Washington and Lee University Alumni College W&L Traveller

2020-2021

ALUMNI COLLEGE W&L TRAVELLER

Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends, Washington and Lee University operates one of the most respected arrays of lifelong learning and educational tour programs in the nation. Many exciting trips and campus seminars await you in 2020– 2021, adventures that will open a world of discovery for you and other W&L alumni, parents and friends.

The best way to celebrate W&L’s enduring commitment to lifelong learning is to experience it personally.

You, too, can share in the life of the university with an educational adventure on campus and abroad.

You’ll find the companionship of exploring the world with compatible minds rewarding, as well. As travelers, we delight in the history and culture of foreign lands, places wholly apart from the familiar customs and routines of our neighborhoods, places that open our eyes and all our senses to what is new and different, that rekindle the wonder of discovery and the goodwill that naturally comes with it.

The W&L campus is a shorter journey for most travelers. Through the Alumni College, we encourage you to satisfy your enduring curiosity about the world, to explore history, philosophy, literature, the arts and sciences and current events with us. As always, the journey involves a lot of fun. At W&L, it begins with our delight in one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation, the traditional warmth of its hospitality and the engaging expertise of the W&L faculty.

Many adventures await you in 2020-21, the next chapter in a lifetime of learning. Please take a few minutes to read through this catalog, and prepare yourself for some tough choices, both on campus and abroad! We look forward to welcoming you to a continuing exploration of our changing world.

Sincerely,

Rob Fure Director of Lifelong Learning

(540) 458-8723

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540) 458-8478

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lifelong@wlu.edu

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alumnicollege.wlu.edu

Ruth Candler Asst. Director of Lifelong Learning

Emily King Administrative Assistant

Cover photo by Helen Wilson

2020–2021 Program Calendar Jan 16–24, 2020

July 12–17, 2020

Panama Canal and Costa Rica

Alumni College: The Literature, Music, and Art of the Harlem Renaissance

Feb 19–29, 2020

Oct 23–24, 2020 Law and Literature Weekend Seminar: Russell Banks, “The Sweet Hereafter”

Wildlife Safari to Botswana

March 6–7, 2020 Institute for Honor Symposium: Presidential Leadership in Time of War With Michael Beschloss

March 16–27, 2020 Israel: The Heritage and the Hope

April 2–13, 2020 Japan in Bloom

April 14–23, 2020 The Undiscovered Italy

April 17–18, 2020 Tom Wolfe Weekend Seminar: Rebecca Makkai, “The Great Believers”

May 29–June 6, 2020 The Ancient Stones of Athens

June 28–July 3, 2020

July 19–22, 2020

Jan 14–19, 2021

Alumni College: Three Great Russian Composers and the Russian Revolution

Wild Baja: The Whales of Magdalena Bay

July 22–25, 2020 Alumni College: Poets of the Neighborhood: Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson

July 27–Aug 4, 2020 Wild Alaska

Aug 2–10, 2020 St. Petersburg Seminar

Aug 3–13, 2020 World Affairs Cruise in the Baltic

Aug 8–17, 2020 Scotland: Highlands and Islands

Aug 9–19, 2020 The Majestic Great Lakes

Sept 23–Oct 1, 2020

Alumni College: Perspectives on the Middle East

From the Alps to the Adriatic

July 5–8, 2020

Oct 3–13, 2020

Alumni College: A Family Adventure in Science Outdoors

Morocco: Medinas and Minarets

Jan 16–27, 2021 Antarctica

Feb 1–11, 2021 Patagonian Adventure

April 22–28, 2021 Six-Day Getaway to Berlin

May 7–15, 2021 Flavors of Sicily

June 3–13, 2021 Her-Spania: A Woman’s History of Spain

June 4–12, 2021 A Grand Canyon Rafting Adventure

June 5–15, 2021 Jane Austen and the Georgians

June 20–30, 2021 Great Journey Through Europe

2019 Campus Candids

“What a deal! Stimulating learning, comfortable accommodations and superb meals in a relaxed atmosphere.”

“We had a wonderful time in every way.

You nourished us: heart, mind, body and soul.”

“This is the third Tom Wolfe Lecture Seminar I’ve had the pleasure to attend.

I continue to be stimulated, enlightened and broadened by the different perspectives.”

