Oaxaca City

In my second Mexican novel the main character stops for a few hours in Oaxaca City.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oaxaca_City
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyaCSsTjwjQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMv8rXVEP8c

She listens to this woman rapper from Oaxaca
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi1FEPml8nU
One of the famous singers born in Oaxaca is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVUmQZdLAfQ

Oaxaca is famous for its string cheese
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvXrc29c7D0

Baja California and Yucatan

One of the last stops in Selena's journey is Baja California Sur.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baja_California_Sur

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IBYbHvKvsU
and they visit Los Cabos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZCCp372juY

Famous band from Mexicali, Baja California is Reik
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRKg6QNLoYY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2ejkHig2u0
And from Tijuana, Baja California is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8rBC6GCUjg

Her last stop is Yucatan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucatan
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdz4RUo7gNA
and visit Merida
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnGDku2H09E

They watch the pink Flamingos

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhNgSv0exuM

They visit the ball court at Chichen Itza
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWA7ayTNRok
and they play the Mayan ball game

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnFjsbn36QI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zul8w1RYypk

Chihuahua City and Hemosillo

Selena travels to the northern cities of Chihuahua City and Hermosillo in her quest to find true love. Chihuahua City is the capital and biggest city of the Northwestern Mexican state of Chihuahua.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chihuahua_City
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsDBKXEKheo

She tours the Museum of Pancho Villa
www.youtube.com/watch?v=npec-SkFHWU

and watches his statue
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIaC4n8OA5c
She visits the corpse bride
www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9bE5rpgri4

A great singer from Chihuahua is
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB2x_DII3W0


Hermosillo is the capital and biggest city of the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermosillo
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQQjy00hjP0

A great singer from Hermosillo is Yuridia
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt1DAfbDXus

Monterrey and Saltillo

Selena travels to Monterrey, the third largest city in Mexico and the most affluent.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monterrey
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZiYe4VASZY

Its famous Macroplaza
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbYWQXoa2pQ

Monterrey most popular dish is Cabrito (little goat)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sjzCB7VjD4
and is the home fro the famous beer Dos Equis (XX)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttvRW6Uo0Zg

Singers and bands from Monterrey are
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN0u3mzAwj8
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulVRolwfz5s
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zRKBAHbzfw
www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5zaRcp0u7I
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcGj9eWLTLo
and Gloria Trevi
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjXbluRyHE4
www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3diF-5DlAc


She visits Saltillo, the biggest city in Coahuila
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltillo

Singers and bands from Saltillo and Coahuila are
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCcPlMspvxo
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwkVgo_AuaM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnPQCWCIiGk

Acapulco and Veracruz City

Selena's journey takes her to west coast and the east coast of Mexico. She travels from Mexico City to Acapulco on the four-lane lane highway Autopista del Sol.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSqD3jcdW9M

She arrive to Acapulco, in Guerrro state, one of Mexico most popular resort town,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acapulco
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QyLjwMcHB0

She watches the cliff diving
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSxWRHUwIV4
Her mother likes this singer from Guerrero
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TuCU6dHk8Y

She travels to Veracruz City
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veracruz_city
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvyBo6nbZGw

She drinks coffee in this famous place
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNiyElCcP7o

Famous singers from Veracruz are Yuri
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSUJTUImSP8
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_LIFoRVCeI
and Natalia Lafourcade was born in the Veracruz state
www.youtube.com/watch?v=410cZw2YI0g


An Afro-Mexican singer from Veracruz is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lVezyvULQk

And the actress and film director, Salma Hayek, was born in the state of Veracruz.
www.imdb.com/name/nm0000161/

Selena end her visit in Xalapa, the capital of Vercruz, to see the Omlec head in their Museum
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIzhTR68RfA

Guadalajara

Selena and her group travel to Guadalajara, the second biggest city in Mexico. It's often described as the most Mexican city in the country. Welcome to Guadalajara
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guadalajara
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqndi9lv0cM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk61u-YH3Nw

They visit the Catedral
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs8SQMuGQOs
and Plaza Tapatia
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mb1BS6L1gE
 
The Mariachis first appear in Guadalajara
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CJWkffyKXE
and beautiful song with Mariachis
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO2vETJRq5U

and the city gave Mexico the sombrero, the famous wide-brimmed hat
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYwqjCj6kgc

