Seniors Enjoy Colorful Livingston

Senior travelers will find Livingston in southwestern Montana, on the Yellowstone River, north of Yellowstone National Park with a population that runs just over 7,000.

Livingston sits on the doorstep to Yellowstone National Park, the country’s first national park. With fun events happening year round, every season is a good season to be in and around Livingston.

Toss in your fly rod as Livingston sits on the banks of the mighty Yellowstone River. The Yellowstone is the longest free flowing river in the United States and is home to some of the best trout fishing in the world.

Seniors Find Gateway To Yellowstone

The founding of the small historical railroad and ranching town of Livingston, Montana is a direct result of the Northern Pacific Railroad. This site became a centralized point in the Rockies and the NPR’s location for railroad shops to service NPR steam trains before their ascent over the Bozeman Pass, the highest point on the line.

In time, Livingston became the first gateway town to Yellowstone National Park. Downstream (the Yellowstone River), approximately 3 miles from present day Livingston, was where an old fisherman named Amos Benson built a log cabin in 1872. This is where a ferry, a trading post and a small community called Benson’s Landing was located.

Hiking, biking and horseback riding opportunities abound in the area making Livingston the perfect vacation spot. Known as a sportsman’s paradise, many experienced guides and outfitters can help senior visitors have the hunting or fishing experience of a lifetime.

Seniors Visit The Grand Old Depot

The Northern Pacific Railroad Depot in downtown Livingston has always been the center of the community. Built by the railroad in 1902, it served as a stopping point for tourists heading to Yellowstone National Park.

Now the grand old depot has taken on a new life as a museum and community cultural center, the Gateway Museum , housing one of the most impressive collections of local and state historical artifacts, documents and memorabilia in Montana.

Whether you seek the rugged outdoors or culture within a variety of art galleries and live theatre, comfort cuisine to fine dining, you will find it in Livingston. Art Walks,  part gallery tour and part social gathering, are fun events held every fourth Friday in the summer. An eclectic array of locals, out-of-towners and random art enthusiasts arrive en masse to check out what’s exhibited on the walls.

If jogging along at 5,600 feet doesn’t take your breath away, the views in Mission Creek Canyon will. Watch out for antelope in the middle of the highway as you come over a hill. I had to slam on the brakes to preserve one young pronghorn beauty. That’s Montana!

Seniors, enjoy not only the scenic wonder of this state, but the pleasant folks who live in Livingston. -jeb

Seniors Discover The Wonders Of Baja California

I had the pleasure of visiting the Baja with family to celebrate my father-in-law’s 75th birthday. We traveled all the way to the end to Cabo San Lucas. Senior friends, get your coffee and let’s head south to Baja California.

The peninsula is known colloquially as Baja by American and Canadian tourists, and is renowned for its natural beauty and pristine environment.

Britannica notes that Baja California, also called Baja California Norte, is bounded to the north by the United States (California and Arizona), to the east by the state of Sonora and the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez), to the west by the Pacific Ocean, and to the south by the state of Baja California Sur.

Its capital city, Mexicali, lies on the U.S.-Mexico border, opposite Calexico, California. Visitors will discover a miraculous sea, teeming with life, ringed by desert islands alive with awesome wilderness. Giant cactus, a rich array of flora and fauna, and huge wind-scaled sand dunes dot the environment. Fodor’s will give seniors 5 good reasons to consider Baja California for your next vacation.

Seniors Watch Whales

Baja draws ecotourists who go whale watching for migrating California Gray Whales as well as senior tourists that arrive to the Baja California Gold Coast and resorts on the southern tip of the Peninsula.

Its location between the North Pacific and Gulf of California give it a reputation for good sports fishing, that we tried without much success. Hooked into a nice Black Marlin, but he managed to get free. Senior visitors can enjoy a cruise with National Geographic twin ships: Sea Bird and Sea Lion, to explore the Sea of Cortez.

The landscape off Baja California spans mountains and beaches on the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of California. Towns near the U.S. border include Tijuana, famous as a nightlife and shopping destination, and Tecate, known for the large Tecate beer brewery and a renowned spa, Rancho La Puerta.

Senior Visitors Enjoy A Sparsely Populated Place

The province of The Californias was united until 1804, in the Spanish colonial Viceroyalty of New Spain, when it was divided into Alta (upper) and Baja (lower) California. So that’s how it got its name. LonelyPlanet notes that Baja is famed for its sun-washed beaches.

“Baja California was somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit,” filmmaker Joshua Cowan says. He hung out in hot springs, surfed on deserted, world-class beaches, went fishing in the bright blue waters off the coast, and trekked the peninsula’s jungles.

