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Elderhostel Notebook Sept-Oct 1996
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Elderhostel Notebook is the bimonthly e-mail publication of the
Silver Threads, an informal collection of net seniors. It is the
product of elderhostlers, and is independent of the Elderhostel
organization and not associated with it.
It is published in alternate months with the Silver Threads
Newsletter, but has a separate mailing list. Submissions are
welcome and voluntary as are comments and suggestions.
Editor is Jim Olson olsonjam@uwec.edu
There is no charge for either publication. Just contact the
editor to subscribe.
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Contents
From the Editors Notebook
News and Comments
Elderhostel Reviews
Personals
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Editor's Notebook
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One of these days we should probably get organized and figure out
some way to catalog or index reports so they can be more useful
in choosing elderhostels. Meanwhile, one method might be to put
them together in a file for your word processor and then use the
search feature on key words like "alaska," etc.
I wasn't able to include all of the reports send in for this
issue but will get them in later notebooks.
If the backlog grows enough, we may go to monthly rather than
bi-monthly publication. That is possible. Putting this newsletter
together isn't that hard as you readers do most of the work-
I notice that we have essentially two kinds of reports, both
serve a valuable function.
One type gives us a vicarious experience and we particapte along
with the reporter, and the other gives us "Just the facts, Mam"
and those are helpful, too.
I think it's good to have both types.
____
Notes on Accommodations
Some readers have questions or comments about Elderhostel
accommodations and the subject is one of concern to most of us.
The following is from the official Elderhostel Web Page
(http://www.elderhostel.org) explaining the policy on
accommodations:
Accommodations...............
Plain and simple is the essence of hosteling. Living on campuses
or at comparable educational or commercial facilities allows us
to keep our tuition modest. That usually means two twin beds with
a bathroom down the hall. When commercial sites are utilized, a
number of amenities usually associated with such facilities, such
as maid service, are often not part of the Elderhostel program.
Internationally, housing may be in dormitories, modest hotels,
rural lodges, small ships, barges, or even tents if you're on a
trekking program.
________
Here are some factors Maggie and I have discovered from
experience in reading the catalog and choosing programs:
Length of Program
As a general rule if the program or a segment of it is 5-6 days
(usually Sunday through Friday) you can expect that the
accommodation is in a commercial site that has a big weekend
business and uses elderhostels to fill in the week. These are
often more comfortable type accommodations in areas where there
is a resort atmosphere- more scenic, etc. The elderhostel at
Otter Creek Park reported here later is in that category although
it is a city owned facility.
Off Season Programs
Programs that are slightly off season such as Lake Superior North
Shore in late October- are often in very upscale accommodations as
the establishment such as Nanaboujou Lodge is closing out (or
opening) a season.
Location Within a City
Most major new hotel and motel construction occurs on city
outskirts and often the in city establishments are older-
slightly run-down (but often under rejuvenation) They often are
used for elderhostels and have the advantage of being in central
locations where it is easy to walk to areas of interest in the
city.
Geographic Area
let's face it. In some areas of our country Palmetto Bugs,
euphemism for cockroaches, are a fact of life. The better
accommodations control them well (but complete elimination is
another matter)
By Passed Sites
A key word to look for here is "old highway XXX." A number of
older, yet within EH standards , establishments were once major
watering holes on highways such as Route 66 and then became by
passed when the interstate system was established. Many of these
became ghost motels and hotels, but some survived by catering to
specialized groups like elderhostel. Don't expect the latest
ammenities here, and you will be lucky if the phone at the main
desk works much less the one in your room. But then you took it
to get away from all that, anyway.
Cleanliness
Not all accommodations we have been in have lived up to this
criteria and we hear reports of others that haven't. Maggie found
a size very large pair of ladies panties under the bed at one
place we went and I had a terrible time explaining that I had
nothing to do with it. Quite a bit of dust around too. Usually if
you note these things in the evaluation- and in extreme cases
report to Boston-the issue is resolved for future elderhostelers.
Grin and Bear It
Actually the best elderhostel we ever attended based on the value
of the experience was the one that had the most cramped,
uncomfortable quarters with paper thin walls (we didn't have to
read Ann Landers for two weeks after that one- don't imagine our
room neighbors did either). Food was gourmet, however, and that
counts for a lot. And we will never forget taking part in a
Lakota Sundance.
