying and specially making sure we got the best price possible. I am grateful to Salim for extending his services to take us of an afternoon back into Bethlehem. The arrangements were excellent and went without a hitch.

Thanking you,
Paul Dharmaratne & Kathy Scovell
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From: Brenda Pulido
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2010 6:28 AM
To: milanka@206tours.com
Cc: rinda@206tours.com; stefanie@206tours.com; cara@206tours.com
Subject: Once In A Lifetime Pilgrimage, May 19-31, 2010

Dear Milanka,

Thank you for the opportunity to join the Once In A Lifetime Pilgrimage. At Turin, we met Msgr. Kenneth Steffen (our Spiritual Director) and our co-pilgrims. There, I met you and Javier for the first time and also Gaia (a guide in a previous pilgrimage), as you were ending the first of the Once In A Lifetime Pilgrimage, which started on May 12. I am so happy to have finally met you.

You gave the perfect name to this very special pilgrimage. I feel blessed to have participated in this once in a lifetime spiritual experience. Combining the visits to the Shroud of Turin, Santiago de Compostela, Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima and the Oberammergau Passion Play was a brilliant idea! Added to that were the celebration of the Mass at Church of Eucharistic Miracle at Santarem and the visits to the Church of St. Anthony, the Jeronimo Monastery and the magnificent Cristo Rei Statue in Lisbon. Thank you also for the special cruise on the Douro River in Oporto.

Msgr. Steffen is a very spiritual leader. He always included 206 tours in the daily intentions. Once or twice a day, he was giving us a medal or holy picture or printed information about special places visited or other related information. It was indeed helpful to be reminded that we were pilgrims and not tourists.

We had a wonderful group of caring pilgrims from many different part of the United States. Thank you all very much!

Jesus was our guide in Spain and Portugal, but he continued to help us a lot in Munich and Oberammergau. Miguel, his cousin, was an excellent driver. The local tour guide in Santiago de Compostela and in Lisbon were my favorites. I like Hotel Santa Maria Jardim in Fatima and Hotel Ludwig in Murnau.

Best regards and thanks to you, Rinda, Stefanie and Cara for another unforgettable and awesome experience. May the good Lord continue to bless you in this very special ministry.

As always, I am looking forward to my next 206 pilgrimage.

Love, joy and peace,
Brenda
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From: JANET SHI
Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2010 14:41:20 -0700 (PDT)
To: Rinda Kanidinc
Subject: Holy Year celebration in Santiago De Compostela, The Shroud of Turin and The Passion Play in Oberammergau

Dear Rinda,

The Once in A Lifetime Pilgrimage was the best and memorable. Fr. Serena and Javier made us feel welcome from Day One. I had never met a guide like Javier, who acted beyond his guide duties and very religious; he changed my perspective about Fatima.

What a wonderful experience to go to Santiago de Compostela, to see the Shroud and the Passion Play.

It was an honor to have Milanka with us. She’s the most caring, thoughtful and generous person. She’s just like a shepherd tending to her flock, making sure everybody or everything was ok. Having Charlie by her side was a huge bonus, he’s always willing to help and his laughter were contagious and brightened the rooms.

Thank you also for all those extra surprises and entertainment, they added to everything which was already special.

Thank you 206 Tours for doing a great job.

Sincerely,
Janet Shi

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From: Frank Burns
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2010 3:57 AM
To: Rinda Kanidinc
Subject: Oberammergau and the Holy Land

Dear Rinda,

We had a wonderful trip, and would recommend 206 Tours to anyone. Milanka and her husband were great to travel with and certainly saved the day as my wife was ready to fly home.

Thanks again,
Frank

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From: Grace Toledo
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 11:42 PM
To: Rinda Kanidinc
Subject: Once In A Lifetime Pilgrimage with Father Thanh Dao (May 12-24, 2010)

Greetings to one & all! I was just telling Milanka how lucky we all are that she was there during the trip & that she had been very helpful in everything we need.

