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Elderhostel Notebook September 1997
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Elderhostel Notebook is a production of The Senior Group.
Readers exchange information about elderhosteling and
other travel related "Going to Learn" experiences.
To subscribe, e-mail Jim Olson, at
olsonjam@uwec.edu
Elderhostel Notebook is archived at
http://bcn.boulder.co.us/community/senior-citizens/center.html#Newsletters
Elderhostel Notebook is not associated with the Elderhostel
organization which has a web site at
http://www.elderhostel.org
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Contents
From the Editors Notebook
Traveling and Surfing with Victor
Elderhostel Reviews
Personals and Notices
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Editor's Notebook
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Due to space limitations I was not able to get all of the reports
sent in posted, but will use them in the October issue.
Starting in October we will also experiment if possible with
coordinating the Notebook e-mail newsletter with a graphic
storage area on the web so that some reports can be illustrated.
All of the text will remain on the newsletter and be available to
all but graphics can be clicked to by those with graphic web
browsers.
I will give more details in the October address check and call
for submissions.
Remember you can always send me a personal inquiry about specific
elderhostels, and if my files have information about them I will
e-mail it back to you.
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Traveling and Surfing with Victor
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ECxplore the World
Victor Schlich
What does travel mean to you? If it means a chance to learn, then
this is for you.
Several Elderhostel sponsors have added travel-study programs in
response to request from elderhostelers. One of these is Eckerd
College in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla.,
calls theirs ECxplore the World. Other schools have similar
programs, but more about them in future columns.
We'll restrict this to Eckerd because we've had happy Elderhostel
and travel experiences with the college.
ECxplore the World combines exciting areas with great courses for
adult learners. If you want to feel a locale, try this.
The program combines the group joys of an Elderhostel with a
chance to learn, to explore, to enjoy yourself. It evokes
memories of the classic TV spot whose tagline was "Try it, you'll
like it!"
Here's how you can find out more. Go to the Eckerd home page,
click on adult education, then click on Continuing Education for
Seniors, then ECxplore the World. You'll find several past and
present programs described.
If you want to know about future programs, drop an e-mail to
byrnejm@eckerd.edu. That reaches Joan Byrne, Director of
Continuing Education, Eckerd College,4200 54th Avenue South, St.
Petersburg FL 33711.
Our adventure was a trip to Alaska through the Inside Passage
aboard the MS Noordam of the Holland-America Line. We were
pampered just as much as the other passengers aboard, but our
trip was more enjoyable.
Shipboard lectures by Patrick Byrne, an epidemiologist and Joan's
husband, prepared us for each port visited along the way. In
port, field trips brought the talks alive. By the end of the
cruise we had a thorough overview of Alaskan history, geology,
anthropology, as well as flora and fauna.
In Ketchikan, we visited a Tlingit Indian village, watched tribal
dances in a native long house, and saw totem poles up close.
In Juneau, we were bused to the creek where Joe Juneau found
gold. We did too, as we panned in the creek's chill waters. Each
came home with a few specks of gold siphoned from our pans with
an eyedropper.
In Sitka, the highlight was a show by the New Archangel Dancers,
an all-volunteer women's group. They presented typical Russian
dances harking back to Sitka's early days as capital of the
Russian territory in Alaska.
I read James Michener's "Alaska" after returning home. Although
fictional, the story recalled subjects and incidents we had
learned about on our ECxploration.
Dinners were eaten together, although breakfast and lunch
depended on when each of us arose and was ready to eat. Our
classroom was just off the main dining room and fitted out with a
variety of audiovisual aids.
Accommodations were as luxurious as we wanted to spend. We liked
the idea that one price covered everything. There were no
additions for shore trips, etc.
PS: Please e-mail me if you have sampled other travel-study
programs.
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Elderhostel Reviews
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Hersey Retreat - Sandy Point, Maine - August 24-29, 1997
--by Phil Keeler
The Elderhostel was held at a seasonal camp and conference center
operated by the Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor, Maine
since 1883. The three programs offered were "The Best Maine
Stories," "Painting with Oils for both the Beginner and the More
Advanced," and "Jazz on the American Scene."
The 24-acre site on Penobscot Bay has three buildings, not
centrally heated but with wood stoves and fireplaces which are
lighted as needed. We didn't need them, even though the last two
days were drizzly.
Rooms are mostly double occupancy with a few singles, all with
shared baths. Family style meals were excellent, well beyond
expectations for a summer camp setting. A dinner of fresh Maine
lobster was served on the last night.
The Maine Stories segment was presented by Carolyn Page and Roy
Zarucchi, who in real life are poets, potters and publishers,
operating a small regional press publishing mostly Maine authors.
There were discussions of the work of some of these authors, one
of whom was brought in as a guest to talk about his fiction and
his interesting life as lobster trucker, organizer of fishermen's
cooperatives, reporter, and college English teacher.
The Jazz program was offered by Ted Street, an accomplished
musician who reviewed the American Jazz scene and performed on
his saxophone.
Oil Painting was taught by artist Tessa Schneider who has been
painting for many years and operates her own gallery in Bangor.