In November/December the city hosts the largest book fair in Latin America
www.fil.com.mx
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EJxnEr5AkM

Not far from Guadalajara they have the plants for making the Tequila
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDAOST4cGVw

Famous bands from Guadalajara are Sandoval
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOBvD161JUA
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ut21XzoWNg
www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6f0uFeYYwU
and Mana
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyC8dy8qST8
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pkWeWDn25I
and the actress and singer Ximena Sarinana
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnCQlCqjvqo
and the rapper C-Kan
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD4zxx-Ep64
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFnmxXa9jx8
and Espumas y Terciopelo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOQfme6DdwU

The actor Gael Garcia Benel and the film director Guillermo del Toro were born in this city.

From Guadalajara Selena and her group travel east to Leon to attend the annual Balloon Festival
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF_u-HvFCyA

Manzanillo and Puerta Vallarta

Mexico is famous for its beautiful towns on the Pacific Ocean. On her journey to find love Selena travels to these two resorts.

Welcome to Manzanillo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manzanillo,_Colima
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSBO-kfX0VE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0cKNokyGmM
A famous artist from the state of Colima is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYRuEZ6Z9z4


Welcome to Puerto Vallarta
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Vallarta
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gq6X9ppmcc
and its Malecon, the boardwalk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFKPBeu4KZU
with the boy on the seahorse statue
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQVRC9ilH90
and the mermaid statue
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cN5Vm1IL7Ic



While Selena doesn't visit the state of Sinaloa, Sheyla with her powerful voice is in the story. She is also an actress in Telenovas, that Selena's mother and brother like to watch on TV.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0rHSq4R7Mk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL4XwNP71yc
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoU0rGDTov4
She is also an actress in Telenovas (like Rafaela) which Selena's mother and brother like to watch.

Bandas from Sinaloa
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aR5f59K8R5w
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WHh7gMJqV4
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3IOdw5IowM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQWOAjSffHI

Paying tribute to a singer who died too early
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvPd26IACUs
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFNmwH93gew
and to the Mexican-American Jenni Rivera
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVcy_lMClA0
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAbUnmDKX1o

Mexico City

Mexico City appears in a few chapters in my novel. Some say it's the biggest city in the world with 30 million people. About a quarter of the people of Mexico live in the capital city of Mexico. It's one of the ancient cities in the world, used to be called Tenochtitlan. Welcome to Mexico City
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico_city
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9TdbcL_9lk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAK_uw6RCwU
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3raj0J6iDJc
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDBKvwaMavc

Selena hopes to study at UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico), the best university in Latin America
www.unam.mx/acercaunam/en/
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA1Le1hjlms
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKDb_vA847Q

She visited the National Museum of Anthropology
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fldeoMd8pCM

and the Palace of Fine Arts & Statue of Independence.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNg2tQS3HA4
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcCb0u8tAjs
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzHcaNyhV2s

Mexico's tallest building, Torre Mayor & Bolsa Mexicana
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8QNCCgionM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG2k4gTBdZ0

Floating Gardens
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovs-LJTXBTw
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJNygP28_0k

Food in Mexico City
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzpGiYAA4oE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5nRMz1pCuE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu6txiOhDb0

She prayed in the famous religious place in northern Mexico City
www.youtube.co/watch?v=gHCNLFr3mpA
and the famous song about it
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt-tVJMx2Gs

Bands and singers from  Mexico City are Zoe, alternative psychedelic band
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJqlA_HTEU8
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHev-8Z2nHM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU0LljxpHIk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmiyA5kg6eI

Rio Roma, Latin pop duo who are brothers
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X3PPuF_yOE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jirj0OjI-M

rock bands like Camila, Cafe Tacuba & DLD
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xftFxCYQTdk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=biUYbAk-S1w
www.youtube.com./watch?v=98Akpf1ph2o
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dapgfO59ar8

RBD & their Maite Perroni
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YJcVokANJk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2fU28Pehdc

Hello Seahorse and Danna Paola
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNDlwHW92OY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgOAfK7RJ20
 
Jesse & Joy, brother and sister pop duo, and Julissa
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2hM9CLAMu4
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftK4NTrSbEw