“We have a lot of fun at the Alumni College and find that the fellowship with classmates and other alumni is at least as, if not more, rewarding than the material we cover in the course.”

“The faculty performance was universally excellent to outstanding.

They had all clearly mastered their material and the W&L faculty connected beautifully with the audience.”

“This was my 14th year attending Alumni College, and I continue to find it stimulating and deeply rewarding.

I am amazed when I think of the range of subjects covered. But more importantly, it is deeply rewarding to share the experience of Alumni College with so many like-minded people dedicated to lifelong learning.”

“Returning to campus annually with other collegians, who have bonded over a deep love of learning, is a priceless benefit of Alumni College.”

Campus Programs 2020 March 6–7 Institute for Honor Symposium: Presidential Leadership in Time of War With Michael Beschloss

April 17–18 Tom Wolfe Weekend Seminar: “The Great Believers” With Rebecca Makkai ’99

June 28–July 3 Perspectives on the Middle East

July 5–8 A Family Adventure in Science

July 12–17 The Literature, Music, and Art of the Harlem Renaissance

July 19–22 Three Great Russian Composers and the Russian Revolution

July 22–25 Poets of the Neighborhood: Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost

Oct. 23–24 Law and Literature Weekend: Russell Banks’ “The Sweet Hereafter”

The Institute for Honor Symposium: Presidential Leadership in Times of War With Noted Presidential Historian Michael Beschloss | March 6–7, 2020

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&L’s fall, winter and spring weekend seminars continue to be a popular feature of the Alumni College, for the programs offer participants a substantive weekend getaway in the beautiful environs of Lexington and Rockbridge County. Participants stay in local inns, with the program, receptions, dinner and lunch on campus.

Programs begin on Friday afternoon and conclude after lunch on Saturday.

Established in 2000 at Washington and Lee by a generous endowment from the Class of 1960, the Institute for Honor includes an array of initiatives and specific programs designed to promote the understanding and practice of honor as an indispensable element of society. The Institute for Honor Symposium is dedicated to the advocacy of honor as the core value in personal, professional, business and community relations. The symposium is directed

by Barton A. Myers, the Class of 1960 Professor of Ethics and Law. “The leader of men in warfare can show himself to his followers only through a mask, a mask that he must make for himself, but a mask made in such form as will mark him to men of his time and place as the leader they want and need.”

John Keegan, “The Mask of Command” (1987)

Michael Beschloss

How and when we should wage war and how these wars should be prosecuted remain among the most important questions facing Americans today. As the nation addresses the complex problems of stateless, violent actors, how we select capable leaders at all levels of warfighting — from the Oval Office down to the strategic corporal — should remain at the forefront of our national debate.

In his classic work “Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations” (1977), Princeton University’s Michael Walzer posits the critical questions: What makes a war just and what makes for just conduct in waging wars? The speakers for this year’s Institute for Honor symposium will help us examine these questions across more than two centuries of American warfare. Michael Beschloss is an award-winning historian of the presidency and the author of eight books, including the bestseller “Presidential Courage: Brave Leaders and How They Changed America, 1789-1989.” Our Saturday morning speakers, Gettysburg College’s Civil War historian Peter Carmichael and W&L political scientist and presidential biographer Robert Strong, will examine fascinating case studies of military leadership in the 19th and 20th centuries, exploring what we can learn from the admirable success and catastrophic failure by our military leaders.

Peter Carmichael

Robert Strong

The Tom Wolfe Weekend Seminar: “The Great Believers” Featuring the author Rebecca Makkai ’99 | April 17–18, 2020

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his year marks the 17th annual Tom Wolfe Weekend Seminar, W&L’s ultimate book club. Sponsored by the W&L Class of 1951 in honor of its late classmate Tom Wolfe, the program honors a distinguished writer and observer of the American scene. Last year’s program featured Delia Owens’ bestselling debut novel, “Where the Crawdads Sing,” which tells the story of Kya Clark, a young girl abandoned by her parents, who must fend for herself in extremely impoverished circumstances. This year, we turn to one of our own, Rebecca Makkai, W&L class of 1999, whose critically acclaimed novel, “The Great Believers,” was a National Book Award Finalist and was selected as one of the 10 Best Books of 2018 by The New York Times Book Review.

