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EH Notebook #106 July 27, 2002
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Welcome to EH Notebook, the e-zine where e-friends who have
attended Elderhostel programs can compare notes.
There is an independent but cooperatively maintained index to old
issues at http://members.aol.com/ehindex
To subscribe to the e-mail publication and/or to submit reviews of
programs taken send an e-mail to the editor, Bob McAllester, at
EHnotebook$A$earthlink.net
To use an e-mail address, substitute the "at symbol" for the
characters $A$.
Please keep all correspondence in simple e-mail text format.
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From the Editor's Notebook
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Summer is an active time for Elderhostelers, so I have received a
good group of reviews within a few weeks of the last issue. Also,
I am going to be away again much of August. To an Elderhostel in
California and then on to another family gathering in Seattle, so
I will be gone about three weeks.
By late August my mailbox should have collected enough goodies for
another issue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have received a communication from a person who wants to discuss
the rising costs of Elderhostel programs and the role of single
women in Elderhostels.
I feel that the proper forum for these discussions is
www.SeniorNet.org. That website hosts a wide variety of
discussion groups that are of interest to seniors. If you select
the discussion tab on the home page and then scroll down to find
the Education group and click on it, you will see the Elderhostel
discussion. Click on it and you are in. You can browse through
these discussion groups without registering or joining SeniorNet.
However, if you want to post a message, you must register with the
website. That still does not require you to join SeniorNet,
though you might be interested in doing so. If you register with
SeniorNet, you will receive an occasional email from them, but
they will not distribute your email address elsewhere.
These subjects have certainly been discussed before, but they are
still important subjects and should be discussed just as long as
anyone wants to bring them up.
Bob McAllester
EHnotebook$A$earthlink.net
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Comments and Queries
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Georgia Honeyfield
SantaFe812$A$aol.com
We have a brand new problem and wonder if there are any
Elderhostels which would accomodate dialysis. Our traveling has
been sharply curtailed and we are trying to get back into the
swing of things.
We are taking a cruise next April, but these have to be arranged
so far ahead because there is limited space available.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marian Bellama
marian_h_bellama$A$yahoo.com
I would like to know about people's reactions to Elderhostels in
Turkey, Greenland and Iceland. Am considering all three for
sometime in the not too distant future. Thanks, Marian Bellama
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Program Reviews
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Hagerstown Community College, Maryland
Peru: History, Culture and Archaeology
Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russian Federation
Central College, Pella, Iowa
Beach House -- Prince Edward Island
Elderhostel East/Mt. Snow - Vermont
Alaska: Wilderness, Glaciers Native Culture
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hagerstown Community College, Maryland
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Park
Active Outdoor (hiking)
June 2, 2002
I recently attended an active hostel at Shepherd's Spring Outdoor
Ministries Center, which was sponsored by Hagerstown Community
College. Sid Kessler wrote a splendid review of this hostel in
year 2000 (#67), and all I can say is that all the praise he
heaped on this hostel was richly deserved.
The wooded setting was lovely, and coordinator Anne Meyers and
guide John Frye were friendly, organized, and very knowledgeable.
The food was wonderful, being both healthy and very tasty.
Picnics provided hot dishes like soup and baked chicken, and the
evening meals were delicious.
Special events in the evening included a wonderful singer of songs
from the 1800s who was dressed in period dress and had appeared at
the White House. Another evening featured a retired photographer
from National Geographic who provided nature pictures that were
really special.
I highly recommend hostels held at this site.
Jean Sterling
sterlij$A$attglobal.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peru: History, Culture and Archaeology
InkaNatura Travel
October 2001
This is a response written to an Elderhosteler who requested
information about a program in Peru.
GO FOR IT! I took an Elderhostel to Peru last October with a
different name but it included the same places so I'm sure it
would be very similar. It was the best of all the 16 Elderhostels
I have been on.
The trip was VERY well planned. Going into the higher elevations
was done gradually and one got accustomed to a higher elevation
before going on to the next. None of our group of 22 suffered any
ill effects from it but that doesn't mean that it couldn't happen.
Suggestions for coping with the changes in elevation were
constantly given by our Group Leader and Guides and coca tea,
which helped to ameliorate effects was always available. Two of
our group did get mild cases of "tourista" but again our Group
Leader was on the spot with suggestions, medications and requests
to the hotel kitchens for a special diet for those afflicted.