Thalia and Edith Marquez
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kanyeO5uoNo
www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0wxSToBznA
Sasha Sokol
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_7lbza6cUA
and Lucero
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO2vETJRq5U
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAGNlkPLGvA

Juan Gabriel
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O4CLgXvbjU
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPRXDLfzkeg
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga5Bo4YdgH4
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9Fjtp51kdU

And Jose Jose with his romantic ballads
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRwOqQ6xvsg

Pop bands: Sentidos Opuestos,  OV7, Kabah

Munich

Munich appears twice in my novel. Both Helga and Petra's friends go to Munich to help Petra. Munich is the third largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Hamburg,  and the capital and the largest city in the southern state of Bavaria.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX8Bz1lFslI
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H06TFwvBe4
www.youtube.com/watch?v=spcSEizChyE

The world biggest beer festival, with 6 million visitors, is held in Munich every October
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bcg0d90Tce0
and its famous beer hall where Helga gets clues about the magical glasses.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfjwdwqAU7Q

Hegla visits Munich's main gathering place, the central Marienplatz
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP2NgoELvg8

and checks out the food in Munich
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0iPhCVSIOY

Munich is the main city for book publishers and one of the world's biggest book publisher, Bertelsmann AG, is located there. They control Penguin Random House.
www.bertelsmann.com

Other famous companies located Munich are BMW and Siemens.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXIlqGMCosY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAFFfiUZQ0Y

One of Europe's best soccer clubs is Bayern Munich
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXHvNyAkijU

One of the most famous castles is located south of Munich. It appears in Disney's movie about Cinderella.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrJyeearNNk

One of Petra's favourite indie rock bands is Sportfruende Stiller from a town near Munich.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4uXGzFZjqw
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPZC7JY6ziI
and a wonderful version of their song
www.youtube.com/watch?v=09c5LTo7Iz8

Bettina Monch was born in Munich, now living in Vienna.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqNX635v6y0

And the classical composer Richard Strauss was born in Munich.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rzDXNQxjHs

Guilin and Taiwan

Shui Ying and Liang are back in Shanghai, working and saving money for a trip to Guilin, one of China's most beautiful places.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guilin
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBEl4RsnoCU

They take a cruise on River Li.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbLw15gUnN0


A singer from the province of Guangxi
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqjgLbKZ1h0


Many people are searching for Shui Ying and her story connects to a family living in Taipei, Taiwan's largest city.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taipei
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz5rT84QWjY

They travel to Baishawan Beach on the nortern coast of Taiwan where they find a message from Shui Ying.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzm-ZVxOytY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQHhbF_NJAo


Ang Lee from Taiwan won the Oscar for best film director twice.
www.imdb.com/name/nm0000487/

And I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with this author from Taiwan
http://web.mit.edu/ccw/li-ang/biography.shtml

Some of the great Chinese singers were born in Taiwan, like Teresa Teng
www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1IqrSsouRs&list=HL1393269147
www.youtube.com/watch?v=N72dsXD2GdM
Jay Chou
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ1-ITdNqKg
S.H.E.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr5fNKK2FaA
Rene Liu
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gy-3I2odt8
www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1ZUCRq88ss
Rainie Yang
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mebzXfWi87E
and Tsai Chin
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owt09C8OUGA

A two songs from Malaysian by Chinese singers
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2L0d31BvZ8
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YERQJroBaNU
appearing in the storyline.

Mexico and Chiapas

My third novel is set in Mexico. It's the story of Selena, a young woman from the state of Chiapas, and her journey to find love  The novel travels to places in Mexico, introducing readers to Mexican food, songs and literature, folklore and history. It also travels to North America, South America and East Asia. This novel is written also for the 120 million Mexicans and 35 million American Mexicans. Welcome to Mexico.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico
www.youtube.com/watch?v=91Q6a1ACYUc

There are many flights in the novel, many on AeroMexico
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUuH3KOUDGU

Selena lives with her family in Chiapas, the southernmost state in Mexico. Welcome to Chiapas, part of the Maya homeland.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiapas
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDg3axrjtpU
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxqnPi73aME

She is from the Maya people 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=86F10IrvVus
and in my mind she can look like this young woman from Chiapas
http://nvi.mx/miss-earth-chiapas-2014/
http://nvi.mx/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/SOCIEDAD-2_redimensionar10.jpg

and has the picture of Juana Ines de la Crus on her desk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV7-lkJTnoU
www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_e48zsTURI

