Travel & Culture   

This Tour of four different venues in the course of 1-week was an unforgettable trip of a lifetime.  It included a tour of the Carlsbad Caverns, including the Bat Nightly Flyaway, The Texas Rangers Museum, the Buckhorn Museum, The Alamo, The River Walk in San Antonio, Tour of the East Texas Oil Museum, The Sulphur Chickasaw Indian Cultural Center & Village and Museum in Oklahoma, the Battlefield and Civil War Museum in Mansfield, Louisiana and more highlights in living color! 

Award-winning Florida tellers Robin Schulte and Jessica McCune share a mix of Florida folktales, literary adaptations and personal stories. Schulte brings elements of theatre to the story stage, while McCune delivers stories that heal and offer light for the journey. They both see stories as a seed art, the very first art from which all other arts flow. Their stories capture the real essence of Florida.

Jim and Jessica McCune visited Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel, plus St. Catherine's and Sharm el-Sheikh in the Sinai last January. Avid travelers and fans of history, they are happy to share their slides and stories with other travel adventurers. We can all learn how to make the 'big world small.' They especially enjoy the people of any country they visit; their stories fall in place beside our stories As Andrew Soloman (and many others have said), "It is nearly impossible to hate anyone whose story you know." Might travel be part of our quest for peace?

The history of the Mississippi River is rich and legendary. Writer Mark Twain wrote an entire book by this name. We will start the class on the ship in the port of New Orleans and make our way up the Mississippi. The presentation focus will be to visit plantations and ante-bellum mansions in both Mississippi and Louisiana. Several battlefields from New Orleans to Vicksburg are along the river. Towns and historical spots on the lower Mississippi will be covered, like Natchez, Baton Rouge, and Vicksburg.

Believe it or not, West Florida once stretched from Tallahassee through the panhandle, Alabama, and across the Mississippi River to Louisiana. The capital of the Republic of West Florida was at St. Francisville, Louisiana and lasted only 2.5 months during 1810. This presentation begins at Tallahassee and ends in Louisiana. We will visit some of the features of the Florida panhandle, Florida caverns, Ft. Pickens, Mobile Museum of History, and cross the Mississippi to St. Francisville. This historic adventure is unknown to most Floridians, even the old-timers.

The Canadian Rockies have captivated hearts and minds, challenged the daring, and fired imaginations. Join the instructor on this armchair adventure. She will begin in Calgary and Dinosaur Alley, travel to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump along the way to Waterton. Back in Canada, she will cover the roads to Banff and Jasper, and view magical lakes and mountains. Participants will even experience a trek in the Ice Explorer Buggy on the ice field atop to Athabasca Glacier.  

Take a trip around the world and become familiar with endangered species you may not have even known existed. Learn why these animals are in trouble and what's being done to save them.

The artesian springs of Florida are a glorious resource, not only for drinking but for recreation. Five of the springs in Marion County - Rainbow, Silver, Juniper and Fern Hammock, Salt and Silver Glen will be described in this lively presentation. You will also learn about options available for outdoor activities such as walking, swimming, and boating. Explore and compare the beauty of all of these wonderful locations and become inspired to see them for yourself!

Exotic intriguing productive and organized, Japan is a country that has been consider to be too far and expensive.

However for those that have the opportunity to visit, it has been an easy to maneuver and enlightening experience.

In this lecture  we will explore highlights of its history and culture  and cover some of its most common and important travel destinations.

Join us as we look at the small towns around in North Central Florida.  Explore the history, trivia, and places of interest of places you may want to visit. For this class, come learn about the St. Johns River and First Coast counties.

Join us as we look at the small towns around in North Central Florida.  Explore the history, trivia, and places of interest of places you may want to visit, just miles from home. The focus for this event will be on The Suwannee River and Big Bend counties.

Depart from Eureka for a leisurely cruise down the tree-shaded Ocklawaha River in the comfort of a covered pontoon boat. Learn about the history of the River and the dramatic changes created when the Rodman Dam was built in 1968. See the distinct contrast between the natural sections of the river and those that were altered. View birds, turtles, gators and other river creatures. 

Depart from Eureka for a leisurely cruise down the tree-shaded Ocklawaha River in the comfort of a covered pontoon boat. Learn about the history of the River and the dramatic changes created when the Rodman Dam was built in 1968. See the distinct contrast between the natural sections of the river and those that were altered. View birds, turtles, gators and other river creatures. 