The schedule was also well planned to avoid the heat of the day
and crowds where they would be a problem. There were several very
early "wake up" calls due to airline schedules and security
measures at the airports but they were also balanced by free
periods to rest and relax if you chose to.
Victor Colunga, the group leader, was an exceptional guide and
caretaker -- the best group leader by far of any of the
Elderhostel programs I had previously attended. His clear
instructions throughout the trip, the loving care to the needs and
safety of the group, his handling of difficult situations and his
sense of humor gave the group a sense of security and "family".
He is to be commended for doing an outstanding job. Unfortunately,
I understand this was to be his last Elderhostel. What a pity!
Very complete pre trip information packets prepared us for the
experience. All the site leaders and lecturers were first rate.
The lectures tied in nicely with the site visits and made the
areas come alive so much more than visiting them by yourself or
with a guide who "just took you there".
The accommodations all were top notch, especially, the Pardo Hotel
in Lima, the Hotel Libertador in Trujillo, and the delightful
cabins tucked in the forest and gardens at Hotel Machu Pichu
Pueblo. I would give them a 5 star rating. Four of the hotels
had swimming pools.
The meals, mostly taken in the hotels where we stayed were
exceptional also. Dinners were usually a more than generous buffet
of Peruano specialties beautifully presented, especially in the
case of the Pardo Hotel.
Land travel between sites was by comfortable vans or buses.
Little unexpected surprises were planned by the Group and Site
Leaders. A rickshaw "taxi" ride and race in Monserat: a private
horse show (of a breed of horses found only in Peru ) and lunch
at the estate of the horse owner; a serenade by a group during
lunch at the Machu Pichu Pueblo: a visit to a small village "home
brewery" and pub which made corn beer. We were not allowed to
taste because of health concerns but were welcomed by the group of
villagers partaking. Complimentary pisco sours now and then and a
chance for those who wished to sample roast guinea pig on our
last night was thoughtfully arranged by Victor after being told we
were not allowed to have it during the program. All helped to
make this a special experience. By the way the roast guinea pig
was delicious.!
All this, and the awesome Andean archeological sites and
breathtaking vistas!!! I would highly recommend it.
The only "down" part of the program was the participation of three
of the Elderhostelers who just were not physically capable of the
rigors and demands of the trip which really were not that great.
One of them realized this and stayed back in situations she knew
she would have difficulty in handling. The other two insisted on
remaining and participating with the group in all situations. As a
result the group was constantly chomping at the bit, waiting or
making accommodations for them, and creating worrisome situations
for the Group Leader and Site Guides. I am not sure what
Elderhostel can do about this, beyond what they already do by
carefully outlining the physical demands of their trips in the
catalog and pre-trip information packets but I feel it is unfair
to other group members to allow people to continue when it is very
obvious they have not paid attention to the warnings in the
catalog.
Barbara Fay
Fairbanks, AK
fsbaf3$A$uaf.edu
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russian Federation
Program 72085 May 16 - June 8, 2002
The Baltic countries, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, welcome
visitors as they push forward to complete independence and
prosperity. "Presentation" of good food with a lot of variety
made meals an adventure. Lectures (three in each Baltic country)
were generally good--although there were some language barriers.
The Lithuanian hotel was not near the city center, but this may
change in 2003. Latvian and Estonian hotels were within walking
distance of Old Town. Considerable walking should be expected in
each city. Full but not tiring days (three by bus) between each
of five cities offered views of country life. A very new express
train took us from St. Petersburg to Moscow.
I was pleasantly surprised by subtle changes during the 13 years
between my Russian visits. Many of St. Petersburg's buildings and
monuments are covered with scaffolding in preparation for the
city's 300th anniversary in 2003. A visit there during its White
Nights provides 18 hours of sunlight. A visit to Moscow's Kremlin
and Red Square is priceless. Three lectures in the Russian cities
were in two palaces and the university.
Russian meals were more often french fries and sometimes a mystery
meat, and the Russians have room for improvement in personal
contacts with tourists.
The St. Petersburg Hotel (1200 rooms) was huge and busy with
buffet breakfasts being a real challenge. Moscow's hotel was one
of the buildings known as "seven sisters".
Although very chilly in Lithuania, overall we had pleasant sunny
days about 70 degrees and a few cloudy and drizzling days.
The program starts slowly in Lithuania, progresses to more modern
Latvia and to even more modern Estonia before the very busy last
eight days of the program in Russia with several evening programs.
