Seniors Find Bonnieux A Delight

I have passed by Bonnieux several times having led tour groups to Provence but have never been into the village. It sits on a high hill and is one of the more visited small communities in Provence. The view from Bonnieux reaches out over plains, with vineyards, fields and cherry orchards. Further in the distance senior visitors can see additional medieval “hill villages.”  

It is small and senior travelers will enjoy strolling along the winding streets and the view over the plains. France has what are called “Les Plus Beaux Villages” and Bonnieux (pop. 1,300) rates among the finest.

On appelle ses habitants “les Bonnieulais” (that’s what the local folks are called). The region is called Luberon and I remember it well because my prof at Harvard had his summer home there.

Bonnieux is a commune in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region in southeastern France. In the plain below the village stands the notable Roman bridge the Pont Julien built in 3 BC. I remember a pause at the bridge when our bus stopped there so that folks in my travel group could take photos.

The bridge is in great shape considering it was the first Roman road to be built in France. One thing is for sure in Provence. You could shoot photos by the hundreds and never run out of great scenery. Bonnieux dates back to 1103 when it was called Castrum Bonils, ‘the house where many crickets sing’.

La Provence Draws Senior Visitors

There are a number of small shops with pottery, artisanal items, and one with beautiful hand-woven wool items. For  you senior hikers, the Luberon is criss-crossed with walking trails. Just out of the village to the east, you’ll find signs along the road to the Fôret de Cèdres, cedar forest.

 Check out the “vieille église” (old church) after climbing 86 steps. Take a fast hike from bottom to top, winding up through the narrow streets passing in arched tunnels beneath the houses, and you’ll earn the spectacular view, shaded by tall pine trees and magnificent centuries-old cedars.

I’ve been all over France and have seen many strange museums like a museum for corkscrew, perfume, Paris sewer, carnivals, erotic and bones. Bonnieux has a bread museum, the Musée de la Boulangerie which seniors may find of interest.

In La Provence senior travelers will enjoy visiting Bonnieux, Lacoste, Lourmarin, Goult, Arles, Gordes, the Abbaye de Senaque, La Fontaine de Vaucluse, L’Isle-sur-la-Sergue, Roussillon, Ménerbes, Vaugines, Cucuron, and Domine Faverot, market day in Bonnieux, the famed antique market in L’Isle- la Sorgue, hectares of gorgeous lavender fields and the plethora of sunflower fields all across the Luberon.

I don’t know of anyone who has been to La Provence who is not drawn back by its magnetism and warmth. Enjoy your time in Bonnieux. I know you will. jeb

Seniors Stroll Through Père Lachaise

Père Lachaise Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the city of Paris (44 hectares or 110 acres). This senior can speak with some authority as I have strolled through the cemetery myself.

Opened in 1804 on the site of a former Jesuit retreat, Père-Lachaise is today one of the world’s largest and most famous cemeteries. One doesn’t usually associate a cemetery with a romantic stroll, but for me, a visit to Père-Lachaise was exactly that.

Tucked away in a corner of northeastern Paris known to locals as Menilmontant, the cemetery is affectionately called ‘la cité des morts’ (the city of the dead), by Parisians. The world’s most visited cemetery, Père Lachaise (named after a confessor of Louis XIV) opened its one-way doors in 1804. Its 69,000 ornate, even ostentatious, tombs of the rich and/or famous form a verdant sculpture garden.

 A Cemetery…Who Knew?

Père Lachaise is claimed to be the most visited graveyard in the world, with more than a million and a half visitors each year. Read here what visitors say about their experience at the cemetery.

Père Lachaise is not only the burial place of celebrated artists, writers, and political figures, it’s also an incomparably secretive, peaceful place, with its winding pathways, lush landscapes and towering war monuments.

Most senior tourists simply put it off their itinerary, it’s a cemetery. Put it on yours. The neatest part is suddenly seeing a huge sepulcher with some famous person’s name engraved on the front panel. There are hundreds of these and among the most famous is Jim Morrison who was the lead singer of ‘The Doors’.

His is a remarkably simple tomb, but it is one of the most popular in the cemetery and is kept constant vigil by fans from all over the world. I wanted to see Morrison’s tombstone and it was rather easy to find as graffiti led me right to it with signs that read… “Jim -> This Way” or “Just follow the arrows to Jim.” When I found his tomb, there sat a fellow with a beer in his hands pouring it over the stone.

 Seniors Visit Unusual Major Site In Paris

Other residents of the cemetery include the French playwright Molière, Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf and so many more. On a sunny day, climbing to the cemetery’s summit and looking down on the lavishly designed crypts can be a pleasant surprise. With 5,000 trees, it is the largest park in Paris.