Chiapas is home to the famous Maya ruins, Palenque.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA2EeLHy6jA
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GGzCBmQ91c
Watch the beautiful dresses and women in Palenque Festival
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvjZr1s1C-8

And it is known for its coffee. Here is the route of Cafe.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXoyyLXNU_Y

and for its Marimba Music
www.youtube.com/watch?v=suoTnCejMAo
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1w47_DR2kY

She lives near the city of Tapachula.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapachula,_Chiapas
watch below Scotiabank at 0.20, it's part of the story
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXV_un9wV9Y
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzY2pcBN50o
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc2sEN8d_3U

Selena  is a Chiapanecas dancer.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVeSNLkmbGs

And she reads poems and novels by Mexican authors like Octavio Paz, Carlos Fuentes,  Laura Esquivel and Jennifer Clement. She follows the quotes "Deserve your Dream" by Octavio Paz, and "For me, love is the most important force. It moves the universe" by Laura Esquivel. Famous poets who were born and grew up in Chiapas are Jamie Sabines and Rosario Castellanos.

And she likes to eat the Chicatanas (flying ants).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWyR5UETH9g

She goes to the beach of Puerto Madero (Puerto Chiapas) which is walking distance to her home, and watches the cruise ships coming and going
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfKJkD02-Qs

She takes her guests to visit the Aqua Azul Waterfalls
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKGrCElqD5k
the city of San Cristobal
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAzJ2lSHj8E
and Chiapa's biggest city, Tuxtla Gutierrez
www.youtube.com/watch?v=va_PWI13WVo

She goes to the Suchiate River running between Chiapas and Guatemala. Guatemala is also part of the Maya homeland.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryYwNbtesoE
and listens to this song from Guatemala
www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9cCPQVPv8o
and to the song by Reyli Barba who was born in Chiapas.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUinZg5MC5U

Meet the dogs of Mexico in my novel
http://dogingtonpost.com/meet-the-dogs-of-mexico/#.UrI_NVfNmSp

Great mexicans and Mexican-American singers are

Priscila Romero from Los Angeles
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rnyNIhOMZk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j2HH2A1pH8
Jesus Adrian Romero (that's how Selena celebrated her Quinceanera of being 15) from Sonora and currently in Monterrey
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMATl0X3mMI
and Yuridia and Yahir are also from Sonora
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Hyw_lWRjSM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt1DAfbDXus
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9_fIOkHYaM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5oOkhUMFCs

Carla Morrison from Baja Califorina, grew up in the US
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdfik2FRhck
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH4UNbIGviQ
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Bru23vud_c
Zoe modren version to the most famous Mexican song, written in 1940 by teenager Consuelo Velazquez.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSELNSslBVk
and Reik the band from Baja California
www.youtube.com/watch?v=snFhcHHdzT0
Ana Gabriel from the Mexican state of Sinaloa, now in Miami
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP2q3tiSXyk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeW20PiI5XU
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvE-VABrTyk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMa7y-7iFYM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb0Z5pxtd7w
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr6RzMi4L3o
and the late American-Mexican Selena who inspired the name of the heroine.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCczNyVXRZ8
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUJHGC6PQ9w

New York City

My novels are partly set in New York City.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PezYKRuQgjw
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA3OuEd4e1c

Petra from Germany appear in  the U.S. District Court in Lower Manhattan.
www.panoramio.com/photo/19809656
She visits this Barnes & Noble book store, but for different reasons
www.visit5thavenue.com/barnes-and-noble/
and visit the Empire States Building to view the city.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dqvb1SoOZQ

The life of Petra changes after shopping in Macy's and finding magical sunglasses.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS2FJZIzV8Y
She and her high school friends make unfriendly visits to banks.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-uhRZVciFM

Petra spends time in Central Park
www.youtube.com/watch?v=V49_5JZrQxU
and Bryant Park.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIKf7UX6Arw
She writes her blogs from here
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXtATRFhw3w
and she visits the MOMA.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZLbaZiKw4M

Famous songs about New York are by Frank Sinatra and Alicia Keys
www.youtube.com/watch?v=btFfXgUdIzY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX17BOqEWK