Described by Michael Cunningham in his NYTBR review of the novel as “an antidote to our general urge to forget what we’d rather not remember,” “The Great Believers” is a dual-plot story about loss and recovery, illness and mortality. Set in Chicago during the 1980s and also, through interwoven chapters, in Paris in 2015, the novel chronicles the rise of the AIDS epidemic among a group of gay men during the early years of the crisis. A parallel story follows a mother’s search for her estranged daughter in the labyrinth of contemporary Paris. The daughter has no desire to be found, while her mother, Fiona, terribly seared by the loss of so many friends to AIDS during her youth, may be driven more by a mother’s instinct than by love. “The Great Believers,” writes Cunningham, “is peppered with surprises, a minor wonder in a narrative so rife with dreadfully foregone conclusions.” The writing is crisp and moves at a sure pace, the characters so well-drawn that we are reminded that AIDS has a human face, indeed.

Rebecca Makkai is the author of three other novels: “Music for Wartime,” “The Hundred Year House” and “The Borrower.” Her fiction has been published in The Best American Short Fiction, Harpers Magazine and Tin House, among many other publications. She lives in Chicago and Vermont with her husband and two daughters.

Joining Rebecca Makkai are Lesley Wheeler, Henry S. Fox Professor of English, and Edward Adams, professor of English. Each will discuss “The Great Believers” from a variety of perspectives. What does the novel tell us about relationships haunted by an oppressive sense of mortality, the human longing for community and the intricacies of family life? Further, what moved Rebecca Makkai to write about the AIDS crisis and the lingering effects of the crisis on those fortunate enough to have survived it? The discussion of these challenging questions should make for a most illuminating seminar.

Perspectives on the Middle East June 28–July 3, 2020

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espite reasons for optimism in some areas, many nations in the Middle East continue to face extraordinary challenges. Armed conflict and insurrection flare across the region, with bloodshed extending well beyond the atrocities perpetrated in recent years by the Islamic State and the Assad regime in Syria. An ongoing war within Sunni and Shia Islam, led by Saudi Arabia and Iran, has erupted. That contest, most clearly evident in Syria and Yemen, is now spreading to Qatar, Iraq and Lebanon. Egypt has clamped down on every form of dissent, justifying brutal policing tactics in the name of fighting terror. Egyptian President Sisi

and Turkish President Erdogan have in recent years not just consolidated their power but extended their terms of office.

In response, US policy in the greater Middle East has wavered, leading to increasing involvement in certain conflicts, attempts to escape others and uncertainty in most. In 2018, the U.S. announced its latest troop surge in Afghanistan. After cancelling talks with the Taliban last September, the U.S. is again looking for an off-ramp from its longest war. Support for Saudi Arabia’s erratic leader, Prince Muhammad bin Salman, has been surpassed only by support to Israel. While peace and prosperity remain the advertised objectives of U.S. policy, the path toward these objectives often resembles a quagmire.

Yet there is far more to this extraordinary region than conflict. History in the Middle East runs deep, and the variety of cultures, ethnicities and languages is vast. Islam is the dominant religion, but it means different things to different people in different places.

The roles of women are constantly changing, and women are now competing with men across a range of societal spheres. Perspectives on the Middle East will offer an introduction to all of these themes and to the broader heritage of the region. Participants will gain a greater understanding of the cultural and political complexities of the Middle East as well as some encouraging developments. W&L faculty include Seth Cantey, Robert Strong and Alia Bassiouny. Serving as distinguished visiting faculty are miriam cooke, Craven Professor Emerita of Arab Cultures at Duke University, and Bruce Lawrence, Marcus Humanities Professor Emeritus of Religion, also of Duke.

A Family Adventure in Science Outdoors July 5–8, 2020

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hare W&L and Lexington with your children and grandchildren in our special family-oriented campus program, built around amazing explorations and discoveries with the W&L faculty. Now in its 12th year, this program is specially designed for children ages 8-14, their parents and grandparents.

Are you ready for an active scientific treasure hunt in the outdoors? Grab your hiking shoes and notepad because the clues may be a challenge to find. Each one will lead you to the next exciting segment of our threeday adventure on and around campus. We’ll explore a creek bed for critters and discover how rich in life a simple neighborhood creek can be. Want to see how rivers erode bedrock in a cool science lab, then discover how it has actually happened on the river? We’ll hike along the Maury River through a towering forest of broadleaf trees and study the rock record written in the limestone cliffs along the river’s banks. Get ready for a picnic lunch on a rock that is more than a million years old! It could lead you to a discovery of what makes a plant thrive in certain areas of our back campus, or it might help you investigate the critters that live in streams and rivers. Like bugs? We can find them and learn more about their habitat and why it is important to keep it healthy for them.