Having the same guide throughout each location helped avoid
duplication of sites and descriptions.
I was impressed with the quality of the hotels and the food on
this, my first International Elderhostel.
The group leader, Tanya Shepard, was superb in handling all the
details of the program including illness of several participants
from an undetermined food source. Her information, reminders, and
genuine concern for all participants made this a very pleasant
adventure.
I welcome any questions as I will be working on a trip story and
slide presentation for many more weeks, and I realize a general
review of the program cannot not focus on specific issues.
Diane Tanner
jtdtjtdt$A$concentric.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Central College, Pella, IA
Art, Music and Folkways of The Netherlands: A Week in Holland,
a Touch of Iowa
Program 15105
July 7 - July 13.
If you aren't Dutch before attending this six-night Central
College-based program, you'll wish you were at its conclusion.
Milly and her committee (Elaine, Lisa, and Marcie) add personal
touches to the program which includes three sessions each of organ
music and great Dutch artists. Dutch immigrants tell their own
stories. Dutch architecture, antiques, costumes, history,
language, and crafts are explored in detail. Visits to the home
of the city's founder, the Pella Historical Village's buildings
and windmill, the Opera House, and Central Park for a band concert
add variety as we were welcomed by the entire community.
Most meals are cafeteria-style in the college dining hall; one
evening the committee prepared a Dutch sampling of homemade
specialties. Every "coffee time" provided new taste temptations
from Elaine's husband's bakery.
Lodging is in air-conditioned rooms in townhouses on the campus,
with each two rooms sharing a bathroom. College buildings are
less than two blocks from the townhouses, and golf-cart
transportation was available.
A description of the week in the Elderhostel catalog cannot
express the personal touches to all aspects of the activities.
Don't miss out of this Elderhostel, scheduled only once a year in
July.
Diane Tanner
jtdtjtdt$A$concentric.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beach House -- Prince Edward Island
Catch Cook - #67410-0630-01
June 30, 2002
Hosts/Instructors: Brenda Barry Philip
This program was reviewed in #73 Elderhostel Notebook, September,
2000 by Richard C. Youngs. The program had been on our wish list
since then. The program/recipes appear unchanged. There is
always a waiting list for this popular program. We rank it as
one of the best of the 16 we have attended.
7 couples and 3 singles from New York, Maryland, Ohio, Michigan,
Texas, Nevada and Arizona came together at the Beach House Inn on
PEI and bonded almost immediately.
We had several blocks of free time. Exploring this lovely island
and fishing were popular. So much green you would think you were
in Ireland. The main land crop is potatoes. (Remember this when
you read the list of recipes.) The sod is bright red. The rocks
are soft red sandstone which can be crumbled with your hands. It
is possible to climb to the very top of a historic light house on
the West point of the island.
A talented fisherman in the group had never fished for flounder.
Since this could be done at the nearby beach, he caught his limit
every day. He also enjoyed teaching others to shore fish and his
group caught enough flounder for all of us to enjoy at two meals.
The two high points of their story telling were when the fisherman
reached down and picked a flounder up out of the surf plus when
two flounder bit on the same clam so that he caught them both.
True stories....witnessed!
The island people are delightful and gracious to those of us "from
away". They provided the various evening entertainments. A local
actor presented "A Rowboat in the Attic". An 80 year old
fisherman, Tommy Gallant, charmed us with his stories and on a
field trip helped us dig for clams. Tommy's son and a talented
young lady provided a musical evening. We visited a seafood
processing plant run by Tommy's daughter and her husband, followed
by a scallop lunch in their restaurant.
Other field trips included deep sea fishing for the cod we
prepared, a very educational visit with a lobster man who also
raises blue mussels; the organic garden of a chef who cooked
mussels and bruschetta for us to sample; a talk by a man who
smokes fish; and visits to a cheese plant and a jam factory.
At the start of the program Brenda divided us into teams and gave
us the menus and recipes. All classes began with Brenda's
demonstration of various skills such as shucking oysters or
filleting/skinning salmon then she set us loose with our recipes.
When more than one team prepared the same recipe, friendly
competition usually developed over the skills of the teams
involved. Brenda seemed to be everywhere instructing and
encouraging.