According to TripAdvisor , senior visitors will also find plenty to see and do, 427 to be precise. The Baja California is wild and sparsely populated and the two coasts vary a great deal. They are separated by rugged mountain ranges and desert vistas. Senior friends, let’s put our coffee down and go visit with our travel agents! -jeb

Seniors Visit Historic Nara, Japan

Senior travelers, one of the top tourist attractions in Japan is Nara , in south-central Honshu with a population of 360,000. Do you have your coffee? Let’s go to Japan.

The city has significant temples and artwork dating to the 8th century, when it was Japan’s capital. A huge bronze Buddha is displayed in a large wooden hall in Tōdai-ji temple, located in Nara Park, which is designated one of the “Places of Scenic Beauty” by the Japanese Government.

With its cantilevered buildings, manicured lawns and deer strolling the grounds, it is said that Todai-ji Temple is  one of Japan’s must-see attractions. On the Park’s east side is the Shinto shrine Kasuga Taisha, which dates to 768 A.D. with more than 3,000 lanterns.

Seniors Love Cheery Blossom Time

Nara, once known as Heijo , was the first permanent capital of Japan, established in 710 and as such, home to the Japanese Imperial Family. The capital was moved to Nagaoka in 784 when the government was threatened by powerful Buddhist monasteries.

Seniors visitors can enjoy Yoshinoyama, known as the best cherry blossom viewing in Japan. Nara Park includes several sites that make up the UNESCO World Heritage Listing of “Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara.  Nara Park contains over 1,200 wild sika deer which were considered sacred, but today are considered a National Treasure.

With Eight Unesco World Heritage Sites, Nara is second only to Kyoto as a repository of Japan’s cultural legacy. The centerpiece is the Daibutsu, The Great Buddha, a giant statue 15 m/50 feet high, which is housed in the Great Buddha hall, one of the largest wooden buildings in the world.

Seniors Visit Oldest Existing Buddhist Temple

Nara is also compact: it’s quite possible to pack the highlights into one full enjoyable day. Horyu-ji Temple, which is said to have been built in the early 7th century, is known as the oldest existing Buddhist temple in Japan. The temple boasts of the world’s oldest wooden architecture, and there are many paintings and sculptures in its possession. The temple is inscribed as a World Cultural Heritage Site.

“Old Japan” is still easy to spot, from Great Buddha Hall to traditional ryokans and the serene Isuien Garden. Senior travelers enjoy taking walking tours of Nara, particularly in the historic Naramachi merchant area.

I learned that Nara is recognized as the birthplace of Japanese civilization. In retrospect, I regret that our group of 200 US educators did not put Nara on our agenda for a visit.

Seniors, visit with your travel agent about a visit to Nara. You will not be disappointed. That’s after you visit Tokyo of course. One simply can not go to Japan without a visit to the capital. We want to thank japan-guide.com for photos. -jeb

Seniors Discover Vietnam

We have friends who visited Vietnam and loved every moment. Senior friends, get your coffee and  please join me today… we’ll also take a look at Vietnam. There are many tours available for tourists, so check out a few.

Today Vietnam is in “full bloom” and abundant with awesome scenery in every portion of the county.  The population runs close to 90 million inhabitants. Many visitors say that Vietnam is a “Sensory Overload” and a country abounding in “Timeless Charm.”

This southeast Asian country on the South China Sea is known for its beaches, rivers, Buddhist pagodas and bustling cities. Hanoi, the capital, pays homage to the nation’s iconic Communist-era leader, Ho Chi Minh, with a huge marble mausoleum.

Seniors Awed With Hanoi’s Old Quarter

Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) has French colonial landmarks, plus Vietnamese War history museums and the Củ Chi tunnels, used by Viet Cong soldiers. The local currency is the Vietnamese dong: 1.00 USD = 22,452.50 VND.

Hanoi is a must and the Old Quarter is a major attraction. For those who visit Hanoi with a genuine desire to have a grasp of the city’s culture or a curiosity to travel back in time, Ha Noi Old Quarter is a must-go place.

As the oldest continuously developed area of Vietnam, Hanoi’s Old Quarter has a history that spans 2,000 years and represents the eternal soul of the city with what are called the 36 Streets.

For senior gourmands, LonelyPlanet notes that the Thais may grumble, but in Southeast Asia nothing really comes close: Vietnamese food is that good.

Incredibly subtle in its flavors and outstanding in its diversity, Vietnamese cooking is a fascinating draw for travelers – myriad street food tours and cooking schools are testament to this. Senior visitors find that the Vietnamese cuisine is a culinary superpower.