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News and Comments
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From: LPMullin@aol.com
Subject: A New Hostel
I originated and am now the coordinator of a hostel I developed
with other retired Foreign Service Officers all of whom have been
Ambassadors and/or Consuls General in various parts of the world.
We gave the first two weeks in April and May and were sold out.
Our next two weeks are in the catalog (See Virginia--Mary
Washington College-The Foreign Service) for October. We use a
Motel in Arlington across the river from D.C. so that it is easy
to transport the classes to the State Department,to the F.S.
Institute where we are trained, to the Voice of America and to
visit foreign embassies.
We always have a course on a particular area and in October it
will be Mexico. Our officers are the lecturers and all have spent
many years in the areas they cover. On one evening we have a
Round Table discussion led by Foreign Service spouses and
children. I hope your readers will check us out. thanks, Petey
________________
Winter Programs in Canada
A wide variety of subjects are available in the Rocky Mountains
of Alberta. The Canadian Hosteling Association in both Banff and
Lake Louise have opened their newly renovated lodges to numerous
Elderhostel experiences. For those who enjoy an outdoor
experience, various levels of cross country skiing are offered,
taking advantage of this beautiful winter wonderland. Other
winter sport programs include Dog Sledding, Snow shoeing and
Downhill Skiing. In-door winter courses include Mountain
Photography at the U of C Kananaskis Field Station, Journal and
Memoir Writing at Black Cat Ranch in Hinton, and Art and
Mythology of the Plains Indians at the Banff Y Mountain Lodge.
A significantly popular winter Elderhostel site is the world
class Jasper Park Lodge. This fabulous resort offers programs
every week during January, February and March that appeal to both
the outdoor enthusiast and the individual that prefers the warmth
and comfort of lectures around a log burning fireplace. The
tempting array of indoor class selections include, watercolor
painting with film producer Wendy Wacko, "Call of the Canadian
Wild" with naturalist Doug Lattimer, 'Theatre History - From
Aeschylus to Tennessee Williams" with Professor Dennis McCaughey,
and T'ai Chi with Joy Herbert.
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Elderhostel Reviews
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Otter creek Park- Kentucky
From: "William A. Longman"
Can you imagine being with two boys, ages 10 and 12, for ten days
straight in either a motel room or a car during a long drive?
That's one way to spend time with grandchildren, though,
especially if you see them only occasionally. Lee and I enrolled
for an intergenerational Elderhostel just for that reason.
A couple of weeks ago we met a parent half way and picked up
Phillip and Patrick for the journey to Kentucky. Our destination
was Otter Creek Park outside Louisville. The setting was nothing
less than spectacular with our lodge room picture window
overlooking the Ohio River below.
Each day of the Elderhostel was packed with outdoor activities.
Some of them like rappelling we didn't do but others like
climbing the 50 foot Alpine obstacle tower the grandsons did
accomplish with pride. All of us went caving at Wyandotte Caves
in southern Indiana. Primary lessons were on stretching beyond
where you have been and accomplishing things with teamwork. With
this were lessons about stream ecology, wetlands, edible plants,
etc.
Otter Creek has a competent staff running a number of Elderhosel
programs with many being intergenerational. The grandparents were
there also for another lesson...how to relate to grandkids in a
personal way. In our case we found it an opportunity to store
memories of shared experiences. Although Phillip who is older
would rather read a book, he did participate in most all
activities along with younger brother Patrick who is one of those
wirey active youngsters. I found lots of chance for some hugs
along with "helpful hints" about eating right! Only when it came
to getting to sleep was it necessary to clamp down.
Patrick suggested we write up a daily log which he mostly
dictated to me. Luckily the boys traveled well since both had a
supply of books to read. We snuck in some interesting history
along the way such as New Harmony where several experimental
communities existed, Hodgenville to see the Lincoln birthplace,
Harrodsburg for Ft. Harrod and an outdoor drama about Daniel
Boone. What they liked best, though, was the Patton Museum at
Ft. Knox with all the tanks! We really only intended to see all
the gold stored there. Along the way we struck a bargain that we
were willing to stop at a fast food place for one meal if they
were willing to eat at a decent restaurant serving vegetables for
the other meal.