Anyway, I feel so blessed...The places we've visited...Santiago de Compostela was an awesome site, especially seeing the huge 'botafomeiro' in motion. Fatima was really special since I've known the story even when I was just a little child. I got lost in the plaza the 1st night, but it was a good thing. I had time to reflect and meditate to myself next to the nuns during the rosary & for some reason I just started to cry... The site of the Apparition of the Blessed Mother & the angel gave me the goose bumps, as well as seeing the places where Lucia, Francisco & Jacinta had lived. The Holy Shroud, in Turin, Italy was also unbelievably breathtaking to watch.. it's right in front of me, Jesus' image... I enjoyed Munich, Germany, the Marienplatz & the sounds of the Glockenspiel. I also loved the houses in Oberammergau... it reminds me of Leavenworth, Washington, our Bavarian city. The Passion Play was quite long, (wish it was in English) but the performance was amazing.

I'd also like to thank our funny tour guide, Miguel, for all the patience and hard work. He made the trip fun with some jokes & his silliness. Javier was very helpful too. Overall my experience was totally uplifting...places like these remind me of all the wonderful things God has given us & I'm thankful that He's always there, even if we falter & lost our ways...Everytime I go to pilgrimages, my family notice a change in me.. more peaceful, more calm, more happy... soo, where to next??? hopefully, Medjugorje & Lourdes... but we'll see.. :)

Love & Prayers,

Grace L. Toledo
"Travel the world and witness its splendor.."

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From: amelia miguel
Sent: Saturday, May 29, 2010 10:24 AM
To: milanka@206tours.com;
Subject: Once-in-a-Lifetime Pilgrimage

Greetings,

Truly, this aptly named Once-in-a-Lifetime Pilgrimage is unforgettable. The awesome experiences will be forever etched in my memory.

To walk through Holy Door of the Santiago De Compostela Cathedral (opened only very 11 years during Saint James Jubilee Year) thinking and dedicating it to my beloved father who died in 1998, is priceless.
To behold and venerate the Holy Shroud in Turin (shown only for the 6th time since 1898) with other faithful who believe, is truly once in a lifetime blessed opportunity.

To see the The Passion Play of Jesus Christ by the people of Oberammergau (who kept their solemn vow in 1633 to portray it every ten years) with the glimpse of trees, blue skies, and the majestic Bavarian Alps Mountains, is sublime. Needless to say, I cried, perhaps like everyone, on the scenes that were so moving, agonizing and searing through my heart. (The beautiful town and their people with all of their manifestations of faith centered on Jesus Christ also touched me).

In Fatima, I am overwhelmed and overjoyed with our experiences. (I am a devotee of the Virgin Mary since I was a young girl. Sunny and I have hosted here in our home several times Our Lady of Fatima including the National Virgin Pilgrim). I was overwhelmed and I cried when I learned that Sunny and I are to lead the rosary in the English part. Sunny was also one of carriers during the procession. I walked by kneeling across the square to the Chapel of the Apparition carrying my petitions deep within my heart, and giving praise and thanksgiving for all the blessings. I have not done anything physically more painful, and I have to hold Sunny’s hand at the latter part. The skin overlying my knee has wounds and blisters that surprisingly healed in relatively shorter time than I expected.

We give praise and thanksgiving to God for this blessed opportunity to witness and participate in these awesome events. We thank Milanka and the entire 206 tours for conceiving this unique “Once-in-a-Lifetime pilgrimage”. Very well-planned, well organized, and well-executed. It exceeded our expectations. Milanka, your presence and graciousness made it extra-special. Thank you Father Serena, our priest, our spiritual leader. Special mention to Javier, the most outstanding and the most inspirational spiritual tour guide we ever met. The alignment of all those sacred events that occurs only rarely to occasionally, and us participating and witnessing them is a divine timing and a blessed opportunity for all of us.

Sincerely with gratitude,
Amie and Sunny