If you’re curious and love adventure, this is the program for you. We’ll learn some basic outdoor skills, such as knot-tying and how to read a map with a compass, and collect stories to tell your friends back home, along with lots of useful knowledge for your next adventure.

This program will feature short field trips and laboratory sessions led by W&L science faculty. Parents and

grandparents accompany their children and participate in nearly every phase of the program. Space is limited, so we encourage early registration.

The Literature, Music, and Art of the Harlem Renaissance July 12–17, 2020

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merica is a nation of many voices. At key moments in our history, when social forces, popular culture and political life have coalesced, these separate voices have come together to form new national expression, new artistic achievement. The Founding Era is one example; so too is the American Renaissance of the 1850s. The period of the Harlem Renaissance in the early 20th century is another. Within a few decades, American art and culture flourished in ways that are still influencing our understanding of ourselves as a nation.

At the end of World War I and continuing into the Great Depression period of the 1930s, African-American artists created a community of art and cultural achievement that was remarkable. Fueled by the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural South into the great cities of the Northeast and Midwest, the Harlem Renaissance brought together literature, music, visual art, dance and other art forms in an explosion of creativity. Harlem itself became the focal point not just of African American art, but also of the nightclub scene, as the Cotton Club, Small’s Paradise and Connie’s Inn became centers of music, dance and social life. Political life was quickened, as the NAACP and Urban League grew in stature partly through their support of Harlem artists.

The leaders of the Harlem Renaissance form a virtual who’s who of African American cultural achievement: Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, W.E.B. DuBois, James Weldon Johnson and many others. Great jazz musicians formed a central part of the Renaissance. Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington, singers Bessie Smith and Billie Holliday, and the great dancer and fashion icon Josephine Baker.

In this program, we’ll examine the historical causes and context of the Harlem Renaissance. We’ll survey the major achievements of the movement, including Hughes’s great lyric poetry, Hurston’s fiction and the seminal essays and art of the movement. We’ll also enjoy selections from the music that defined the Age of Jazz. Finally, we’ll consider the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance and how this signal event continues to shape American thought and art to this very day. Serving as faculty will be Lena Hill, dean of the College; Michael Hill, professor of Africana Studies; and jazz expert and performer Damani Phillips, from the University of Iowa.

Short Program: Three Great Russian Composers and the Russian Revolution July 19–22, 2020

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he winds of social upheaval that swept through Russia in 1917 reshaped her musical landscape.

Already on the wane in Europe, high romanticism lost favor with the Soviet government. How would three of the towering Russian musical figures of this era, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Sergei Prokofiev and Dmitri Shostakovich cope with life in a postrevolutionary world?

Influenced by Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov, Rachmaninoff’s works were rooted in the romantic tradition. He composed music for orchestra, chorus and solo vocalists but is best known for his piano pieces.

Rachmaninoff fled Russia after the Revolution. While his music remained romantic at its core, it took on more chromaticism in its expressivity. We will examine some of his pre – and post-revolution works for piano, cello and voice to reveal the changes that took place.

Nose,” accused him of creating something that was incomprehensible to the people and ideologically wrong. By sampling his symphonic, chamber, piano and solo vocal works, we will reveal the paradoxes in his life and work.

Lamar Cecil, Kenan Professor of History emeritus, will discuss the historical context for these musical developments, while W&L music faculty Greg Parker, Julia Goudimova and Anna Billias will discuss and perform examples of the music of the three composers.

Prokofiev left Russia after the revolution only to return some 20 years later. His post-Revolution music exemplified the trend toward neo-classicism that also characterized the works of Stravinsky. This leaner, cleaner style squared with the doctrine of socialist realism espoused by the Union of Soviet Composers: Music should be concrete and comprehensible by everyday citizens. We will also study examples of his piano, chamber ensemble and vocal music.