A must was finding a motel with a pool each evening since both
boys have learned to be pretty good swimmers. Yes, we did learn
to have patience during our trip. I'm sure the grandsons did
their best to get along with us, too. Well, most of the time
anyway! What we realize is that this summer venture was not only
a good sharing experience with our grandchildren but that we had
a good time anyway! What we realize is that this summer venture
was not only a good sharing experience with our grandchildren but
that we had a good time as well. Most intergenerational
Elderhostels accept children between the ages of about nine and
twelve with their grandparents. Why not give it a try?
Bill Longman in Springfield, MO. wlongman@mail.orion.org
__________________
from: GAMarsh@aol.com
My wife and I have friends (who unfortunately do not have an
Internet address) who wrote to us as follows:
"We went to an Intergenerational Elderhostel at Prude Ranch (TX)
in July with our granddaughter who is age eleven. We had a GREAT
time. The program for the children was particularly well
organized. We took our granddaughter to Carlsbad Caverns while we
were in the area, and we were able to watch the bats emerging
from the cave at sunset. That was thrilling."
If any of the readers of Elderhostel Notebook would like to
correspond with our friends to get more information about their
Prude Ranch experience, please e-mail to me and I will forward
their request. --Glenn
_______________________
From: Joan Grimes
I attended an Elderhostel in England and France from may
18-June8. It was called our Common Heritage(I noticed in the new
catalogue that it is called Our Common Inheritance). This
Elderhostel was 10 days in England and 10 days in France.
The English part of the program took place at Wansfell College,
an adult education center, in the village of Theydon Bois
(pronounced boys). Theydon Bois is in Essex and is just 14 miles
from the center of London. It has an underground station which is
only a fifteen minute walk from the College. This makes it easy
to get into London. It seems impossible that this village on
the edge of Epping Forest in the peaceful English countryside
could be so close to London. The area is very quiet and restful.
All classes or lectures took place in the conference rooms at the
college. Participants were housed in the same building. The
building is a mid Victorian country house that has been
modernized and extended but retains many of the charming original
features. The house is situated on 5 acres with lovely gardens.
The rooms used by the Elderhostel participants were all private ,
with shared bathrooms. There was a laundry room with a washer
for the hostlers to use. The facility was very nice.
The English program was coordinated and planned by Marilyn
Taylor, the principal of Wansfell College. She is a specialist in
Adult Education. The program was very well planned and
interesting. It was focused on the Normans and the Huguenots and
their contributions to English culture. It consisted of lectures
on Anglo Saxon England, The Norman Conquest, Vernacular
Architecture, The Huguenots in England, Epping Forest, and
Britain and Europe Today. The lecturers were local authorities on
these subjects.
As well as these lectures there were field trips. Transportation
was provided by the college minibus since there were only 10 of
us. Had there been more participants a large bus or coach would
have been provided. The first of these trips was to the town of
Epping on Market Day. The next trip was to the town of Braintree
to visit to visit the working silk museum and to Lavenham. Next
we visited Battle where the Battle of Hastings took place and
then spent the afternoon in Canterbury where we visited the
Cathedral. There was a day trip to Cambridge where a guided tour
of the colleges was provided and the afternoon was free to see
other sights in Cambridge. We visited St Andrew's Church,
Greentead which is possibly the oldest timber church in the
world. After visiting this church we visited the site of the
Norman motte and bailey castle at Chipping Ongar. We spent a
Sunday afternoon at Audley End, a Jacobean stately home with very
French formal gardens. The last trip was to Maldon which is an
ancient town. In this town we saw the Millennium Embroidery and
visited the Plume Library.
In Addition to these trips we were taken into London by minibus
where we saw London by night. We were taken into London one day
for a guided walk in The City with a Riverboat from Tower Pier
to Westminister. We then visited Westminster Abbey.
We spent a day in London on our own. We went in by underground
and were provided with a travel card which covered our
transportation for the day.
On sunday morning we coul either go to church with a local person
or visit in the home of a villager. Also, there was a musical
evening with local people invited in for us to meet. After the
music there was a social hour for us to talk with the people.
When the English part of the trip ended we traveled from London
to Paris by The Chunnel. Our seats were in the first class
section. We were served a l delicious lunch on board. The food
was French with French service. It was a wonderful trip to
Paris.
We were accompanied by our group leader who had been with us
since our arrival in England. He was a young Canadian doctor
named Brooke Noftle. Brooke spoke excellent French and took
excellent care of all of us ,both in England and in France. We
all felt that he was our friend when the trip was over.