Baden-Baden and Dresden

After finding the last clue in Vienna, Helga is going to Baden-Baden to find the Capsule that will connect her to our heroine, Petra. Welcome to Baden-Baden in southwest Germany.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baden-Baden
www.baden-baden.de/en/
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=rANmUqhdIGw

Baden-Baden is famous for many years for its spas and natural hot springs.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3QiZOdV4P8
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnSBWClGN04
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-_MTGoRmsk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWy2r9AqC1w

It's also famous for its Casino.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mokuyZYZHZ0

On her way home to Jena, she stops at Ulm with the tallest church in the world and where Albert Einstein was born
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxjyCynUrzQ
And where the German alternative metal band Die Happy is located.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCoGeZ2fid8

Helga visits Dresden to meet a man who offers her to work for his company from her home in Jena. That company will help her to locate Petra in New York City. Welcome to Dresden in central east Germany.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dresden
www.dresden.de/index_en.php
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAKikj55XIk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=upY9mK7zeSo

Dresden is famous for its Semper Opera.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZwa3H12z0M
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOGmdd9dVow
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VPIip-sbuo
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kphUBWjZ05Q

A famous rock band from a town near Dresden is Silbermond.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6Zttyedlp4
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sfknBJlmoo
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOlq8roR6Tg

And more nice songs from Germany.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJavLHODspI
and Juli
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad8ukI7Z-b8
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft8DwXUxaB8
 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrYYg_atdtk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=llxt1iLUK6c

Some classic rock songs from the DDR.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uheb1zVHLr4
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsJGA-H9qNc
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DOwDQ4q5i0
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP0vn9PZ3kU
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJNRkLn5xc8



And Clueso  who, just like Helga, was born in the state of Thuringen during the DDR (the former East Germany).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dR4tNS7ox4

Beijing

Liang gets a job in construction for the Beijing 2008 Olympic, so Shui Ying travels with him  to Beijing, the capital and political center of China.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beijing
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkLWWnKcW28
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsg4cxrGWys
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp2IToV4f4c

Liang builds the Olympic Stadium called Bird's Nest.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0ZiJrcfrAo

They visit China's national library.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkTN5vdn4pM

They join a dance in a Beijing Park
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysFyVNl8_zw

To the music of this song.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MY9bHI9CSM

And Shui Ying gets a little Shin Tzu dog, naming him Bao Bao.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg2HbD6W9Lk

They hang out at Hou Hai Lake.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNFfi1EbWDo

And then they go to Beijing Railway Station to travel back to Shanghai.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fBR4gqD9B0

But they come back to attend the Beijing Olympic.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj8R7bEGK4w
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMsSBBaFlbY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKe9uMbE-BY 

Living in Beijing is Na Ying
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLkLzYGTd7g
and born in Beijijng is Faye Wong.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYcEsagN6ss

And China's First Lady, Peng Liyuan.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2V3zJVO01k
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gMqMFm5YFE

Vienna + Schlager Music

Helga travels to places to find clues about the past of Petra. From Berlin she travels to  Schonhausen to find the third clue which sends her to Vienna, the capital and largest city in Austria.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna
www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-M_A0xNRVs
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9Khe6SviGk

Some of the famous German composers wrote their music in Vienna. Just like Petra, Brahms was born in Hamburg.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X9LvC9WkkQ
Beethoven composed Erotica in Vienna and is buried there. And some singers born in Germany (Munich) live now in Vienna.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqNX635v6y0

In the streets of Vienna, Helga and her boyfriend dance the Waltz.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1AkeBpyDsY

They take a ride in the red Faxi Taxi.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4idn063YJo

Helga finds the fourth clue in this building
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHFUVtk3rls/
and they take the train back home, to Jena.
 
Petra likes different styles of music including Schlager music, which is popular in Germany and Austria. Her mom likes it too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlager

From the young generation she likes Yvette and Sarah-Stephanie from Austria and Franziska, Oxana  and Sarah Carina from Germany.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI_gHjIvg00
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJYRSnzcIK4
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6krItuegy8Y
www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6B34omO8E0
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFXpJFTyQuw

Popular singers are
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fTA5l6Gpq4
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNPVv0gLwxY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1a3uxCRmAI
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KJ9xybPhqQ
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeZiZ9DKmfY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDuiMphUgnw
 
Every year in Hamburg there is the Schlager Music Festival.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RsQRnmwDhw

