SENIORS DRIVE THROUGH LOUISIANA



Seniors Head For Monroe

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Monroe, the eighth-largest city in Louisiana, is the parish seat of Ouachita Parish  with a population right at 50,000. Ouachita Parish, seniors learn, was occupied for many years by various Indian tribes including some from “The Mound Builders”.

Europeans arrived as early as 1541. Ouachita Parish was named for the Ouachita River. The settlement formerly known as Fort Miro adopted the name Monroe during the first half of the 19th century, in recognition of the steam-powered paddle-wheeler James Monroe.

Monroe-Louisiana-1_photoThe arrival of the paddle-wheeler had a profound effect on the settlers; it was the single event, in the minds of local residents, that transformed the outpost into a town and thus the name of the city.

Downtown Monroe is an increasingly growing district anchored by the beautiful Ouachita River. Conveniently located just off Interstate 20— it is the central business district of Monroe. Downtown Monroe is also the home of several restaurants, a collection of museums, and a variety of art galleries and shopping destinations.

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Seniors Eye The Downtown River Market

The Downtown River Market, Northeast Louisiana’s premier event destination, is located in a Louisiana Cultural District along the Ouachita River in historic downtown Monroe, providing a great setting for seniors to shop, play, eat and celebrate.

This French-style market showcases artisans, fine crafts, produce, food, live music, street performers and numerous heavily-attended special events. The annual event weekends are recognized in the state as a leading Louisiana Festival that continues to generate a “buzz” throughout the region.

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The Masur Museum of Art was built as a private residence in 1929. A lumberman by the name of Clarence Edward Slagle had the modified Tudor estate built for his wife Mabel.

The Indiana limestone and Pennsylvania blue slate used to build the home were transported on various waterways to the scenic Ouachita River, which runs behind the estate. The name Masur caught my eye as I am half Czech.  My grandfather’s name was Masur and it was changed to Mizaur when he came  through Ellis Island in NYC.

Delta Airlines And Coke Start In Monroe

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Delta Airlines got its start in 1926 as a crop dusting service, and Coca-Cola opened its first bottling plant in Monroe. Today, those legacies provide unique attractions for senior visitors. Biedenharn Home and Gardens, the estate of that first Coke bottler, is open to the public as a museum and sculpture garden.

The Chennault Aviation and Military Museum of Louisiana has exhibits on Delta Airlines, the local World War II flight school at Selman Field and the volunteer combat unit called the Flying Tigers commanded by one-time Monroe resident, General Chennault.

The 1,800-acre, cypress-studded waters and trails of Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge is highly popular with senior visitors. This is one of five refuges managed in the North Louisiana Refuge Complex and one of 545 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Enjoy your stay in Monroe. -jeb

SUNDAY COFFEE WITH JEB



Seniors Head For Caribbean’s Thrilling Side

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Senior travelers, the awards for the Best Caribbean Destinations are in and Saba ranked in the top ten. The Reader’s Choice Awards (10 Best.com) selected the Dominican Republic as #1, but Saba made the list. A panel of experts and voted on by the public and ten islands were awarded the top choices.

This Caribbean island in the Lesser Antilles chain, is a special municipality of the Netherlands, measuring just 13 square kilometers. Its surrounding Saba Marine Park, a renowned dive site, is home to coral formations, dolphins, sharks and turtles. There are also offshore seamounts, or underwater mountains created by volcanic activity.

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The Chicago Tribune noted that Saba is “Unspoiled, Underdeveloped and Undeniably Beautiful.”  WSJ highlights its “Stunning Scenery.” The island is called an “Unspoiled Queen” and a “Tropical Kingdom.”

 Seniors Visit Scenic Volcanic Island

Saba is in the northeastern Caribbean Sea, 28 miles southwest of its international hub the island of St. Maarten. In 2010 Saba became part of a Special municipality of the Kingdom of the Netherlands together with the islands of St. Eustatius and Bonaire.

Saba’s birth was traumatic. Circa 500,000 BC the island was formed as the top of a volcano that became active during the middle of the late Pleistocene era. Now a dormant volcano, she has not erupted for about 5,000 years, so no trouble today.

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TripAdvisor has nearly two dozen attractions and things to do that senior travelers will not want to overlook. Dense forest drapes its peaks and valleys, making it look like Ireland, while the traditional red-roofed houses with their green shutters and white gingerbread trim seem plucked from a Brothers’ Grimm fairy tale.