Shostakovich never turned away from Mother Russia and was generally supportive of Soviet reforms. His First Symphony was the first Soviet work to gain fame in the West. However, his use of various compositional techniques sometimes put him at odds with the government. A 1930 review of his opera, “The

Sergei Rachmaninoff

Short Program: Poets of the Neighborhood: Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost July 22–25, 2020

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he poetry of Emily Dickinson (1830-1885) and Robert Frost (1874-1963) is familiar to us not merely because it is distinctively American but also because it is local. While New England was their common ground, their most frequent subjects were found in their neighborhoods. Dickinson’s poetic perceptions investigated her immediate surroundings, the birds and plants of her backyard. In “The Robin’s my Criterion for Tune,” for example, she contrasts England and New England, directly connecting her style and voice to the birdsongs and blooming flowers nearby.

The robin sings an “ode familiar,” and in response to that song Dickinson fashions her own highly original American poetry. The buttercup and daisy, the nut of oak or hickory, the deep snows of winter — these are the inspirations for Dickinson’s poetic tableaus.

another, and also to the natural world they explore in striking ways. Helping us appreciate their remarkable poetry will be Jim Warren, Mason Professor of English emeritus; Leah Green, visiting assistant professor of English; and guest faculty Mark Long, professor of English at Keane State College in New Hampshire.

For Frost, a poem like “Birches” begins with a simple observation of young birch trees bent over against a line of straighter, darker trees. The poet imagines a young boy riding the birches, swinging up and down on them in the exuberance of youth. He then recalls that he himself was “once a swinger of birches,” until the poem takes all of us to a farther place, “toward heaven.” Local observation grounds meditation, memory and reflection.

Another famous New England poem, “Mending Wall,” ponders whether “good fences make good neighbors.”

The seasonal ritual of replacing the fallen stones of a wall separating the neighbors’ properties becomes the poet’s ground for teasing his neighbor with new questions and insights. But like the swinger of birches, or like a good neighbor, Frost always returns to earth, close to home.

As different as they are in style, vision and voice, Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost are good neighbors to one Illustration by Sabina Radeva

Law and Literature Weekend Seminar: Russell Banks’ “The Sweet Hereafter” Oct. 23–24, 2020

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n its unparalleled run of 26 years, the Alumni College’s Law and Literature Weekend Seminar has relied on a highly effective model: gathering professors and participants to study a single work of literature from legal, ethical and literary perspectives. The results are exhilarating. Each fall, the School of Law chooses a compelling text, assembles a team of professors, invites participants to Lexington and inspires a unique sharing of ideas and responses.

The Law and Literature program for 2020 will focus on Russell Banks’ 1991 novel, “The Sweet Hereafter.” Set in a small town in upstate New York, the novel explores the tragic aftermath of a school bus accident that has taken the lives of many of the town’s children. Through Banks’s skillful use of multiple first-person narratives, we enter the lives of the survivors, the grief-stricken parents and the lawyer hired to file a lawsuit seeking damages.

Banks’s gripping novel, which was made into an awardwinning motion picture of the same title, brilliantly illuminates the personal impact of the catastrophe on several characters: those involved in the accident, those who must now deal with the consequences and those who are now charged with seeking justice.

For participants interested in the law, the novel also effectively explores the tort system (civil liability for wrongs). While the novel delineates the emotional and psychic damage wrought by the accident, it spends much more time on questions about liability, justice, the complexities of litigation and, ultimately, the process of healing. These and many other questions — including a surprising twist in testimony by one of the victims — are sure to inspire much discussion.

Teaching in the program will be law professors Brian Murchison and Dave Eggert, W&L alumna and author Kerry Egan ’95, Dave Caudill from Villanova Law School, and Mikki Brock, W&L associate professor of history. As a bonus to practicing attorneys, the 2020 program will again seek approval for two hours of Continuing Legal Education ethics credit. We welcome anyone interested in literature to this program — you don’t need to be an attorney to attend.

Accommodations, Dining, and Fees Accommodations Central to the pleasure of the Alumni College are W&L’s lovely campus, the charming, historic town of Lexington, and the rolling countryside of Rockbridge County. Certainly, alumni remember this beautiful setting from their college years.

Through the Alumni College, alumni, parents, and friends can renew their acquaintance with W&L and the many amenities of its campus as well as former haunts in town and country.

The campus has kept up with the times, but time has not been unkind to Lexington or Rockbridge County.

W&L’s fall, winter, and spring weekend seminars continue to be a popular feature of the Alumni College, for the programs offer participants a substantive weekend getaway in the beautiful environs of Lexington and Rockbridge County.