Of the ten major sites in Paris, Père Lachaise ranks #10, right in there with such sites as the Louvre, Notre-Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Elysées, Montmartre and others.

It’s a quiet, pleasant place for a stroll or a rest. And easy to forget that it’s a cemetery.  Enjoy this tour of Père Lachaise.  jeb

Seniors Discover Trogir

Senior travelers, welcome to the one of the oldest and most exciting cities on the Croatian side of Adriatic coast. Trogir, pop. 13,000, is an excellent example of a medieval town built on and conforming with the layout of a Hellenistic and Roman city.

History abounds around every corner of the city that is over 4,000 years old. The town was founded as a Greek colony in the 3rd century, but people lived in this area before. The Greek colony Tragurion was established by seamen who came from the island Vis. Trogir was famous in Roman Empire days because for its excellent marble.

Trogir is located 27 km west of Split, on a small island in the center of Dalmatia, on the eastern coastline of the Adriatic sea. Its naturally protected harbor has become very popular among yachtsmen from all over the world.

Seniors Explore the City-Museum

By now you know of Jim’s interest in World Heritage Sites and those that UNESCO has designated as major places to visit though out the world. Trogir is called the “city-museum” because each rock and building has its own importance.

Trogir’s old city center was added to UNESCO‘s list of the world’s monumental heritage sites in 1997 and is home to a number of fascinating historic sights, the best of which is the Cathedral of St Lawrence.

Trogir, Croatia has become a popular city for senior visitors and has been discovered by tourists from all over the world. Yougodo has listed Five Senior Activities to check out during your visit to Trogir. The Cipiko Palace and the Cathedral of Saint Lawrence are two more must sites to put on your itinerary.

Small Town Packs Big Punch

The best-preserved Romanesque complex in all of central Europe, this tiny town is also packed full of Baroque palaces, churches, and towers as well as a small island fortress dating from the 13th century. Trogir provides a great day trip from nearby Split and is easily reached by local bus.

TripAdvisor will keep senior visitors busy in Trogir with 17 things to see and do.  The first site to check out is the Trogir Historic Site. Sounds to me like Trogir is one of those cities to put on your travel bucket list.  jeb

Seniors Drawn To St. Simons Island

St. Simons Island was recently named one of the “Most Romantic” places to visit in the country.  St. Simons Island, the seat of Glynn County, is the largest of the four barrier islands in Georgia’s Golden Isles. The Island offers senior visitors a variety of outdoor activities and historic sites.

St.Simons, with a population of 13,000+, is home to a variety of fun with beaches, golf, charter fishing boats, spas and salons as well as some great dining spots, year round events and entertainment for visitors of all ages. Since 1980 St. Simons’s population has doubled and today many of the residents are retired seniors.

The unspoiled beauty of St. Simons and its distinctively charming beach lifestyle that is unhurried and under-developed are part of what make it so special. Many call it Little St. Simons Island. St. Simons Island is the largest of the Golden Isles along Georgia’s southern Atlantic coast with about 18 square miles to keep romantics occupied. Today the landscape looks much the same as back in 1733 when Georgia was settled.

Senior visitors will discover moss-draped oaks, shady lanes and creek-fed pockets of marsh, a thriving habitat for birds and a diverse range of other wildlife, from turtles to armadillo and deer.

A beautifully restored lighthouse constructed in 1872 is well known and is one of only five surviving light towers in the state with Fresnel lens that cast a beam 18 miles out to sea.

Seniors Love the Light House, Giant Oaks and Historical Sites

St. Simons offers some of the best shopping and dining options on the Southern Coast as well as a natural beauty that encourages quiet reflection for a romantic visit. Beneath the draping moss and arms of the giant live oaks that line the roads and pathways, the island of residents, part-timers and senior visitors are happy to be spending their time in this quiet place.

The Island lies across the immortalized Marshes of Glynn, made famous by poet Sidney Lanier. Exceptional historic sites take senior travelers back to colonial days, the plantation era, the Civil War and beyond.

Neptune Park is a favorite place to hangout with inviting benches for relaxing by the sea, picnic tables under the oaks, and the bandstand where events are held throughout the year.

Many take a tour of the island with the St. Simons Trolley. Take a leisurely kayak trip through the marshes, explore miles of walking and bike paths or head out for a day at the beach.