She was a patient teacher who generated a real rapport with each
student and had everyone produce a painting by the end of the
class. She did one herself and gave copies to each participant
as a souvenir of the session.
There was a field trip to the nearby seaport town of Castine,
established in 1626, and now the site of the Maine Maritime
Academy. This unique coastal community has many 18th- and
19th-century Georgian and Federalist houses, many carefully
restored. Many Elderhostelers also had the opportunity to
explore nearby Fort Knox, built in 1844 to protect the Penobscot
River valley from naval attack by the British. The coastal towns
of Belfast and Bucksport were within easy driving range and were
also explored during free time by most of those who arrived by
car.
Nighttime activity consisted of self-organized bridge and card
games--definitely not a place for those seeking professional
entertainment. There was instead the opportunity for quiet
enjoyment of the natural beauty of the area. Water surrounds the
lodge on three sides, and a porch all the way around is equipped
with many rockers for those who are content to relax and enjoy
the views and quiet conversation with fellow guests.
_____________
Trinity Center on Bogue Banks, NC.
Nils and Susie Hokansson
We attended our first Elderhostel in February of this year. It
was held at The hosts and coordinator could not have been
friendlier or more helpful. The accommodations were modest motel
style (with private bath!) and the food which was billed as
"standard institution fare" was far better than that. The
courses consisting of birds, water, and folklore were all taught
by knowledgeable people who were friendly, patient, and appeared
genuinely happy to have us there and to be doing what they were
doing.
The site encompasses acreage between the ocean and Bogue Sound so
we had the enjoyment of both. Even the weather could not have
been more cooperative. We found that we learned a great deal
about our adopted state of NC and highly recommend this
experience. We have since attended another EH but the first was
outstanding and remains a tough act to follow.
_________
University of New England opera programs in Biddeford, Maine--
-CarolKD@aol.com
UNE (Univ. of New England) in southern Maine, has done
Elderhostel for 15 years now...or maybe it's 20 years. Anyway,
they really do a fine job. Yes, it's dormitory life but it's a
nice one and well-run. (Just one towel and washcloth are issued
but there is a convenient laundry room.) Food quite good; lots
of variety. A lively campus with various summer programs going
on when we, the opera buffs, all reconvene every July. People
have returned to UNE for the opera courses for 13 and 15 years!
And the campus is about 1/2 mile from a quiet, tiny beach area
and some pleasant restaurants. UNE is in Biddeford, ME; just 10
miles north of beautiful Kennebunkport. This is well-worth a
visit before or after the program. It's also about 40 minutes
south of Freeport with LL Bean and lots of shopping!
The instructor is a superb man named Gaetano Santa Lucia -- known
as Guy. Yes, we do study mainly Italian opera! And I believe he
is leading a group around the Italian opera festivals right now,
as I write this. He is a high school teacher of English
literature, and his students are very lucky. If he can't get
them interested, no one can!
We study ONE opera for the 6 day program and there are many hours
of both morning and afternoon lectures, a couple of planned field
trips into K'port or Portland and a little spare time to explore
the area if you have a car. There are always lots of opera
videos available for use at the dormitory after dinner if you
wish to attend. The people who take the programs (2 1-week
programs each July) are mainly knowledgeable about opera and have
seen a lot. They have good stories to tell, but no one can match
Guy! His enthusiasm and knowledge of his topic are infectious.
He begins with an introduction to the period and info about the
composer. We read a synopsis of the opera before hearing each
act through on one of his many, many historic and contemporary
recordings. (Guy claims to be the only man who built an addition
on his house to house his records and CD's!) After hearing the
whole thing and discussing it, we begin to hear the principle
arias as performed by many different performers....sometimes we
know who is singing; sometimes we guess. Always they are
wonderful singers so our preferences are referred to by Guy as a
"win-win" situation---you can't prefer a bad performance because
we only hear good ones!
All this goes on for 6 days, so this program is NOT for one who
may have attended an opera once or twice, thought it was OK, and
wants to see southern Maine. If you are in that category, sign
up instead for one of the other fine programs, studying the
history, architecture and culture of coastal Maine. These are
excellent, too, with lots of field trips and excellent, varied
lectures. I did this on my first trip up there and then began my
love-affair with the opera courses the next year, about 8 summers
ago!
All in all, this is a very fine EH, whichever you prefer.
________
Rochester (Minnesota) Community and Technical College. Aug 97
- ALISRA@aol.com
The program included very interesting lectures by Mayo Clinic
specialists in neurology, cardiology, urology, osteoporosis,
medical ethics, and sleep disorders. Two long-time teachers
(Sisters of the Order of St. Francis of Assisi) gave lectures on
the power of humor. The dynamic eight-term mayor of Rochester
(now retired) described the development programs that put
Rochester, Minnesota in the top three of Money Magazine's list
of most desireable cities for the past several years. There were
field trips to Mayowood (Charles Mayo's family mansion that is
now a museum), the Assisi Community Center, and a museum of the
County Historical Society. Other speakers covered history of the
Rochester area and the native prairies. All speakers were very
knowlegable, enthusiastic, and entertaining.