Seniors Find Colorful Underwater Kingdom

Below the waterline lies a colorful kingdom of coral teeming with sharks, turtles and luminous tropical fish. There is no crime, little traffic and a close-knit local community that’s genuinely happy to be in their ‘Garden of Eden’.

The population of Saba is 1,991 people spread into four major villages and includes the 200-300 medical students attending the Saba University of Medicine. The medical school houses a hyperbaric chamber, which coincides nicely with Sabas extensive diving draw.

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Sugar and rum were Saba’s chief exports through the 18th century, as well as fishing, particularly lobster fishing, later. Once trade routes became more open, Saban Lace, a derivative of Spanish Lace, became very popular. By 1928 the women of Saba were exporting $15,000 worth of lace yearly.

Saba is a 15 minutes plane ride from St. Maarten’s Juliana International Airport, the region’s largest airport with flights to the US and Europe. Senior visitors will find the people on Saba to be very friendly.

Taxi drivers have even been known to pick up hitchers, not charging them for the ride if that’s the direction they’re going anyway. Seniors, put Saba on your travel bucket list and enjoy a unique experience. -jeb

SENIORS LIKE FRANCE



Seniors Enjoy Historical Montluçon

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Montluçon (pop. 40,000) is a commune in central France on the Cher river. This senior recently discovered that it is listed among many famous sites to see in France, a “Must See”. Montluçon is called “A Town Of Art and History”.

Your visit to Montluçon will focus in the narrow streets of the historical center around the Chateau of the Dukes of Bourbon. Senior visitors can enjoy strolling around the historic center, a highlight of which is the House of the 12 Apostles (Maison des Douze Apôtres).

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Montluçon has several parks and public gardens that also make for great strolling. It is a  beautiful city in any direction you look.

 Seniors Discover MuPop Museum

The Canal de Berry and the presence of coal in the region aided the industrial activity in this walled city.  Montluçon is loaded with a wide variety of ancient monuments and abounds in culture.

The MuPop Museum is big in Montluçon. The disco is the archetype of the dancing popular music from the mid 70s to the 80s. Just imagine a museum where you can compose your own soundtrack while discovering the sounds and images of the pop music collection at MuPop.

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Visitors have individual headsets, to compose their own musical program. The museum houses more than 3,500 instruments and musical items, dating from the 18th century to the present time.

France This Way notes that in the area below the castle, senior visitors will walk medieval streets with numerous half-timbered buildings and a 12th century roman style church.

You can also visit the 12th century Church of Saint-Pierre and the 15th century Church of Notre-Dame, the 19th century Church of Saint Paul, unusual in being built around an iron structure, and the Chapel of Croix Verte – unremarkable on the outside but step inside to see the decoratively painted interior.

Seniors Enjoy The ‘Flower City’

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The town has a nice selection of parks and public gardens great for just  strolling, like the well-maintained Jardin Wilson and the extensive English style gardens of Jardin Breda. The castle and park of Saint-Jean are another popular place to take an afternoon promenade.

You will soon discover, as with many small French towns, that most of the important sites in town can be viewed simply by wandering around.

The walled city was once strategically important, located on the border of two great entities. It was first held in the lordship of Bourbon who later became the Duchy and then attached to the crown of France in 1531. Situated in the west of this region, it was long a rival of Moulins, who was much more populated city and more influential.

Montluçon enjoys the “Flower City” distinction attributed by the National Council of the cities and flowered villages of France in the contest of cities and flowered villages. Senior visitors will find that the peaceful Cher Valley  with its villages, castles and churches, is well worth a visit.  -jeb

Filed under : Europe, Family Travel

SUNDAY COFFEE WITH JEB



Seniors Stop In Hanover, New Hampshire

springbanner Senior movie goers, if you have seen A Walk In The Woods, then perhaps you will recall that Robert Redford’s character, who lived in Hanover, chose to take a long hike on the Appalachian Trail, with an old high school friend (Nick Nolte). What a fun movie…these seniors thoroughly enjoyed it.  And it was based on a true story.

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So get your coffee, today we’re going to Hanover, a town of approximately 11,500 on the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River in the area known as the Upper Valley.

In the movie two senior hikers get to know the country’s spectacular scenic trail. Along the way, the pair get up close to breathtaking landscapes, fascinating wildlife (a pair of huge brown bears), and lush green mountain prairies in the Smokies.