Historic remnants of bygone eras, include the St. Simons Island Lighthouse (a working lighthouse in operation since 1872) the Bloody Marsh, Fort Frederica National Monument, historic Christ Church, and the sites of antebellum plantations that occupy the Island. Looks like fun to me. jeb

 Seniors Discover the Painted Hills

Painted Hills in Oregon is named after the colorful layers of its hills corresponding to various geological eras, formed when the area was an ancient river floodplain. The Painted Hills are one of the three units of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, located in Wheeler County, and Mitchell is actually the “Gateway to the Painted Hills.”

The Hills are located 9 miles northwest of Mitchell and 75 miles east of Bend, Oregon and today is a favorite destination for senior geology enthusiasts. They make up 3,132 acres of beautiful eroding clay stone and are some of the state’s most unique natural wonders.

The Painted Hills are open throughout the year, but the hottest time to visit is mid-summer, when temperatures can rise over ninety degrees Fahrenheit. The vast, arid expanse gets downright steamy in the summer so prepare well with hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, and plenty of water.

They remind me of the The Painted Desert and Petrified Forest in northeast Arizona. In the Painted Hills they have discovered fossils of early horses, camels, and rhinoceroses among the dense layers of clay stone, a soil so dense that plants can’t seem to gain a foothold.

 Seniors Find A Rainbow Of  Ancient Stone

The Painted Hills look like a rainbow with its own unique colors. The yellows, golds, blacks, and reds of the Painted Hills are beautiful at all times of the day, but are best lit for photography in the late afternoon. Changing light and moisture levels can drastically affect the tones and hues visible in the hills.

Ancient and unique colors streak the clay rich hills and mounds that were formed over 35 million years ago by different volcanic eruptions and changing climate patterns.

 The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument comprises three separate locations. The Sheep Rock Unit, The Painted Hills Unit and the Clarno Unit each has short trails to dramatic views of colorful rock formations. Go “roaming a bit” with Nicole through Oregon’s “high desert” region.

One thing is for sure, a visit to the Painted Hills will be a one of a kind experience not to be soon forgotten. Eastern Oregon is awesome and the dramatic sweeping landscapes in this part of the state and the breathtaking views around every bend of the road make this region a paradise for any kind of outdoor enthusiast and nature lover.

The internationally famous Painted Hills and the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument are easy for senior travelers to reach by car on the “Journey through Time,” a scenic byway. Don’t miss Leaf Hill.  I think that you will love this part of Oregon. And senior visitors might as well take in the Annual Painted Hills Festival in Mitchell.  jeb

Seniors Dip Into Sag Harbor

One of America’s favorite cities for romance is Sag Harbor, NY, on Long Island.  With its 2,500+ inhabitants Sag Harbor sharpens the interest of most senior visitors with a history of whaling, its geographic location, topography, nature protected areas and the Cilli Farm that is a preserve and refuge for wildlife in the area.

The village of Sag Harbor is said to be three fifths in Southampton and two fifths in East Hampton. The dividing line is Division Street which becomes Town Line Road just south of the village.

Visitors of every age can find something in Sag Harbor.” The 300 year old village is full of historic places for senior travelers to visit, beautiful beaches, restaurants for every taste (many with locally caught seafood on the menu) and shops of every nature. There are events taking place all year round, so you won’t miss one once you arrive.

 Whaling, History and Theater Top Senior Draws

As per usual, TripAdvisor has beaten us to the village and lists 19 things to do in Sag Harbor. Of course boating is big in Sag Harbor but the Bay Street Theater and the Whaling and Historical Museum are also top draws.

By 1789 Sag Harbor had “had more tons of square-rigged vessels engaged in commerce than even New York City.” It had become an international port and their are several historic relics of this period that include the Old Whaler’s Church.

The entire business district of the whaling port and writer’s colony is listed as Sag Harbor Village District on the National Register of Historic Places and was mentioned in Moby Dick by Herman Melville.  Sag Harbor today has an active harbor.

 During the 19th century, Sag Harbor became one of the busiest ports in the northeast, where whalers of many nationalities could be seen walking the streets. Today the Sag Harbor Yacht Club has been a colorful fixture on the waterfront of the historic village since 1899.

Music Fesival and Writer’s Colony Attract Seniors

In September the Sag Harbor American Music Festival attracts senior music lovers for some great sounds. Bay Street Theatre is a not-for-profit 299-seat professional regional theatre situated on Long Wharf and was founded in 1991 by Sybil Christopher.

Senior visitors will enjoy the Elizabeth A Morton Wildlife Refuge. To the east is Northwest Harbor County Park, Cedar Point County Park where there are additional beaches, and lots to do and see in East Hampton

Senior travelers, don’t miss Sag Harbor out on Long Island the next time you visit NYC.  I also discovered in writing this blog that Sag Harbor is a popular brand of clothing. You will find the village to be a great place for a romantic holiday. jeb

A Great Island Visit For Seniors

It seems like all of a sudden senior travelers have discovered Isla Mujeres, a tiny island off the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. It’s been there a long long time, as in March of the year 1517 when Francisco Hernandez Cordova discovered the island.