We were met in Paris by Marie Claire ,the coordinator of the
French part of the program. She planned the activities. We were
transported from Paris to Le Moulin Rochard near St Laurent de La
Plaine in the Loire Valley by bus. Moulin Rochard is a lovely
restored mill in a wooded valley beside a stream. It is
peaceful, quiet and beautiful. The rooms were all doubles but
since there were only 10 of us we all agreed to pay a supplement
of $8.00 per day so that we could have private rooms. All rooms
had private baths. The food was wonderful. Le Moulin is an
adult education and conference center also.
The format was the same here as in England with lectures and
field trips. Our main lecturer was a nice French lady called
Michele. The focus of the program was France yesterday and
today. We had as guest lecturers: a teacher who talked about
the French educational system and accompanied us on a trip to
visit a French school, an agriculture official told us about
French agriculture today,the owner of a vineyard and wine cave
that we visited, the Mayor of St. Laurent spoke on the
organization of the French government, and a director of a
poultry hatchery spoke to us on the methods used in a poultry
hatchery and took us to see one. Michele lectured on French
History. We visited a business where the specialty was the
restoration of old buildings. The owner lectured on this.
Michele's lectures were in English. The other lecturers spoke
only French. Brooke, our group leader translated for those who
needed it.
Field trips were taken to several of the Chateau in the Loire
Valley. These were Azay le Rideau, Langeais, Villandry, Saumur,
Angers and St Georges Sur Loire. On the excursion to Saumur we
saw many Trogledyte homes. One of our trips was to a farm where
the house had been restored and one of the outbuildings had been
restored as a restaurant. We had a delicious meal there.
Traveling by bus to these sites gave participants a chance to
develop an appreciation for the beauty of the French countryside.
The same was true of the English countryside. The meals on the
French part of the trip were traditional French meals. On the
last night at Le Moulin we had a special dinner outside. One of
the hostlers had a birthday. So the last night at le Moulin there
was a surprise birthday party for him.
The next morning we left for Paris where we spent our last
afternoon on our own, meeting back at our bus to be transported
to a Montparnasse restaurant for a delicious dinner. Then we
went to a hotel at Charles DeGaulle airport where we spent the
last night of our Elderhostel trip.
This group was very congenial. Most of the participants were
traveling alone. There was only one married couple on the trip.
The trip was planned well and carried out well. Our group leader
was excellent. I highly recommend this Elderhostel. Although I
already knew much about England and France and had traveled to
both places many times, most of the things I learned and saw on
this trip were new to me.
Joan Grimes
______________
From: Jean Sterling
Elderhostel Review
Title: Mammals of the Gulf of Maine (one class for the week)
Location: University of New England
Biddeford, Maine
Date: August 4, 1996
At the end of the week my husband declared this elderhostel the
best of the three that we have attended.
The University of New England has a beautiful location close to
where the Saco River meets the sea. We could walk down to the
water and see a little harbor filled with fishing boats and
sailboats that looked like an artist's picture of a peaceful New
England harbor.
The accommodations were on campus and quite nice. The beds were
very comfortable for dorm beds - had thicker matresses than most.
The food was good. One night featured lobster, and every night
featured a nice selection as well as a salad bar. Many hostelers
fell in love with the soft yogurt machine. It broke down one
evening, and the next day a man lamented that he woke up several
times during the night wondering if the yogurt machine would be
fixed the next day. We had use of campus facilities such as the
library and fitness center. The library had a good selection of
up-to-date newspapers and periodicals as well as computers
equipped with Netscape. The fitness center had an exercise room
with weights, exercise bikes, and stair-climbers; and the pool
was a nice 25 yard pool with 6 lanes.
The instructor was most knowledgeable and enthusiastic and made
excellent use of visual aids such as video-tape and various
artifacts he had collected over the years. We went on three
field trips - a seal-watch trip around Portland Harbor, a hike
around Biddeford Pool (a tidal pool with a 7-8 foot tide), and an
all-day whale watch trip.
The seals were not on the rocks where they usually "hang out",
but we managed to see a few swimming around a couple of large
Russian factory ships. The factory ships spend the summer in
Portland Harbor where they buy trash fish from locals and grind
it up into fish meal. Portland seals are smart - they knew that
easy pickings were being tossed off those big Russian ships. I
would have liked to see a bit more of the seals, but seeing the
Russian ships "up close and personal" (close enough to wave to
the sailors on board) was very interesting.