Participants stay in local inns, with the program, receptions, dinner, and lunch on campus. Programs begin on Friday afternoon and conclude after lunch on Saturday.

Abigail Inn (540) 464-1444 Understated elegance within easy walking distance to downtown Lexington, W&L and VMI. Six spacious bedrooms with attached baths. Breakfast included. $145 per night

For lodging on campus during the summer at a modest additional cost, we can offer spacious, private accommodations in the new Village townhouses and

The Georges (540) 463-2500

apartments. Each Village apartment offers double-bed accommodations. Singles are assigned a private bedroom and bath. Apartments include kitchen, laundry, furnished sitting room, convenient parking and Wi-Fi access. Guests will need to provide their own towels and bedlinens.

If you prefer off-campus accommodations, Lexington has a wide array of lovely and comfortable lodgings, the best of which have offered a special rate for Alumni College accommodation. For summer programs, we recommend the following:

Lexington’s premier hotel properties, beautiful restored historic inns, one at the corner of Main and Washington Streets, and the other on Main Street. Breakfast included. $157 per night

Hampton Inn Col Alto (540) 463-2223

Enjoy the historic charm of the 1827 Col Alto Manor House and adjoining sleeping rooms with all the modern conveniences. Breakfast included, wheelchair accessible. $159 per night

Robert E. Lee Hotel (540) 461-8484

Lexington’s original downtown hotel is now fully renovated with all the modern conveniences. Wheelchair accessible, Fitness center, morning coffee service. $159 per night

Wingate Inn (540) 464-8100

Pleasant, well-maintained motel off I-64 one mile from downtown Lexington, W&L. Spacious bedrooms with connecting rooms available. Indoor pool, Wi-Fi, breakfast included. Smoke-free property. $109 per night

*** If you would prefer alternate accommodations in town, please consult the Lexington Visitors Center website: www.lexingtonvirginia.com

Dining Our summer program menu is justly famous. You will be served bountiful, tempting lunches and, following cocktails each evening, dinners in the main dining room of Evans Hall. We make every effort to accommodate special dietary needs. W&L’s national award-winning catering staff continues to be one of the truly outstanding features of the Alumni College.

Fees Six-Day Summer College

$795 per person

Three-Day Summer College

$495 per person

Family Adventure Program

$395 per adult;

$295 per child

Summer Housing Program Weekend Seminars

$15/pp/per night $225 per person

The W&L Traveller 2020–2021 Wild Alaska

Antarctica

St. Petersburg Seminar

Patagonian Adventure

World Affairs Cruise in the Baltic

Six-Day Getaway to Berlin

Scotland: Highlands and Islands

Flavors of Sicily

The Majestic Great Lakes

Her-Spania: A Woman’s History of Spain

July 27–Aug 4, 2020

Aug 2–10, 2020

Aug 3–13, 2020

Aug 8–17, 2020

Aug 9–19, 2020

From the Alps to the Adriatic Sept 23–Oct 1, 2020

Morocco: Medinas and Minarets

Jan 16–27, 2021

Feb 1–11, 2021

April 22–28, 2021

May 7–15, 2021

June 3–13, 2021

A Grand Canyon Rafting Adventure June 4–13, 2021

Oct 3–13, 2020

Jane Austen and the Georgians

Wild Baja: The Whales of Magdalena Bay

Great Journey through Europe

Jan 14–19, 2021

June 5–15, 2021

June 20–30, 2021

Wild Alaska: Explorations in the Land of the Midnight Sun July 27–August 4, 2020

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here’s a land where the spiritual relationship with the natural world remains an integral and vital part of daily life, where one can follow the paths of indigenous predecessors by foot and by sea and imagine both the beauty and challenge of a simpler lifestyle.

From the spectacular majesty of North America’s highest peak to the dramatic coastlines rich with marine

wildlife and massive glaciers, the stunning wonders of Alaska await you.

Here’s a plan: Let’s meander the roads of Denali National Park and behold the snow-capped mountains of the Alaska Range while keeping a keen eye out for the area’s ubiquitous wildlife. We’ll discover that grizzlies, caribou, and moose coexist with wolves, marmots, willow ptarmigan and the myriad bird life. Human populations also coexist: five Northern Athabascan Native groups share wildlands with descendants of the Gold Rush. As we come to know wild Alaska, we’ll enjoy exclusive access to deluxe wilderness lodging in the heart of the Kantishna region. Fully guided nature forays, hiking, gold panning and mountain biking will provide opportunities for an even deeper understanding of the nation’s 49th state.