Today MSNBC invites travelers to move to islands and notes that Isla Mujeres, Spanish for Island of Women, is a laid back oasis. Isla, as the locals call it, blends the soul of Mexico with the beaches of the Caribbean and is a hammock-swinging lifestyle, peppered with Mayan legends.

I’ve been there with students and loved every moment on the island. Senior visitors will find the friendly atmosphere perfect for a relaxing vacation. Huffington Post called Isla a Tropical Paradise. I am sure that it has changed a lot since my visits a few years back, but it still remains so memorable.

 Small Fishing Village Still

Once a small fishing village, colorful Isla Mujeres with 65 hotels has become a favorite for senior travelers seeking natural beauty, island serenity, and a slower pace of life and all without compromising its cultural traditions.

One can easily walk from the east side of the island to the west, catching sunrise in the morning and later, watching the sun set as the local fishing boats return with their day’s catch. Senior visitors will find the typical items available for purchase (blankets, jewelry, stone carvings, masks, hats) all along main street.

Silver is the item to look for and good prices can be found. The majority of shops and restaurants accept the US dollar but may give you your change back in pesos. Like most everything in Mexico, you can usually bargain for a better price.

It’s small but seniors will find plenty to see and do on Isla: a stunning ocean full of colorful coral reefs, teeming with friendly tropical fish, a paradise for both snorkelers, which I did with my students, and scuba divers.  And senior birders, on Isla you can spot dozens of more than 150 species of birds. 

 Seniors Visit Underwater Museum

The Island was a Mayan sanctuary to goddess Ixchel for about a thousand years. Statues of women were discovered by the first Spanish visitors and this where the name “Island of Women” originated.

The National Park West Coast of Isla Mujeres, Punta Cancun and Punta Nizuc, which receives approximately 750,000 tourists annually, features more than 400 concrete sculpture figurines comprising the world’s largest underwater museum, right in the waters in front of Cancun and the island.

The 400 life-size sculptures are called La Evolución Silenciosa, The Silent Evolution. Senior divers and snorkelers will have the opportunity to admire the original sculptures in depths ranging from 9 to 20 feet.

I think that you will enjoy every day on Isla. I found it to be very special.  jeb

Will it be Ski or Spa in Cauterets?

Senior travelers find the Cauterets in the Hautes-Pyrenees (Midi-Pyrenees region) in the south-west of France, high in the Pyrenees, only 20 miles from the famous pilgrimage site of Lourdes. 

Cauterets has a reputation for healing powers in the form of its thermal hot springs. For centuries, the town’s therapeutic waters and natural beauty have drawn senior visitors. 

Victor Hugo  described the valley and its streams as “more than mere scenery. They are a glimpse of nature at certain mysterious moments when everything seems to dream.”

Cauterets is a well-established ski and spa resort in the heart of the Pyrenees and in a National Park.  Facing the Vignemale, the highest mountain in the area, the resort has been described as the “Chamonix of the Pyrenees”. Senior skiiers have direct access to 35km of downhill skiing, with 25 individual pistes, served by 21 ski lifts.

 Seniors Relax in Spas

Visitors can enjoy mountain biking, excursions, ice skating, swimming, tennis, bowling, mini golf, rafting, canyoning, fishing. Senior visitors can also enjoy the casino, cinema, theaters, guest house, national park house, library and media center.

This pleasant little town, population 1,200, owes its fame and elegant Neoclassical architecture to its waters, still in demand.

Senior visitors can get some mountain air and take a soothing dip at one of the town’s best-known spas, César Spa, after a day of hiking or skiing.

The Lac de Gaube, nearby, is a major attraction as well as the Pont D’Espagne, a really neat bridge that spans a stream high up in the air. For my wife and me, we might first head to the Boulangerie Patisserie Chez Gilou for some French pastries.

There are 14 hotels in town so you can compare what you would like and the price you want to pay. The spa brings in a throng of visitors today, but it was back in the sixteenth century that rendered famous the baths of Cauterets. During the Renaissance, Antiquity was in vogue.

Associated with the Roman civilization, the Pyrenean Baths were in fashion, thus placing Cauterets among the top resorts in the Pyrenees. Many works were undertaken between 1984 and 1999 to modernize and consolidate the baths at Cauterets, as a resort for two handicaps: otorhinolaryngological (that’s a long one!) and rheumatologic.