 Seniors Enjoy Beautiful Dartmouth College

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Now let’s check out Hanover. Hanover was spelled “Hannover” in the 1761 charter. Hanover celebrated its 250th birthday in 2011. TripAdvisor invites you to check out several attractions beginning with Dartmouth College, an excellent Ivy League university founded in 1769.  That’s where I would head for on my visit to town.

After that walk through the beautiful campus, I’d be sure to take in the Hopkins Center on the scenic Dartmouth College green that features plays, musical performances, movies and such. Senior visitors enjoy The Hood Museum and the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen among numerous area galleries and museums that are home to a thriving local community of artisans.

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Seniors Also Enjoy Beautiful Upper Valley

The local Chamber notes that the Town of Hanover and surrounding region is a part of what is known as “The Upper Valley”. This designation refers to a geographic area stretching along both sides of the Connecticut River in central New Hampshire and Vermont.

At the region’s center are the towns of Hanover and Lebanon in New Hampshire and Norwich and Hartford (White River Junction) in Vermont. The Appalachian Trail and Moose Mountain make for great hiking. The nearby Connecticut River offers boating and fishing.

The Hanover area is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts and senior travelers are invited to check out Hanover for yourselves. -jeb

SENIORS TRAVEL TO THE HEART OF THE ROCKIES



Seniors Settle into Scenic Salida, Colorado

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Welcome to Salida, Colorado, the “Gem Of The Rockies” that lies in a valley with mountains around its perimeter. Actually, that is an understatement, as senior visitors will find over a dozen peaks over 14,000 feet around Salida.

I could say “in the heart of the Rockies,” Salida is two hours from Colorado Springs and three hours from Denver. Salida is loaded with activities of every mountain nature: archery, biking, camping, climbing, fishing, four-wheeling, golfing, hiking, hunting, kayaking, picnicking, rock hounding, skateboarding, skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, and a world-class zip-line tour.

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The Arkansas river has famous kayak runs and Salida is home to the FIBARK river festival which began in 1949. Perhaps you might just be interested in a ghost town, a major tourist attraction in the Salida region.

Each ghost town is a remnant of a colorful past and they are scattered throughout the upper Arkansas Valley. Most are haunting reminders of economic collapse and other disasters that led to the abandonment of the town. Perhaps the most well-preserved of Colorado’s ghost towns is St. Elmo.

Seniors Awed With Mountain Scenery

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I know that I would enjoy the Arkansas River Walk in Downtown Salida. The scenery in every direction of Salida will fill up a flash drive. While the Vino Salida Wine Cellars attracts many senior tourists, the Monarch Scenic Tram remains a major draw in Salida.

The tram takes passengers from Monarch pass to the top of the Continental Divide, at an elevation of 12,012 feet, for panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains in every direction. Rafting and tubing on the Arkansas River are also highly popular as are horseback riding tours.

I would not want to miss the Mt. Shavano Fish Hatchery about a half-mile northwest of Salida. And get this…it produces more than 2 million trout each year that are used to stock Colorado’s numerous streams and lakes.

Seniors Like The Hot Springs

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The Salida Hot Springs Aquatic Center is popular, not only with all the locals, but senior visitors as well. The water in the pool is a temperate 98 degrees. The sparkling clear and odorless water was originally enjoyed by the Ute Indians and now flows continually into various Salida Hot Springs pools.

The Salida Museum contains displays of tools and artifacts associated with railroading, mining, farming, and ranching in Colorado, as well as photographs of early Salida, Native American items and a unique mineral display.

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Then drop by the Alexander House and the Manhattan Hotel, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places and part of Colorado’s largest historic district.

Located in Historic Downtown Salida, alongside the banks of the Arkansas River, the newly remodeled Palace Hotel established in 1909 offers boutique caliber lodging.

Senior visitors can sit back, relax and enjoy the sounds of the Arkansas River and Riverside Park in Salida and the clean mountain air.  -jeb

SENIORS TRAVEL IN SPAIN



Seniors Find Beauty and Intrigue In Albarracín

mq1Albarracín in Spain is part of the autonomous community of Aragon. If you’re senior traveler who enjoys combining rugged terrain, ancient castles, untouched villages and a drop or two of fine wine, then Aragon is a wonderfully deserving, underappreciated place to visit.  

