A Boomer's Guide to Travel Sites in Santorini, Greece

Santorini is a small Greek island located in the Aegean Sea.  Located 126 miles southeast of Athens, it has been called "The Pompeii of the Aegean" by one French geologist. It is located on the rim of a volcano which erupted in 1600 BC.  Some people believe it is the site of the mythical kingdom of Atlantis (see my post on the modern Atlantis at Atlantis; Found on Paradise Island).

We visited Santorini by cruise ship and were overwhelmed by the spectacular island. The ship docked on the west coast of the 12 mile long island.  That side of the island is extremely steep and rocky. The capital, Fira, is accessible only by a winding stairway up the volcano some 1000 feet or a gondola.  For those who wish to ride up the steps, donkeys are available.  We took the gondola up the hillside but actually walked down the steep steps. at the end of our stay.  Because of the donkeys, be prepared to watch your footing as there is the occasional donkey dung to deal with.

Once at the top of the mountain, there is a spectacular view of the Aegean Sea on the one side and of incredibly beautiful church domes on the other.

 

 

Santorini is home to about 13,600 permanent residents.  The island is famous for its white grapes and wine, as well as its eggplant and tomatoes. For those interested in staying overnight on the island, one of the most interesting places to stay is the Astra Apartments and Suites, in the village of Imerovigh, located above the volcano and said to have spectacular views.  www.astra.gr. For beautiful travel sites, Santorini is one of the best in the world.

 

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The Boomer's Guide to the Roosevelt Homes: Val-Kil

Located about two miles from the Roosevelt estate, Springwood, is the fieldstone retreat of Eleanor Roosevelt, Val-Kil.  Loosely translated, Val-Kil means waterfall stream. FDR had the cottage built in 1924 for Eleanor and her two friends, Nancy Cook and Marion Dickerman.  Val-Kil is a National Historic Site run by the National Park Service. Unlike FDR's retreat, Top Cottage, Val-Kil is accessible by private automobile or the Roosevelt Ride shuttle. As a National Historic Site, you may use your Senior Pass.

Tours of Val-Kil are offered on the hour.  Before the tour begins, be sure to see the short, 15 minute video shown in one of the adjacent buildings. It provides an interesting and informative background for the woman known as the "First Lady of the World."

Although it was a retreat for Mrs. Roosevelt and her female friends, FDR frequently visited as well. Often he would drive his specially outfitted Ford convertible up the dirt road known as the Roosevelt Farm Lane to Val-Kil. 

In addition to being a restful retreat for Mrs. Roosevelt, Val-Kil was also the site of a business operated by Mrs. Roosevelt and her friends known as Val-Kil Industries.  Craftsmen were hired to make small furniture and other decorative items. Today, some of them are reputed to be quite valuable.

Val-Kil was simply decorated and much of the original furniture is in place, particularly in the modest dining room.

If you are interested in more information about Val-Kil, Springwood, Top Cottage or Hyde Park, visit www.HistoricHydePark.org or phone 1-800-FDR-VISIT.

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The Boomer's Guide to Travel Sites in Hyde Park

Evver since I was young I have been fascinated by two places that I wanted to see. First, was the home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the longest serving President of the United States, in Hyde Park, New York.  Second, waas The United States Military Academy or as it is more commonly refered to, West Point.  This summer, we were privileged to have the opportunity to tour both places.

Hyde Park, New York, is located about  an hour and a half from New York City. and three hours from Philadelphia  Train service is available on Amtrak and the Metro-North Railroad with stops in nearby Poughkeepsie. That is where our touring began.

We arrived at our hotel in the middle of a Sunday afternoon. Not  knowing what to expect in Poughkeepsie, my wife grabbed a stack of brochures from the hotel's front desk. We studied them in our room and saw that there were at least two places in Poughkeepsie we should see, Vassar College and Locust Grove, the former home of Samuel F.B. Morse, the inventor of the telegraph and a well-known portrait and landscape painter of the Hudson River Valley School.

Locust Grove is located at 2683 South Road on Route 9 or the Albany-Post Road as it has been called for hundreds of years. It is a 40 room Italianate mansion which is available for guided tours only. Because the Morse family had sold it near the turn of the last century, most of the furniture and paintings in the house are from the subsequent owners, the Youngs. It is an interesting mix of Victorian and older antiques and paintings. The views from the estate's gardens are of the Hudson River Valley and are fantastic..

There is a small museum on the grounds which houses some of the artwork of Samuel Morse as well as some of his telegraphic inventions.  It is well worth a visit.  There is also a small gift shop. One of the staff members recommended we try the Shadows on the Hudson for dinner that night.

Just a few short blocks away, Shadows on the Hudson has magnificent views of the Hudson River Valley. The food matches the view.  I had the Lobster bake and it was excellent, with a one and a quarter pound lobster, andoiuille sausage, redskin potatoes and corn on the cob. You felt like you were right on the beach. www.shdadowsonthehudson.com, 176 Rinaldi Blvd., Poughkeepsie, NY.

The next day we visited Vassar College in Poughkeepsie.  More about that in our next post.