On the trip to Biddeford Pool, we also saw some of the rockbound
coast of Maine. Another afternoon we went to Kennebunkport - a
very touristy place. This was optional and done with another
group of hostelers who had a different schedule of classes. The
best part of Kennebunkport was finding a Ben and Jerry's - the
orange-cranberry sorbet was delicious.
The whale watch trip was very rough. The boat, which seemed
quite small when we were out 20+ miles, not only rolled from side
to side but pitched up and down as well. It was a lot like a
very wild roller coaster ride. Those of us who didn't get sea
sick did get to see some whales, and they are quite a sight to
see. My husband says that he is now a believer in dramamine. He
had experienced sea-sickness in the past and felt fine this time.
The down-side of dramamine is that it can be quite
sleep-inducing. I tried some the night before and decided that
it was not for me if I wanted to be awake to see the whales.
Fortunately, I lucked out and didn't get sick.
The graduation ceremony at University of New England was
hilarious. All of us just laughed and laughed. The introductory
speaker was so solemn - lecturing us on the importance of such a
turning point in our lives and thanking all of the parents and
grand-parents in the audience who had made it all possible plus
the wonderful children and grand-children whose inheritance we
were spending. He then turned the proceedings over to the
commencement speaker who had taught one of the classes for the
elderhostel that was on campus at the same time as we. This very
solemn dour-looking man proceeded to tell us a series of
"down-east" jokes with a completely straight face - he was
hilarious! Finally, all the fun got to him as he smiled broadly
and announced that he just couldn't take any more and that he had
best conclude.
All in all, we had a great time at the University of New England
- beautiful setting and lots of fun people.
Jean Sterling
________________
From: Jsnubbin @aol.com
I just returned from an EH at West Va. Univ. in Morgantown, This
was my first EH experience and I was impressed! Most of the
folks in the group had attended 20 or more (one man had been to
110) and everyone said this was one of the best. The classes
were on Celtic poetry, history, music and art. The instructors
were excellent, housing was in high-rise dorms which were
air-conditioned and very comfortable. The cafeteria food was
very good - many choices at each meal. There were two classes
each morning, then after lunch each day but the last we had a
"field trip". Two trips were indeed outstanding - one to Frank
Lloyd Wright's "Fallingwater" at Bear Run, PA, and another a
picnic to Cooper's Rock State Park in WV. The evening class was
on Celtic Music and Art. and was delightful, and included live
Celtic music .
________
FROM THE HEART OF BURGUNDY (BARGE STUDY CRUISE), FRANCE Program
hosted by IST Cultural Tours July, 1996
This program consisted of a 7-day cruise on the 22-passenger
barge, "Le Lafayette", 3 days in Dijon, and 4 days in Paris, in
that sequence. (Other programs may start in Paris or Dijon.)
Fromhe de Gaulle airport, we were motor coached to the small town
of St. Leger-sur-Dheune, about 180 miles SE of Paris, where we
met our barge on the Canal du Centre. The next 7 days were an
absolute pleasure and enjoyment. The food was gourmet with fresh
fruits, croissants, and bread always available. Wine was not
included, but was reasonable in cost ($7-15 per bottle). The
cruise was relaxing, and the small town stop-overs, field trips,
and "studies" were interesting and fun. Catherine, our IST
Cultural Tours host and guide, and the 6-member crew of the
Lafayette couldn't have done any more to make our program one of
the best trips we've ever taken. We even took advantage of an
optional balloon ride over the Burgundy country side (about
$200). (Don't let them take any more than 8 persons. We had 9
and the gondola was a bit too crowded.) Our cruise took us to
the Saone River to St. Jean-de-Losne (where we celebrated
Bastille Day), and on the Canal de Bourgogne to Dijon.
Other barge programs were also being conducted during the same,
or in overlapping, time periods. They were on different barges
and had different routes. It would be well for future EHers to
try to determine what barge they will be on, as the barges may be
bigger or smaller than ours. The "Escargot", for example, had a
24-passenger capacity and was not air-conditioned. (The other
group didn't seem to complain about this, however.) This explains
why, in the catalog, prices for this program will vary.