The municipality is small with a population of 1,075 inhabitants yet tourists arrive in droves just to soak up the ambiance and atmosphere of the region. Senior visitors will find Albarracín to be a picturesque town surrounded by stony hills. The town was declared a Monumento Nacional in 1961 that sets it apart from other villages in the region.

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Some say that the town is named for the Moorish Al Banū Razín family that dominated the area during the period of Muslim domination in the Iberian Peninsula. Others say that the name comes from the Celtic terms for Mountain (alb) and Vine (ragin). What is certain however, is that the town of Albarracín is well worth a visit.

Seniors Enjoy Historical Town

From 1167 to 1300, Albarracín was an independent lordship. The former capital of a Moorish kingdom (Taifa), today the small town of Albarracín has preserved all its Islamic and medieval flavor. The Alcázar (castle) Fortress and the Andador Tower are from the 10th century. In the 11th century, the kings of Albarracín constructed the walls around the poor area of Engarrada.

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Rough Guides highlights the town that is 37km west of Teruel, as one of the more accessible towns in rural southern Aragón. Also one of the most picturesque towns in the province, Albarracín is poised above the Río Guadalaviar and retains, virtually intact, its medieval streets and tall, balconied houses.

There’s a historical curiosity, in that from 1165 to 1333, the town formed the center of a small independent state, the kingdom of the Azagras.

Albarracín’s dark, enclosed lanes and ancient buildings adorned with splendid coats of arms make for an intriguing stroll, reminders of past eras. The narrow lanes between the tall houses intertwine, uphill and down. But, it’s a small place in spite of the massive crenellated walls.

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Seniors Find One Of Spain’s Most Beautiful Villages

Senior visitors will want to walk along the walls called Murallas de Albarracín. The Plaza Mayor (Main Square), is the hub of action with the preferred places to eat and to enjoy some Spanish wine.

Albarracín has been called“The Most Beautiful Village in Spain.” France does the same thing with “Les Plus Beaux Villages.” “To be in Albarracín feels fairy-tale like as the sharp winds blow off the Sierra Albarracín to the north and one feels transported in time through the blind alleys, sharp turns and cobblestone streets.”

 Senior visitors say that Albarracín feels loaded with history and uniqueness, because it has both. So come and experience it all for yourself.-jeb

Filed under : Family Travel, United States

SENIORS ENJOY GERMANY



Seniors Stop In Historic Dierdorf

leben-11-foto-01Senior visitors will find that Dierdorf lies more or less right in the middle of Germany, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Known as the town of best geographical environment, it has traced its origins back to prehistoric times. The first land development in Dierdorf dates back to the year 1100. Dierdorf received municipal rights on 17 June 1357.

I came across Dierdorf (pop. 5,845) as the local paper that noted that “13 local band members spent time visiting a Sister City and then living with a host family.  There they were able to “live like a German.”

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The group got a tour of a local dairy farm in Dierdorf, visited Koblenz, toured the Marksburg castle, and while sightseeing in Cologne, visited the Lindt museum and Cologne Cathedral. The group also went with a 9th grade class to an indoor rock climbing gym and spent time in the indoor swimming pool with their exchange partners.

The students did a variety of activities with their individual host families. The group spent time visiting local schools that provided them with a different perspective and comparison to schools in the US.

 Seniors Visit Another World Heritage Site

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A highlight for senior visitors is to enjoy authentic German food at the Burghof Restaurant. Although most of the town was destroyed by Allied bombing during WWll, the huge historic church was spared.

Dierdorf is nestled in the Westerwald region of Germany and was the UNESCO 2000 World Heritage Site, located 120 miles northeast of Frankfurt. Ruins of ancient civilizations are being discovered among the monasteries, castles and abandoned clay pits and basalt quarries.

Dierdorf is known for its pottery works and extensive ceramics museum, lush woodlands, small lakes and great outdoor activities.

Seniors Enjoy Historical Dierdorf

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Of the approximately 6,000 people who live in Dierdorf, many residents choose to work in other communities nearby or in Frankfurt. Some 12,000 people have settled in the five towns that surround Dierdorf – each unique in culture and customs of the Westerwald.

A number of locations can be visited including an old water tower where Jews were hidden after their temple was destroyed in the 1930s. Several years ago their new high school, Nelson Mandela, was dedicated by a South African delegation.