And there is  a Schlager Radio station in Hamburg.
http://tunein.com/radio/Radio-Schlager-s157002/

More current Schlager songs
www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7swevO37XM  
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNHamTwxJ6Q
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5fQSIFhlSc
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTF-bq9538Q
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCDsm_dt1cI

Shanghai

The post from May describes Shui Ying growing up in a small village in Sichuan. Following a tragedy in her family, her mother sends her to find a job in Shanghai.  She spends the first night in this hostel.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpMZ8drAnr8

Shui Ying is overwhelmed being in one of the largest cities in the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq_sgo9aBQ0
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQwyGP6jmAY

She spends time at People (Renmin) Square feeding the pigeons. The most important event in the book happens in People Square subway station. Shui Ying leaves the subway and Emily enters and takes her seat.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwg0l2EC0JA
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBu8UiF_AAQ

She walks on the Bund along the Huangpu River looking at Pudong on the other side. She sees the same view when she visits the M on the Bund Restaurant,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvUCR-aWE_I
www.m-restaurantgroup.com/mbund/home.html

When she's reunited with Liang, they go to Oriental Peal TV Tower and view Shanghai,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2D_sc6pGnE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVx7rOHRF2o

and they eat the Stinky Tofu.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MRHqK3ywWs

They stroll along Nanjing Road and check the book stores in Fuzhou Road.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q82ZvfGhmFU

An old song about Shanghai is by Frances Yip.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sJJNsTzgFM

When Shui Ying disappears, Emily and her friends search for her in the Jade Buddah Temple in Shanghai.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsZTVSY5PdA

When Shui Ying and Emily meet in Shanghai, they go shopping at Nanjing Road. It is the main shopping street in Shanghai and one of the world's busiest shopping streets.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGJoCfl69uA

One of the famous people born in Shanghai is basketball player, Yao Ming. Shui Ying watches him playing in the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1OKwefp1jk

Berlin

While Petra fights to help the people in New York City, Helga looks for clues about Petra's past. She has the first clue before going to Berlin.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHQ7n7Oi5Lo&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgqUkS9w7F8&feature=related
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin

Helga finds the second clue in one of the buildings in this video.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydCvVFsgBVk&feature=related

She hugs the blue Berliner bear for good luck before entering the bank.
www.flicker.com/photos/onetakemovie/5725056959/

And walks in Berlin's main shopping street
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-k5dp71oLo

Petra listens to songs by Annett Louisan who lives in Berlin
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3ay8YzaXCI
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR0pINsDfGA


and by Lumaraa and Eisblume  who live in Berlin
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPjCRxO0Clc
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcSIoLmotCo
and to Maya Saba who was born in Berlin.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY38R6x0w7I

And to this song by Silly, a popular band formed in the former East Berlin.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWDhS1lZ2lc

A popular punk rock from Brelin is Die Artze
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi5_fSv7qXk

And a popular rapper from Berlin is Sido
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RveIJFR7LV4
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jGmc5--QAY


And the most popular band from Berlin is Rammstein
www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4K6ZxDwi34



Currywurst is the popular fast food that was created in Berlin in 1949.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currywurst
www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0tF52fJ_0c

Petra likes the movie where Franke Potente is running in Berlin
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tIuD5aqc4o&feature=related

And Helga likes the movie about East and West Berlin
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIjSaHUKD5I
and about their favourite car, the Trabi
www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2PNsatxzmk

Marlene Dietrich was born in a suburb of Berlin
www.youtube.com/watch?v=a01ynTZemmQ

and one the great theatres is the Berliner Ensemble
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv2SiBcE9dM

Bonn, Jena + German songs

Petra moves with her family to Bonn, where Beethoven was born.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonn
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pTqMClPF3w

Beethoven's Ode to Joy is the anthem of the European Union
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrexhus-8kw
David Garrett from Germany performing Beethoven
www.youtube.com/watch?v=96NPEKnByCo

and Bushido who was born in Bonn.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJOIR0slR_c

You have a little of Bonn in your city: The Gummi bears candies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gummi_bear

One of novel's main characters is Helga who lives in Jena.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jena
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihFrLlvY5No
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT9nzYa8dAM
www.jena.de/en/97320

She was born in the former East Germany and after the reunification feels nostalgic to the past. Ostalgie is the German term.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostalgie
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbbWIRhJbgc
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxsrx9jBj_M

She met her boyfriend as a student at one of the oldest universities in Germany, University Jena
www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0cUVYf34js
The philosophers Hegel and Schlling were teaching at this university and Karl Marx earned his doctorate from the University of Jena.