Yes, the cabins were small and we were barely able move around
the beds. We did, however, have a closet, storage space, and a
private toilet, sink and shower. As we soon found out, however,
there was so much to enjoy on deck or off the barge, we spent
very little time in our cabins. The 15 other Elderhostelers on
our trip were friendly and a great group of people to be with.
Anyone wishing to learn more about the barge trip, should read
the March/April 1991 issue of National Geographic TRAVELER. Our
trip was very much like the one described there. You can also
learn more about these cruises (and barges) in the IST Cultural
Tours and Abercrombie Kent catalogs.
After the great food and fun on the Lafayette, our days in Dijon
and Paris were almost a let down (but not really). The hotel
rooms were clean but small. Catherine took us to a couple of
nice resturants in Dijon, but generally, the hotel food was
nothing to write home about. Our host/guide was helpful and
informative, and made sure our tours and visits were well
coordinated and complete. We got to see and do everything one
might want to do in these cities, and we really had a great time.
The locations of the hotels were very good in that we were within
walking distance to most of the major attractions. (The Trianon
Hotel was on the West Bank in Paris, about a 10 minute walk to
the Louvre and Notre Dame.) We also took an optional trip to
Giverny (Monet's Garden.) Bene' took many photos and I took a
lot of video, which I am now editing to be shown on our local
cable community TV access channel.
_______
Subject: Hidden Valley Elderhostel
Elderhostel at Hidden Valley in June was as its name implies, an
area of peace and solitude tucked away from the maddening speed
of California Freeways. If an Elderhosteler grew tired of this
wonderful respite and wanted wall to wall tourists who jockeyed
for the one-in-a- million parking space or shops with "designer"
labels and inflated prices or a small piece of public beach on
the Pacific, Carmel By The Sea was only a short drive away. For
my husband and me, the valley fulfilled our needs and more than
lived up to our expectations.
The week's three classes - The World of John Steinbeck, The
Dance, and Wine Wonderful Wine - were diverse, enlightening,
entertaining, and presented by folks who exhibited a genuine
interest not only in their subjects but also their "senior"
students.
The Steinbeck instructor was well versed and agreeably accepted
the group's divergent interpretations of the two short stories
studied. He was a guide among guides as we toured Monterey, a
locale that figured prominently in Steinbeck's writings, and
Salinas, CA., the author's birthplace and home during his youth.
The highest compliment for a teacher is that he inspires his
pupils to go beyond the narrow confines of the course; I have
begun to read again Steinbeck's works with a greater
appreciation.
The enthusiasm of the dance instructor was contagious and her
lilting Scottish accent was a moving as the music she played
during our time together. Along with her explanation of the
history of ballet and its terms, she promised we would be ready
for our "debut" at the end of the week. Sure enough, through not
quite ready for Broadway, our dance program was as much fun for
us as for those in the "audience." Wine Wonderful Wine introduced
the wines of Monterey County, and each session was devoted to
either the white, red, or sparkling wines of the area's wineries.
Along with a discussion of the beverage and a time for questions
and answers, there were an adequate number of wines to sample.
As an added treat, both Jack London and Ogden Nash visited the
group and provided interesting highlights of their lives. [The
young man who portrayed each author was quite convincing and one
felt that he was actually in the presence of the notable.] Always
an important question, "How was the food?" can be answered with
the one word, great! Housing was the typical, somewhat cramped,
"camp" room and private bath. However, who goes to an
Elderhostel to lounge in his room?
I would highly recommend Hidden Valley to all!
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Personals
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In response to Article on fluff in last notebook
From: celtlass@nlis.net
To the person who wants more than fluff at an EH I recommend Holy
Cross Monastery in West Park New York. One of the classes we had
there was Difficult Issues in Medical Ethics which has started me
on a continuing study of this thorny issue. It was very
worthwhile. It was tempered by a water color class and a Tai Chi
class. Highly recommended and very calm atmosphere,
________
Personals
Subj: Galapagos Islands
Date: 96-07-08 20:06:12 edt
From: FaithinPgh
Hi,
I'm new to EH. My husband I will be taking our first trip with
EH to the Galapagos Islands the 1st week in November. Has anyone
else been on this trip during November? Will we need wet suits
to snorkel? Have heard the water is pretty cold at certain times
of the year. Also would like to know if the altitude bothered
anyone in Quito. Would appreciate any info.