My German City notes that found within Dierdorf’s Castle Park is the Mausoleum of Prince Wied-Runkel. It’s a magnificent piece of 19th century architecture, and a final resting place to a family that ruled over the area for generations. It’s called Mausoleum and senior visitors can’t miss this white gravesite building from 1816.

Seniors, set your GPS in your German rental and head for Dierdorf. Plan to spend a day enjoying dining at Burghof, the plethora of historic buildings and getting to know the locals. Dierdorf will be memorable. -jeb

 

Filed under : Europe, Family Travel

SENIOR TRAVELERS STOP OFF THE COAST OF EAST AFRICA



Seniors Discover The Comoros

news-graphics-2008-_660194aSenior travelers discover that the Comoros, officially the Union of the Comoros, is a sovereign archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel off the eastern coast of Africa between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar.

Other countries near the Comoros are Tanzania to the northwest and the Seychelles to the northeast. Its capital is Moroni, on Grande Comoros where they use the Comorian franc. So now that you know where they are, let’s go for a visit. They were recently selected as a “must visit” in the local newspaper.

There are an estimated 1,000,000 folks who call the Comoros home. Lonely Planet notes that while the islands are haphazardly scattered across the Indian Ocean, the mysterious, outrageous and enchanting islands are the kind of place you go to just drop off the planet for a while.

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It is thought that early inhabitants of the Comoro Islands were people of Malaysian and Polynesian origin. For years the Comoros was a trading center for spices and slaves.

 Seniors Enjoy The Scents of Ylang-Ylang and Cloves

The island of Mohéli, boasts the sleepy town of Fomboni. Anjouan is the beautiful sister among the already fascinating cluster of islands often called Paradise. Bananas and palms are in abundance and senior visitors will catch the scent of ylang-ylang and cloves in the sea breezes.

Grande Comore (Ngazidja), Anjouan, Mohéli, and Mayotte (which is not part of the country and retains ties to France)—constitute this archipelago in the Indian Ocean, 190 mi off the coast of Mozambique. Senior visitors will find Mount Karthala, one of the world’s largest active volcanoes that last erupted in April and November 2005.

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Rich in Swahili culture, and devoutly Muslim, the inhabitants of the Comoros come from a legendary stock of Arab traders, African slaves, Portuguese pirates, and Persian sultans. Sound like an adventure to me!

Seniors Meet Livingstone’s Flying Fox

If you like bats, like all members of my family, these mountainous islands have diverse microecologies with spectacular scenery, exotic plants and rare animals. Several species of animals are unique to the Comoros. One, Livingstone’s Flying Fox, is a fruit bat that soars on wings spanning more than four feet.

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Visitors will discover an abundance of sea life encompassing the Comoros that includes giant whales, huge manta rays, sailfish, sunfish, large sharks, yummy lobsters, crabs and shrimp. For senior gourmands, the local restaurants abound in rich seafood.

65% of perfume essences come from the Comoros, processed from the blossoms of ylang-ylang, jasmine (my favorite) and orange blossoms. Spices, including pepper, cloves, vanilla and nutmeg grown in the Comoros provide flavor for gourmets throughout the world.

 Seniors, visit with your travel agent, and make plans for an adventure in the Comoros. You will need a Visa to visit the Comoros, so don’t forget that. -jeb

Filed under : Adventure Travel, Africa

SENIORS HEAD SOUTH TO ARGENTINA



Seniors Seek Out Salta

 The-Cozy-Mountain-Town-Salta-Argentina-The-Borderless-ProjectSenior travelers opt for quality time in Salta, a provincial capital in mountainous northwestern Argentina. Known for its Spanish colonial architecture and Andean heritage, the city centers on Plaza 9 de Julio.

This elegant, cafe-lined square is bordered by the neoclassical Salta Cathedral and El Cabildo, an 18th-century town hall turned historical museum. Museo de Arqueología de Alta Montaña (MAAM) nearby houses Incan artifacts, including mummies.

Salta is said to be the most Spanish city in Argentinaby physical appearance: so much so that tourists visiting from Spain often find a strong resemblance between Salta and cities in Andalucia. The local culture, however, is a blend of Spanish and gaucho traditions, lending the city a distinctive identity.

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Founded in 1582, it’s now the most touristed spot in northwest Argentina. The city center features a number of impressive buildings dating back to the 18th and 19th and early 20th centuries. A very popular option is to hire a cab to explore the surrounding area. 