At Kenai Fjords National Park, we’ll canoe and kayak in ancestral waters of the Alutiiq peoples with overnights at the only lodge within the 700,000-acre park. Paddling amidst curious sea otters, seals, humpback and orca whales and puffins, we’ll behold an awe-inspiring backdrop of hanging and tidewater glaciers, bergy bits and the Kenai Peninsula’s beautiful coastline. This unique land tour includes the best of Alaska’s interior and coastal treasures, led by W&L’s own Alaska expert, Jim Warren, who lends his insider’s knowledge for an even richer encounter in wild Alaska.

Price: $6,525 from Fairbanks, Alaska Operator: Alaska Wildland Adventures

St. Petersburg Seminar: Culture, Art, and History Aug. 2–10, 2020

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ussia’s most beautiful city, St. Petersburg, is wellknown for its world-class museums, dazzling theaters and the beautifully preserved baroque and neoclassical buildings along its winding canals. Some of the world’s most radiant artworks hang in its museums, and some of the world’s greatest performers, writers and musicians have walked its streets.

With accommodations for the week at the Helvetia Hotel, a converted 19-century mansion located just off Nevsky Prospekt, we’ll explore St. Petersburg’s past, present, and future through a series of lectures paired with guided tours. For example, a study of Russian literature includes a walking tour of some of the sites described by Dostoevsky in his classic novels. A day dedicated to the Russian dacha tradition includes a driving tour outside the city to a community of summer homes. Morning talks introduce participants to the people who have spent their lives in this beautiful city over its 300-year history and the accompanying tours showcase its art, architecture and visionary spirit.

We’ll get to know the ambitions and the accomplishments of the man who founded St. Petersburg, Peter the Great, and the women who ruled after his death, including the Empress Catherine. We’ll gain insight into the events leading up to the October Revolution, when Lenin and his Bolsheviks stormed the Winter Palace and hijacked the earlier revolution that had overthrown the czar. We’ll also learn about the 900-day siege in World War II that nearly destroyed the city. Against this backdrop of information, we’ll be able to discern the explosive birth, meteoric rise, enduring history and dramatic presence of Peter’s magnificent northern capital.

Serving as the W&L faculty escort will be Richard Bidlack, Martin and Brook Stein Professor of History and author of “The Leningrad Blockade: 1941-1944.”

Price: $4,395 from St. Petersburg, Russia Operator: MIR Corp.

World Affairs Cruise in the Baltic August 3–13, 2020

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ur latest World Affairs cruise offers another extraordinary opportunity to talk with leading thinkers about U.S. relations with the wider world, this time as we sail between several ports on the Baltic Sea. Joining us on the Le Dumont-d’Urville will be James Stavridis, former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO Admiral; Bill Burns, former ambassador to Russia and president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; and Robin Wright, The New Yorker foreign affairs analyst. With our days dedicated to exploring St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Helsinki and Tallinn, evenings will be spent listening to our esteemed guests in the ship’s stateof-the-art theater and engaging in informal discussions over an elegant meal in the French restaurant.

There could be no more peaceful backdrop to these thoughtful talks. The cities that ring the Baltic present a delightful blend of cosmopolitan life with centuries of rich history. Two full days are spent in St. Petersburg, where virtually the entire city is designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Stockholm offers a chance to see the stunning

Top photo: Studio Ponant/Laurence Fisher; Bottom photo: Fred Michel

Royal Palace. Helsinki is internationally recognized for its striking modern architecture, while Tallinn is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in all of Europe.

On Gotland, a walking tour of Visby is followed by a specially arranged, private choral performance at the St. Clement Church Ruin and a reception with canapes and sparkling wines.

Our floating lecture hall, Le Dumont-d’Urville, entered into service in 2019. This new ship features 92 staterooms and suites for just 184 guests. Onboard ambiance is discreetly luxurious, with five-star service, deluxe amenities, refined cuisine and a robust selection of fine wines. W&L’s faculty escort will be Rob Straughan, dean of the School of Commerce, Economics and Politics.