FaithinPgh
______________
>From jbb@citrus.infi.netFri Jul 5 14:49:17 1996
Hi!...except for price increases over past several years, I think
Elderhostel concept is great! I've been on only 3 myself, but
have met others who've been on dozen or two plus. My favorite
was Univ Nevada at Lake Tahoe...we were in Biltmore casino
(across from Cal-Neva Lodge) and there I got hooked on steamed
broccoli cauliflower - had it every night! - Also recommend
program in Crystal Springs, Florida especially if there's a
section on Birding....I sat in on that one and wrote about it for
the newspaper....Also visited on in Sarasota...that's a great
city! Am looking forward to trying another one, preferably some
area I don't know, with subjects I'm interested in learning
about.
_______________
Elderhostel Snafu and solution
My husband and I, along with Florence Block and her husband, sent
our registration forms into Boston in time for the lottery. They
were sent in the same envelope and both forms were checked where
you are supposed to indicate if you wish to attend with others.
The Blocks received their confirmation last week and we heard
nothing. After several days, we called Boston and found that they
had no record of our registration, nor did they have our check.
After many phone calls, they accommodated us with our second
choice. The first choice was full.
As a result of this mixup, we did not get our first choice,
although the Blocks did and very kindly gave it up to be with us.
We think that when the envelope was opened, the Blocks' form was
taken out and the rest was thrown away.
In discussing this situation, we decided that in the future we
would staple all the pages and checks together. We also think it
is a good idea to mark the front of the envelope indicating that
there are two registrations inside.
Barbara A Zenker p006364b@pbfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us
______________
Subj: Re: Beware of Pratt!!!
From: Joancneuw@aol.com
This is my 13th Eh and the first time I have had a serious
complaint!! We just returned from a 5 night stay at Pratt in
Brooklyn NY,I will begin to list the complaints. The whole
session lacked organization and continuity. It was one of the
more expensive ($425} and did not serve dinner one evening,
suggested lunch out 3 times and we never even received name tags.
We were repeatedly told by the student coordinator that the store
was out. The Dean who made himself available occasionally could
not manage to get the second towel distributed.
I do feel ripped off by the Institute EXCEPT Our marvelous guide
to Brooklyn,loves his subject and knows it intimately. His walks
and talks were fabulous! I now understand the revitalization
that is taking place in downtown Brooklyn and can see why my
niece bought her home there. Some of the highlights included the
Promenade at twilight,the Booklyn Bridge walk just after dark,
lunches on Montagu street and the introduction to the landmark
buildings.
As a little extra I was able to find some family history at the
Brooklyn Historical Society that has eluded me in Manhattan even
though that is where it occurred. A final note this is a very
strenuous program,all transportation is by foot or public (buses
and subway.) If you are hardy and love history or want to see the
real Brooklyn not the movie version,be prepared for the crummy
facility but enjoy the intellect of the guide John Kriskewicz, an
architectural historian.
He also does tours for the HISTORICAL society so if you are in
the area and want a treat contact them at 718-624-0890.
______________
From: Flobabe@aol.com
We are living here in Lake Worth, Florida in a very young and
social adult (not retirement) community called Summer Chase. Many
of our residents are in their 50's and some are still gainfully
employed. I am very active on our Social Committee suggested
that we have an educational evening in addition to our many
parties. Since we had just returned from our first ELDERHOSTEL
and had loved it I wanted to share the experience with our
friends neighbors.
I wrote to Boston about my idea for an "ELDERHOSTEL Information
Evening" and they put me in touch with Eckerd College in St.
Petersburg, Florida. Eckerd is the coordinator for all of
Florida and sponsors more programs then any other state. They
have a volunteer program of speakers and a man from the next town
contacted me immediately. Bob and his wife have been going to
EHs for years and have hosted them also. On the designated
evening I was delighted to have 81 people show up although only
about 40 had responded to my flyer.
I guess serving refreshments and not charging admission may have
helped. Bob spoke briefly about all facets of ELDERHOSTEL and we
showed the 12 minute video. This was followed by a question and
answer period. Then those present who had already gone to Ehs
spoke about their experiences (about 98% good with just a few
exceptions). The feedback I received from the community
afterwards about this program was excellent and many are planning
their future trips.
******************************
The Search
Searching through the ruins
Where brown skinned children play,
We brushed against the past
And there we found our way.