During the 4 hands-on classes, the group very successfully
prepared:
Spicy Thai Mussels
Spinach/strawberry salad
Maple baked Salmon on nutty greens
Chocolate potato cake
Boiled lobster
Potato salad with roasted red pepper
Home made vanilla ice cream
Home made fresh strawberry ice cream
Tunisian Orange Cake
Butter Tarts
24 hour Coleslaw
Potato herb soup
Clam Chowder
Oysters on the Half Shell Pan Fried Oysters
Potato Crusted Oysters
Smoked trout pate
Baked Cod
Boiled potatoes
Barry was the expert breakfast cook......a different menu each
day. Lunches were a different menu every day. Lunch and dinner
entrees included chicken salad sandwiches, a dinner with barbecued
chicken, and 2 pork dinners.
ACCOMODATIONS:
The couple who run the B Inn are both artists, so everything is
very tastefully appointed. There are 5 rooms/baths in the main
house and 6 cabins around the yard, most with refrigerators. A
refrigerator in the main house is available for those with no
refrigerators. Current photos of rooms may be seen at their web
site: www.beachhouseinn.ca Bath toiletries and hair dryers are
furnished. New towels are provided on Wednesday.
Apparently they sometimes get one channel on the TV so have an
extensive video collection in their cozy book filled library. They
do not get a newspaper. Everyone survived quite well.
Nearby town has a laundromat, bank, grocery, liquor store, etc.
TRAVEL:
Some drove from their homes. The balance flew to various points
in Maine and Canada before renting a car. Arranging flights can be
a challenge. It is possible to fly to Charlottetown and be
picked up for an extra fee. A car is recommended for this rural
setting with no public transportation.
Fred and Mary Ann Boher
fmboher$A$hotmail.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Elderhostel East/Mt. Snow - Vermont
The American Revolution: A Quest for Independence
45168-0714-01
July 14-19, 2002
This Elderhostel was held at the Ironstone Lodge in West Dover VT,
at the foot of the Mt. Snow Ski area. The rooms were very
comfortable, but they had ceiling fans and no air conditioning.
Each room had a sliding glass door and we found that the fan we
brought from home was able to bring in cool air to keep us
comfortable while sleeping. All meals were served in the Inn's
dining room and were very good.
Our main Instructor was Jim Dissatti from the Vermont Living
History Society. He came to class wearing various Continental
Army costumes. These were for the various roles he plays during
American Revolution reenactments held in the Northeast. He was an
excellent instructor and we learned all about the battles held in
Vermont and nearby NY. We had two field trips, in very
comfortable coach buses. The first was on Tuesday to the
Bennington Museum, the Bennington Monument and the Bennington
Battlefield. The second was on Thursday to the Saratoga
Battlefield and to Saratoga Springs. We had box lunches on the
field trips. Each of the trips complimented the material we had
covered during our class sessions. We also got to see relevant
videos on the bus trips. On Friday we met Leo Tucker who was
wearing a continental marine officer's costume. He told us about
naval and marine battles during the American Revolution.
Every evening we had a program. On Monday we met Lynn Manwring
from the Potomtoc Indian Museum in Deerfield MA. She wore a
typical woman's outfit and told us how a farmers wife lived. The
other 3 evenings we had some very good light entertainment by
different local people.
I especially recommend this program to people interested in the
history of the American Revolution. All 38 attendees learned a
lot of history in great detail.
Helen Sternheim
helen$A$umassk12.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alaska: Wilderness, Glaciers Native Culture
Adventures Afloat catalog
Just returned from an absolutely wonderful EH cruise on the
Universe Explorer to the inside passage in Alaska.
The ports visited:
Ketchikan (all day ashore)
Sitka (7:00 to 4:00),
Skagway (7:30AM to 9:00PM)
Cruised Glacier Bay (wonderful)
Cruised all day at Hubbard Glacier
Seward (9:00AM to 10PM)
Kodiak (9:00AM to 6PM)
Juneau (8:00 to 3:00PM)
Metlakatla (8:00 to 1:00PM)
Cruised Misty Fiords from about 2:00PM til dark
Victoria (11:00am til midnight)
Docked in Vancouver the next morning at 9:00AM.
The ship (Universe Explorer) holds 700 of which 120 were
Elderhostelers, divided into 4 groups of 30, each with an
excellent leader. The main dining room had a wonderful restaurant
with a varied menu and very attentive waiters. EH offered extra
perks for the onshore times (for instance; a great train ride in
Skagway)
I can't recommend it highly enough.
Frances Harden
frh$A$sonic.net