I think that you will have great fun in Cauterets. jeb

Senior Hikers, Tighten Those Bootstraps

Hiking for seniors has become popular all over the country.  I know that we’re still in the middle of winter, but there’s no better time to enjoy a cup of coffee and dream about that next great hike.

There are several long hikes that challenge even the best fit hikers.  A son of friends back in Iowa was on the famed Appalachian Trail when he woke up one morning and found a rattlesnake coiled just above his head.  Darren was shocked but remained on the trail and finished his trek.

The Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide Trail and the Appalachian Trail are the longest to tackle for any well prepared senior. So let’s check them out.  Each will require an enormous commitment of body and resources of time. Conquer all three and you will have hiked with your best hiking boots nearly 8,000 miles. All three combined are known as the “Triple Crown of Hiking.”

 The Pacific Crest Trail

There are suggestions for senior hikers who would like to take the Pacific Crest Trail hike that includes information on first aid, leaving no trace behind, fire information and water issues. The Pacific Crest Trail is a perfect outdoor playground for beginners and experts alike. From the south of California to the north of Washington, you can take short walks or walk the distance.

 The Continental Divide Trail

This Trail is a United States National Scenic Trail running 3,100 miles between Mexico and Canada. The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDNST) is one of the most significant trail systems in the world. Established by Congress in 1978. It traverses five states and connects countless communities along its spine.

Over the past 30 years it has gradually assumed a marked physical shape, and preserves and celebrates an opportunity for adventure and history with one of the most significant features on our planet. Check out the CDNST Society  that is a grassroots organization with about 250 members that love that trail.

Senior Bikers, Take Note

And senior bikers, you’ll discover that it’s the first nation-spanning fat tire route. This trail encompasses the best of the Rocky Mountain spine: alpine wilderness, undulant grasslands, scrub desert, solitude that frays the edges of your brain, and a sense of what the country would look like if wilderness were the rule, not the exception.

 The Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known simply as the A.T., is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. The Trail is perhaps the most famous hiking trail in the world.

It is currently protected along more than 99 percent of its course by federal or state ownership of the land or by right-of-way. Annually, more than 4,000 volunteers help maintain the trail.

 So seniors, tighten up the bootstraps and get going…for a second cup of coffee if nothing else:)

Enjoy every step and every scenic view. jeb

Seniors Enjoy Gulf Coast City

Tampa’s port and international airport make it an easily accessible, popular destination for seniors. Its rich history mixes with its modern landscape, giving visitors and residents a medley of activities and attractions to choose from.

Various museums, and the city’s resident football team, the Buccaneers, are just a few of the major highlights. Tampa, stands across Tampa Bay from St. Petersburg. The word “Tampa” may mean “sticks of fire” in the language of the Calusa, a Native American tribe.

Located northeast of Sarasota and to the southwest of Orlando, Tampa is on the Gulf Coast and one of the top five most name recognized cities in the state. Senior visitors, don’t miss the historic Cuban-influenced Ybor City, just northeast of the city center. Ybor is the downtown Tampa hub for shopping, restaurants, museums, and a host of local cultural attractions.

One of the main attractions is Busch Gardens.  The theme park combines different zoo like sections with thrill rides and roller coasters and brings in thousands of visitors year round from all over the globe. It is the ultimate family adventure park offering an array of fascinating attractions.

 Seniors Seek Out Tampa’s Art Scene

As the nation’s 54th largest city, Tampa offers a unique and exciting experience for everyone. Tampa is a laid-back city with a vibrant arts scene and an ever-growing downtown.

Whether senior travelers choose to relax at an outdoor cafe, stroll along the Riverwalk or unwind at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park it will be evident how much the city has put into ensuring a safe and enjoyable environment.

Tampa currently has a population in excess of 300,000. The third largest city in Florida sports a high-rise facade, but cozies up to Gulf water marinas and their gleaming yachts, bobbing sail boats, and huge ocean liners.

TripAdvisor lines up 82 things for you to explore in and around Tampa. Tampa Theater, Big Cat Rescue, the Florida Aquarium and the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts are all major draws in Tampa.

Senior visitorts will find a growing list of parks, concerts, sporting events, Broadway shows, festivals, restaurants, bars, and night clubs. So plan to “Unlock Tampa Bay“– once the Cigar Capital of the World. The Bay is a semi-enclosed body of water where freshwater from the rivers meets and mixes with the saltwater from the ocean.

Spend a day or two hitting the white-sand beaches, and you’ll be able to look back on your vacation in Tampa as an incredible time enjoying the west coast of the Sunshine state.  jeb