Depart from Eureka for a leisurely cruise down the tree-shaded Ocklawaha River in the comfort of a covered pontoon boat. Learn about the history of the River and the dramatic changes created when the Rodman Dam was built in 1968. See the distinct contrast between the natural sections of the river and those that were altered. View birds, turtles, gators and other river creatures. 

Depart from Eureka for a leisurely cruise down the tree-shaded Ocklawaha River in the comfort of a covered pontoon boat. Learn about the history of the River and the dramatic changes created when the Rodman Dam was built in 1968. See the distinct contrast between the natural sections of the river and those that were altered. View birds, turtles, gators and other river creatures. 

Depart from Eureka for a leisurely cruise down the tree-shaded Ocklawaha River in the comfort of a covered pontoon boat. Learn about the history of the River and the dramatic changes created when the Rodman Dam was built in 1968. See the distinct contrast between the natural sections of the river and those that were altered. View birds, turtles, gators and other river creatures. 

Some folks call the Ocklawaha River, the Everglades of the north. Erica Sue Ritter calls it home. This vital river flows north from the swamps and lakes of north-central Florida, winds through the Ocala National Forest, and ends up connecting to the St. Johns River in Welaka. Poet Sidney Lanier explored the Ocklawaha by steamboat. Lanier described it as “the sweetest water-lane in the world.” Come explore a portion of its rich forests and flowing water by boat, uncovering where the riverboat landings once were and some of its 20 hidden springs. Hear Erika share stories of growing up on the river.  Also, she will be joined by Captain Karen Chadwick on costs of manitaining Rodman Dam and Herbicide Applications.

If you are planning a trip to England, this session is for you. Join the instructor in a discussion of traveling through England. Learn about the cities to visit and the sites to see. In addition, explore different methods of travel and what sample itineraries might look like. Gain insights into British travel learned from the instructor's recent trip. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and share experiences if they would like.

Many people have heard of or taken land and cruise vacations in Alaska, but did you know that you can take similar vacations in other parts of the world?  Come see what other options might be out there to fill in your bucket list.

Ever have trouble deciding which cruise and cruise line to take? In this age of informational overload, how can you be sure you are getting the right river cruise that fits your desired river cruise experience? This course will introduce you to the features, inclusions, and differences between the major river cruise lines you see and hear about. Learn about Viking, AMAWaterways, Uniworld, Avalon, Scenic, and Emerald river cruise lines. This is an informational session that will help you make your decision and not a sales presentation.

Like to learn about Florida's history? Do it yourself with this program to help you! This presentation provides a way for the attendees to learn about Florida's historic places- all 500 plus. The state is divided into five regions that a person or family can explore individually in three-day adventures. Contact information is provided along with some "don't miss" recommendations. The historic places are defined and information is provided so individuals can select those venues in which they have the most interest.

In this program, you will be participating in the ritualistic ceremony of Japanese powered green tea preparations and presentation. A brief history of Cha-No-Yu as well as descriptions of the utensils used will be demonstrated throughout the performance. Please join us for an evening of harmony, respect, purity and tranquility.
 

These artists have become so well known in the US. However, one will appreciate them more after visiting their homes in Mexico. In a suburb of Mexico City is Casa Azul, the home of Frida Kahlo. Dr. Kelly will tell the story of her troubled life as participants scout her home and gardens via presentation. Likewise, participants will go to the home of Diego Rivera in Guanajuato and study the paintings of these two as they fall in and out of love.

Mexico is an interesting and exciting country. We will travel away from the usual tourist destinations and depressing news about migrants and gangs to its inner soul and culture. Let’s go to Mexico City with its National Palace and great museum of anthropology. The mysterious ruins of Teotihuacan and other Aztec and Zapata sites await your exploration. Touring magnificent Spanish colonial cities such as Guadalajara and Oaxaca is most memorable. Mexico is one of our nearest neighbors  and only three hour flight from Orlando to Mexico City; this is an an adventure you do not want to miss.

Of all of Florida's fantastic natural wonder's, the Florida Keys are arguably the most wonderful. Stretching from Biscayne National Park in the northeast to The Dry Tortugas National Park in the southwest these islands comprise a paradise for sportsmen, beach-goers, camera enthusiasts, culinary connoisseurs, and just plain loafers. Besides harboring some of the world's finest saltwater fishing, snorkeling, the diving and boating are great here. There's history for those who seek it, along with endless opportunities to entertain every taste. Learn some of the many things to see and do in this 150-plus mile chain of wonders.