Vietnam: A Veritable Phoenix Arisen From the Ashes

I enjoyed reading what Rough Guides had to say about Vietnam: “Few countries have changed so much over such a short time as Vietnam. Less than forty years since the savagery and slaughter of the American War, this resilient nation is buoyant with hope.

It is a country on the move: access is now easier than ever, roads are being upgraded, hotels are springing up and Vietnam’s raucous entrepreneurial spirit is once again alive and well, as the old-style Communist system gives way to a socialist market economy.

As the number of tourists visiting the country soars, their talk is not of bomb craters and army ordnance but of shimmering paddy fields and sugar-white beaches, full-tilt cities and venerable pagodas; VIetnam is a veritable phoenix arisen from the ashes.” Well said Rough Guides.

Seniors, I suggest a visit with your travel agent and plan to visit a country that is attracting millions of visitors from all around the world.  -jeb

Seniors Travel Afar To Port Hedland, Australia

How did I come up with this one? I saw an awesome lightning photo just off of Port Hedland..it was fantastic. So, today seniors travel to the Outback in Australia.

Port Hedland is the second largest town in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, with an estimated urban population of 15,100. It is also the site of the highest tonnage port in Australia.

Port Hedland, is known by the indigenous Kariyarra and Nyamal people as Marapikurrinya, which means “place of good water”, as told by a Nyamal language speaker.

Port Hedland is the gateway to the Pilbara. To the east senior travelers can explore the wild, rugged beauty of Karijini National Park, with its spectacular natural gorges, waterfalls and pools, perfect for hiking and walking. The main industries are iron ore processing and export, salt production, and livestock production.

Seniors Visit A Large, Working Harbor

Port Hedland was established in 1896 in Kariyarra country on the Pilbara coast about 1,110 miles from Perth. Today there are two main centers: business Port Hedland, located on the coast, and residential South Hedland, 8 miles inland.

Port Hedland is one of the world’s largest and busiest working harbors, filled with grand, austere ships that transport hundreds of millions of tons of cargo each year to distant places.

In Port Hedland, anyone coming to the center of town has a ringside seat for some of the greatest industrial drama in the Pilbara, a large, dry, thinly populated region in the north of Western Australia. It is known for its Aboriginal peoples, its ancient landscapes, the Red earth and its vast mineral deposits.

Seniors, Meet Red Dog

Red earth …now view Red Dog , a 2011 film about a dog who took it upon himself to travel all over the Outback. It is based on the incredible, legendary, true story of a red dog who united a disparate local community while roaming the Australian Outback in search of his long lost master. At the 2011 Inside Film Awards, Red Dog was nominated in nine categories and won seven, including best feature film.

Port Hedland has a natural deep anchorage harbor which, as well as being the main fuel and container receiving point for the region, was seen as perfect for shipment of the iron ore being mined in the ranges located inland from the town.

Other major resource activities supported by the town include the offshore natural gas fields, salt, manganese, and livestock. Grazing of cattle and sheep was formerly a major revenue earner for the region but this has slowly declined.

TripAdvisor has been to Port Hedland and suggests that seniors visit Pretty Pool. Senior travelers are invited to discover the rich cultural heritage of Port Hedland, incredible stories of the local Indigenous people and its economic significance as a powerhouse of the Australian economy.  -jeb

TO ALL OUR SENIOR TRAVELING FRIENDS WE AT SENIOR TRAVEL WANT TO WISH YOU A  JOYOUS, BLESSED AND MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND HAPPY HANUKKAH!!!!!

Jim and Jeannine Becker

Seniors Head For Warm St. Barts

Seniors, let’s head for Saint Barthélemy, a French-speaking Caribbean island commonly known as St. Barts , and famous for its white-sand beaches and upscale designer boutiques. St. Barthélemy lies about 35 kilometers southeast of St. Martin and north of St. Kitts.

The capital, Gustavia, encircling a yacht-filled harbor, has many high-end restaurants and historical attractions like the Wall House Museum, whose exhibits highlight the island’s Swedish colonial era. Perched above Gustavia is 17th-century Fort Karl, looking out over popular Shell Beach.

St. Barts is an arid, volcanic rock of only 8 square miles fully encircled by shallow reefs where senior visitors will discover a variety of iguanas, night-blooming cactus, beaches and luxury yachts, designer boutiques and perhaps even several celebrities.

Seniors Enjoy Caribbean Dreamland

Inhabited primarily by the descendants of the original French settlers and transplanted Europeans, the island has a strong, independent personality. Frequent visitors who know the islands in the region say that St. Barts is the most unique and unusual of the various French West Indies islands.