Seniors Find Jewel-Box-Size Getaway 

I have come across articles by the NY Times noting that Salta has traditionally served primarily as a supply center for the Spanish mining sites located in present-day Bolivia. A concerted effort to encourage new hotels, restaurants and shops is now paying off in a stream of visitors attracted to Salta’s updated colonial charm.

Today, the old city center is recognized as a jewel-box-size getaway, perfect for exploring on foot and finally appreciated for its rich cultural offerings, grand neo-Classical buildings and thriving night life. The famed Hispanic architecture of the city makes it unique among other cities in Argentina.

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For senior oenophiles, plan a trip along the Route of Wine consisting of more than twenty wineries. The relation between winemaking and the Province of Salta is already over three centuries old, in fact, the Jesuits who arrived in these latitudes were the first ones to introduce the vines and they were experts in wine making. 

Seniors Enjoy Fertile and Scenic Sites

In one of the most fertile and scenic sites ever created by nature, 367,550 people call Salta home. The Province of Salta, boasting a mild climate, is a premier senior tourist destination year round.

For panoramic views of Salta, take the famed cable car from the Parque San Martín to the summit  of Cerro San Bernardo and inhale some crisp mountain air as you admire the views.

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Museums, churches, historical buildings, squares and cafés give evidence of the colonial influence, in one of the most jealously guarded historical quarters in Argentina. There can be no doubt that the past is carefully preserved in Salta.

Senior travelers, perhaps you already know about Empanadas, humita, locro, huaschalocro and tamales that are the traditional dishes from northern Argentina. I have been to the northwest area of Argentina. We have close Argentine friends in nearby Corrientes on the huge Paraná River.

 Enjoy your stay. -jeb

 

 

SENIORS ENJOY TRAVELING THROUGH WEST VIRGINIA



Seniors Wheel Into Wheeling

images-1Wheeling, “The Friendly City,”  a city in Marshall and Ohio counties in West Virginia, is located almost entirely in Ohio County.  Senior travelers will find the city along the Ohio River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, with a population of just under 30,000.

Wheeling, originally a settlement in the British colony of Virginia and later an important city in the Commonwealth of Virginia, was the first state capital of West Virginia. Thanks to its location along major transportation routes, including the Ohio River, National Road, and the B&O Railroad, Wheeling became a major manufacturing center in the late nineteenth century.

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Wheeling experienced the closing of factories and substantial population loss following World War II. Today Wheeling’s major industries include healthcare, education, law and legal services, entertainment and tourism, and energy.

Seniors Discover History And Beauty Surrounding Wheeling

The area had been inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years. Originally explored by the French, Wheeling still has a lead plate remnant buried by the explorer Céloron de Blainville in 1749 at the mouth of Wheeling Creek to mark their claim and the city was later founded in 1769.

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There is scenic beauty in all directions in and around Wheeling. The Wheeling Suspension Bridge connects Wheeling with Wheeling Island that is the largest inhabited island on the Ohio River. It was the first bridge to span the Ohio River, built in 1849 with a length of 1,010 feet.

Senior visitors can check out Oglebay Park located on the outskirts of Wheeling. The Oglebay Institute Glass Museum features 3,000 examples of Wheeling glass and china made from 1820-1939, including the famous Sweeney Punch Bowl, the largest piece of cut glass in the world.

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 Seniors Find Wheeling’s Crown Jewel

Wheeling’s unique nightlife and extraordinary menus create a culinary scene that’s hard to beat. Oglebay Resort offers world class golf courses, pools, both indoor and out and a zoo with over 80 species of animals nestled in 30 acres of flowers, trees, hills and valleys.

The Schrader Environmental Education Center invites senior visitors to enjoy the Corson Wildflower and Butterfly Gardens. There are many beautiful Victorian homes in Wheeling  and the Eckhart House, 810 Main Street is known as Wheeling’s “Crown Jewel.”

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The home is a restored 1892 three-story Queen Anne townhome with most of its original architectural features intact. The Woodridge is another that dates back to 1831. nota bene: Wheeling contains more Victorian architecture than any other city in the US,  much of it having undergone extensive restoration.

My wife and I would plan to enjoy an event at Capitol Theater, the largest theatre in West Virginia and a landmark building in the national historic district of downtown Wheeling.

Senior travelers, set your GPS for Wheeling and enjoy all the city has to offer.  -jeb

Filed under : Family Travel, United States

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