And she used to work here as a gardener.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBMIpwl77UU

She eats the food from her state of Thuringia, like Thuringer Klosse (potato dumplings)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFZ4LSk8ZHc
and Thuringen Rostbratwurst (grilled sausage with herbs).

And drinks her favourite Cola made in her state.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FqjXREB8FA

And she loves her Trabi car
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGHQMEo2KDM

And to listen to songs by Silly and their former singer Tamara Danz who was also born in Thuringia.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Czk8lYmDRQ

And the composer Johann Sebastian Bach was also born in Thuringia
www.youtube.com/watch?v=on1DDSLdDOo

Petra listens to many songs, including Schlager music, popular in Germany and Central and Northern Europe. The songs are sweet ballads with catchy light pop melodies.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9IihYDPjqw
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qnXTjnE0p0

Germany and Hamburg

My 21st century America-Germany novel for young adults is ready. Unlike the many negative books and movies about what Germans did in the mid 20th century, my novel is positive.  It's written also for the 90 million German speaking people in Europe and the 50 million German-Americans. It's the story of 17 yrs old Petra, who moved with her parents from Germany to New York City. Willkommen (welcome) to Germany:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T48UedD2eA

They came to NYC on a flight with Lufthansa Airlines.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMt5sYQT4Pc
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pV3oHAETW8

Petra was born in Hamburg in Northern Germany. Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany, after Berlin, and is viewed as one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNyWf1ilu6I&feature=related
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/hamburg

Petra and her mother, who works at Goethe Institute in NYC,  enjoy singing the song by Maria from Hamburg, reminding them about home.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=--4CzYbMjaQ

Their favourite song, singing together, is from Austria. Mom likes the singer so much that she named her daugther after her.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlrLqiiFKqo

Petra and her father, who moved from Bonn to the German Consulate in NYC,  are fans of Hamburger SV, their hometown's football team. She plays soccer in her NYC High School, inspired by Birgit Prinz, Germany's famous female football player. 
She started playing soccer as a little girl.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dfey6NIOfPY

Sichuan, Chengdu and Chongqing

My novel starts in a small village in the province of Sichuan in Southwest China, where Shui Ying is growing up ... "Sichuan, which mean four rivers, is one of China's most populous provinces. It is one of the country's main agricultural areas for growing rice, wheat and other grains. It is home for the giant Panda bears who feed primarily on bamboo. Kung Po chicken is the best known Sichuan dish and the secret of Sichuan food is the purity of the salt collected from the mines of Zigong." When Shui Ying is born, the biggest cities in Sichuan are Chengdu and Chongqing, but after a few years Chongqing separates from Sichuan to become one of the four direct-controlled municipalities in China.  China's greatest leader in recent history is Deng Xiaoping who was born in Sichuan. He is the founding father of China's economic rise.
Welcome to Sichuan (Szechuan)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K9-h9Olp_g

Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province. It is one of the most important economic, transportation and communication centers in Western China. It has the most tea houses in China. Its people have a reputation in China for having a laid-back attitude and for knowing how to enjoy life.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JASEkJYwgHg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chengdu

These are the famous cute residents of the city
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTXkN6YTPBY&feature=fvwrel

And these are famous places in Sichuan that appear in my novel.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZndmtCf1Jus
www.youtube.com/watch?v=risuF_17ITk

The most populous city in China, and the world, is Chongqing with about 30 million people, while Shanghai and Beijing have about 20 million each.  The Beijing government "Go West" strategy is urging companies to set up operations in inland cities to prevent immigration to cities on the east coast. Chongqing is the main beneficiary of this policy.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmyPm_4I_4U
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chongqing

People from Sichuan, Chengdu and Chonqing like to eat spicy food like the  Hot Pot.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mmmvhgFEeU&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI6M7NJbaZ4&feature=related
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Szechuan_cuisine
www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=dI3Lcfl4Fko

Americans and Canadians wishing to try the Hot Pot in their countries,  please check the locations for:
www.littlesheephotpot.com