As soon as you land at Gustave III Airport, seniors, you’ll find yourself transported into a dreamland, a far-away place without the constraints of everyday life. Both the airport and the island’s main town of Gustavia are named for King Gustav III of Sweden. Excellence, luxury, calmness, peaceful, serenity…the perfect adjectives to describe the island.

The Caribbean’s most elite, most expensive island lives up to its reputation as an adult sandbox, where the rich and famous gather. But St. Barts has charms that make it attractive to regular folk like you and me, from its uncrowded white-sand beaches to its distinctly Gallic flair.

Seniors Enjoy Beautiful Beaches

The tiny capital of Gustavia, with its gingerbread-trimmed cottages and top-notch designer shops, surrounds a yacht-filled harbor.

On the opposite side of the island, near the airport, St.-Jean is a diminutive strip of attractive boutiques and beach bars that some have  compared to St.-Tropez. Imagine that!

The 22 gorgeous, white-sand beaches are the trump card of St. Bart’s. It possesses a definite French vibe. TripAdvisor has been to St. Barts and has nearly three dozen things to keep you busy, primarily the many beaches starting off with Colombier  Beach. CNN ranked Saline Beach as No. 5 among the top 100 in the world.

Hop on board this plane as we land in St. Barts skipping across the bay to touch down. So seniors, its time for a visit with your travel agent to learn how easily you can  land in this French-speaking paradise.  -jeb

Seniors Visit The Ancient wonders Of Sicily

This senior has a friend at the gym who hails from Sicily. My senior friend tells me that Sicily is beautiful and that I should go there for a visit. So I invite you to come along…let’s get our coffee and be on our way.

Sicily , the largest Mediterranean island (pop. 5 million), lies off the “toe” of Italy’s “boot.” Its rich history is reflected in multiple sites like the Valley of the Temples, the well-preserved ruins of 7 monumental Doric-style Greek temples, and in the Byzantine mosaics at the Cappella Palatina, a former royal chapel in its capital city Palermo.

On Sicily’s eastern edge is Mount Etna, one of Europe’s highest and most active volcanoes that is continually smoking and occasionally belching fire and lava bombs. My travel hero Rick Steves’ video “The Best of Sicily” is a another of his marvels and provides an excellent overview of the area.

Seniors Enjoy The Wonders Of Sicily

Nature seems to have endowed all its wonders to Sicily: mountains, hills and above all the sea, with its incredible variation of colors, its crystal-clear water and the beauty of its seabed.

Lonely Planet notes that the “Eternal crossroads of the Mediterranean, the gorgeous island of Sicily, continues to seduce visitors with its dazzling diversity of landscapes and cultural treasures.”

” TripAdvisor has put together a series of must see sites for senior visitors . I am a huge fan of World Heritage Sites and Piazza Armerina is a Roman villa with a wealth of mosaics and has been under excavation since the 19th century.

The earliest archaeological evidence of human activity on the island dates from as early as 12,000 BC.

By around 750 BC, Sicily had three Phoenician and a dozen Greek colonies and, for the next 600 years, it was the site of the Sicilian Wars and the Punic Wars, which ended with the Roman Republic’s destruction of Carthage at the battle of Carthage (c. 149 BC).

Tiny Islands, Lemon Trees and Volcanoes

Senior visitors will discover an ever present scent of lemon trees, the volcanoes, the beautiful black-sand beaches, and tasty desserts to satisfy a demanding palate.

Ancient Akragas rivaled Athens in its splendor in the ancient world. The Valley of the Temples is where the ancient world comes most vividly alive on Sicily.

Historically Sicily was the home of Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, French and Spanish. The ruins of the ancient Phoenician city of Motya is a site not to be missed.

The Temple of Hera at Selinunte is a well preserved look alike of the Acropolis in Athens. The Greco-Roman theatre at Taormina reminds me of a similar huge structure I saw with my family in the city of Orange in France.

Seniors, spend some quality time on this scenic and historic island .   -jeb

Seniors Enjoy Tetbury, England

Get your coffee and come with these seniors to England, this time to settle into Tetbury , a town within the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire.

It lies on the site of an ancient hill fort, on which an Anglo-Saxon monastery was founded, probably by Ine of Wessex, in 681.

The town crest features a pair of gold dolphins and no one really seems to know why. Historically in other countries like Slovakia, they were a symbol of trade.

Tetbury abounds with notable historic buildings that include the Market House, built in 1655 and the late-eighteenth century Gothic revival parish church of St Mary the Virgin and St Mary Magdalene and much of the rest of the town center, dating from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

The Market House is a fine example of a Cotswold pillared market house and is still in use as a meeting place and market. Senior visitors will also enjoy the Police Bygones Museum, Chavenage House, Highgrove House and Westonbirt Arboretum.