Accommodations were provided at the Kahler Hotel at the center of
downtown Rochester. Meals were at the hotel, across the street
at the Methodist Hospital cafeteria, at the Open Table Restaurant
and at the Old Country Buffet--all were good.
Al Israelsen
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Shelburne Museum near Burlington, Vermont; Exploring Vermont
History.
- "Roger C. Betz"
The Shelburne Museum which is a "collection of collections"
focusing on Americana and American Folk Art.
We were lodged at an Episcopal Conference Center in Burlington
and were bussed daily to the museum. Food and lodging were very
adequate with attentive staff on hand to make things go smoothly.
Museum staff provided the expertise with one instructor, Rich,
giving most of the lectures. He was excellent, informative and
entertaining with a real zest for his topics that made the
learning a lot of fun. He covered many topics including:
Vermont's First Settlers: Native Americans and the French, An
Early History of the Champlain Valley: Contested Ground, Never
Done:Women's Work, English Settlement of Vermont and several
other talks. We did have some free time in the afternoons to
explore the museum on our own.
One afternoon we had a narrated boat ride on Lake Champlain, with
lunch on board.
All in all we had a great time and would not hesitate to
recommend this Elderhostel to those who are interested in these
topics.
Roger and Dallas Betz (rbetz@minn.net)
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Personals and Notices
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From: judythcc@juno.com (Judyth C Copen)
I am troubled by Elderhostel. I had signed up for Cook's Forest
COOK FOREST SAWMILL CENTER FOR THE
ARTS/CLARION - Pennsylvania
Intermediate Stained Glass Class starting Sept. 7. I had not
received any information by August 6 and called Elderhostel. She
said they had until the 8th(Aug) to get the information to me.
She also gave me a phone number in Pennsylvania. On the 8th I
called and the person I needed to talk to was not there. That
evening she left a message on my machine that she was too busy
and had not mailed out information. I still had not received
anything by the 12th and decided to cancel. I did not feel the
program would be very well organized if they could not meet the
deadline.
The last date for cancellation through Elderhostel was the 18th.
I received information from Cook's Forest on the 22nd. I called
Elderhostel and they had no record of my cancellation. I then
called the hotel and also told them I would not be there.
Is this normal for Elderhostel? This was the first trip I signed
up for and I am really disappointed. When I was in Bermuda with
TraveLearn, I was at the Bio-Station and everyone praised the
Elderhostel programs.
ed note- No, it is not typical but it does happen from time to
time.
__________
From: Didier Moulinet
Hi !
I write you on the Fran Hintze advice.
We are a non profit association that organize a meeting
encounter " Seniorades", to Saint-Malo, tourist city of the
seaside (France) in September 1998. This manifestation destined
to the most of fifty years, comprises many sports and games
(athletics, tennis, tennis of table, cycling, golf, archery,
walking, peach, soccer to 6, bridge, billiard, dance....) A
tourist program and festivities accompanies the manifestation.
2500 seniors are waited and we would like that the other
countries are represented.
This is one of my prospecting firsts by internet to others
country and I wonder if it is a good idea to gather seniors of
the whole world for this great manifestation.
___________
From: BAHamm@webtv.net (Billie A. Hamm)
Can anyone cross reference utah, brigham young university. aspen
grove. winter trip-subject sundance film fesitval.
Also copiah-lincoln community college-natchez campus. its an
intensive study program.
Also western montana college-yellowstone park winter trip with
snowmobile as travel method.
If you have any info on these I would appreciate it. trying to
make up my mind for a winter trip. lottery day is the l6th so
need to register before then.
________
From: ab100@lafn.org (Mildred Bluming)
I have just returned from an elderhostel at Brandeis-Bardin
Institute. It is situated on 3000 acres in Simi Valley
California. The subject matter concentrates on Jewish themes but
non-Jews are welcome and enjoy the content as well. The
accommodations are very comfortable, and there are excellent
accommodations for disabled people. The scenery is exquisite, the
food is fantastically delicious, and the lecturers are well
qualified. I enjoyed the whole experience. Millie Bluming
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From: DonElis@aol.com
We have just returned from an August 10-16th Elderhostel in
Virginia City, Montana with Western Montana University. The
classes were:
1. History of Virginia City (with emphasis on
gold mining)
2. Ill Famed Women of the West
3. Music of the Old West.
This week was unforgettable due to the three super teachers. They
brought so much enthusiasm and interest into each lesson, we
looked forward to each day. They were also so knowledgeable and
well-prepared, their lessons were really complete. Virginia City
is in a beautiful location. If you want to get away from
the crowds and bustle of the big city, this could be the place.
Accommodations are spartan but satisfactory. No TV or air
conditioning, but in this altitude, air conditioning is very
seldom necessary. We never complain about food, but this was our
worst food, and we have now completed our 9th Elderhostel. Much
starch and uncreated cooking! Most Elderhostels seem to be
going the buffet route which is probably a good idea.
Our capable coordinator kept us very busy, but oh those great
memories! DonElis
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