Seniors Visit Award Winning Town

Just around the corner from the Market House is the famous Gumstool Hill where the Woolsack Races take place. The runners, having gone well over 200 yards, have to drop their woolsack so the other runner can pick it up and run back up the hill to the finishing line. The weight of the woolsack for men is 65 pounds and for women, a more recent addition, 35.

For a village of around only 5,600 inhabitants, Tetbury has won numerous awards:  from Best Small Town to Community Achievement to Britain in Bloom  Campaign. Seniors, enough reasons right there to visit Tetbury!

TripAdvisor has 17 things not to be missed by senior visitors that include the famed Chavenage House and Highgrove Gardens. The Tetbury Music Festival attracts internationally acclaimed performers as well as new musicians.

Tetbury is internationally famous for its range of antique shops and its close proximity to Prince Charles’s residence, Highgrove. The Cotswolds are almost synonymous with antiques and offer the widest choices available outside London.

Seniors “Fall For Tetbury”

Several of Tetbury’s retailers have received national awards for excellence and senior visitors will notice that many of the town’s businesses bear the Prince of Wales feathers as a sign that they hold the Royal Warrant.

Tetbury has a wide choice of tea shops, bistros, cafes, pubs and restaurants that offer a wide choice of local foods and drink.

The Guardian notes that Tetbury is terribly seductive. A writer notes that…“I could fall for Tetbury. We could all fall for Tetbury. A town like they used to make them. A town untroubled much by the travails of modern life. A town seemingly composed entirely of the kind of picturesque, biscuit/fudge-colored Cotswold buildings you see on biscuit tins and fudge packets. Tetbury has been rich since the 15th-century wool trade.” That is what Tetbury is all about folks.

Senior Visitors…Tetbury is awaiting your arrival. -jeb

Seniors Settle Into Colorful Glasgow

Senior friends, get you coffee and let’s head for Scotland, more specifically Glasgow . The largest city in Scotland, derives its name from Brythonic Glas Cau , “Green Hollow or Green Glen”. There are over 20 towns named Glasgow in the US. Glasgow is twinned with several cities, including Jerusalem, Marseilles and Havana.

Glasgow was properly established in the 6th century by Saint Mungo, a Christian missionary who built a church on the site where the present Glasgow Cathedral stands today.

Situated on the River Clyde in the country’s West Central Lowlands, inhabitants of the city are often referred to as Glaswegians or Weegies. The present site of Glasgow has been settled since prehistoric times. There is much history associated with Scotland.

Seniors Like Glasgow’s Vitality

Glasgow grew from a small rural settlement on the River Clyde to become the largest seaport in Britain. From the 18th century the city also grew as one of Great Britain’s main hubs of transatlantic trade with North America and the West Indies.

TripAdvisor paid a visit to Glasgow and lists over 250 things for seniors to see and do. Lonely Planet chimes in with their take on Glasgow noting that the city blends sophistication with earthiness.

Glasgow has evolved over the last 20 years to become one of Britain’s most intriguing metropolises. The soberly handsome Victorian buildings, legacies of wealth generated from manufacturing and trade, suggest a staid sort of place. Very wrong.

“They are packed with stylish bars, top-notch restaurants and one of Britain’s best live-music scenes. The place’s sheer vitality is gloriously infectious: the combination of edgy urbanity and the residents’ legendary friendliness is captivating as you will soon discover.”

Senior Find Glasgow’s Historic Buildings

Those well acquainted with Glasgow suggest that senior visitors begin your visit with the city’s iconic historic buildings and visit some of  the city’s wide array of museums and galleries.

Senior visitors will find everything from Dinosaurs to Dali, the historic City Chambers to the magnificent Glasgow Cathedral. Charles Rennie Mackintosh lovers will find The Willow Tea Rooms, The Lighthouse, House for an Art Lover, and the Glasgow School of Art to be must-visits and the works of this eminent architect are sprinkled all over the city.

The main part of Glasgow is divided into the City Centre, known as “town” or “the toon” to the locals, and contains the majority of tourist sights and a good portion of the city’s shopping and entertainment.

The West End is the bohemian area full of cafés, restaurants and bars surrounding the University of Glasgow and famous Kelvingrove Museum.

Taks a look at the “Official City Website” and you will learn how and why Glasgow is voted one of the friendliest cities in the world.  Yes, Scotland’s biggest city is a stylish mix of arts, culture and unique Celtic charm. Enjoy your stay .-jeb