Beau Dudley ’74, ’79L, executive director of Alumni Engagement and his wife Julie, will serve as W&L hosts.

Price: from $6,990 from Stockholm, Sweden Operator: Ponant

Scotland: Highlands and Islands August 8–17, 2020

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e invite you to explore the inspiring history, distinctive culture and legendary sites of Scotland. Our itinerary includes the bustling cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh; the romantic, windswept islands of Skye and Arran; and the spectacular Scottish Highlands. Escorting our tour will be popular W&L British Isles historian Mikki Brock, who has been in residence in Scotland during a year of research.

We have many pleasures ahead of us: cruising the Loch Ness to Inverness (alert to monsters of the deep), sampling heavenly spirits refined over centuries and enjoying the iconic music that so beautifully illustrates the history and legends of this extraordinary land. We’ll wander cobblestoned streets on panoramic city tours, explore venerable castles, tour the Isle of Skye, visit colorful shops to browse works crafted by skilled masters, and perhaps even try on a traditional tartan.

This journey also provides private access to Culloden Battlefield and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, plus behind-the-scenes access to Glamis Castle. An additional optional excursion allows guests with Scottish heritage an opportunity to investigate their own ancestry, connecting personally with Scotland’s fabled history. One of the dramatic highlights of this itinerary is the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo — a thrilling international performance of music, dance and military maneuver. Edinburgh, popularly known as the “Athens of the North,” was built to the human scale, and it invites and amply rewards intelligent tourism, as well as hours of independent exploration.

Accommodations for this grand adventure offer splendid Scottish hospitality and all the comforts of home.

Availability is limited as the tour is likely to fill quickly.

If you would like to join us, we encourage you to act without delay.

Price: $5,499 from Glasgow, Scotland Operator: Orbridge

The Majestic Great Lakes August 9–19, 2020

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n W&L’s latest voyage across our nation’s inland seas, we’ll behold the dramatic shorelines and pine-forested islands of the Great Lakes, as well as many charming small towns and three major cities of America’s heartland.

We begin with a one-night hotel stay in Canada at the Hilton Toronto, followed by a tour of Ontario’s cosmopolitan capital before boarding the M/V Victory

I for our voyage across Lake Ontario. We’ll witness the thundering beauty of Niagara Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the world, before cruising along Lake Erie to Cleveland. Here we’ll experience the city’s remarkable renaissance along with several cultural sites, including the magnificent Cleveland Museum of Art. Popular cultural history comes vividly to life in Detroit at the Motown Museum, or you may choose to explore the chic boutiques and cafés of Canfield Street. Later, on Lake Huron’s Manitoulin Island, we’ll discover ancient native traditions amidst the island’s lush scenery.

The oldest city in the Midwest, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, is located at the intersection of three of the Great Lakes — Huron, Superior and Michigan. Here, we can observe the action at the Soo Locks, one of the world’s largest and busiest set of locks. Before our voyage ends in Chicago, we’ll spend an unforgettable day on Mackinac Island, where we’ll ride a horse-drawn carriage, enjoy a luncheon at the iconic Grand Hotel and delight in the city’s Victorian-era charm.

The M/V Victory I well expresses the grace of small-ship cruising. Featuring a tastefully appointed interior with only 101 staterooms, this newly refurbished ship will assure ultimate comfort on the Great Lakes. To enrich our travel experience, this voyage includes a stimulating variety of expert-led shore excursions. As with most W&L Traveller cruises, space is limited and likely to sell out quickly. We hope you’ll join us as we explore some of North America’s most remarkable treasures.

Price: from $5,258 from Toronto, Canada Operator: Go Next

From the Alps to the Adriatic: Slovenia, Croatia, and Italy Sept. 23–Oct. 1, 2020

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ere’s a veritable trifecta for the bargain-hunting traveler. Slovenia’s architectural treasures seem perfectly set amidst her natural wonders, including a Venetian-style coastline and Alpine peaks as far as the eye can see. Croatia’s chic towns along the Istrian Peninsula charm her visitors with period architecture set above winding cobblestone streets and a delectable food and wine scene. And then there’s Venice: The many waterways that link this archipelago of 118 islands once earned her the nickname “La Serenissima,” though a gondola float up the Grand Canal will quickly reveal that serenity has its livelier side.

Our itinerary begins in Slovenia’s seaside resort town of Portorož with an afternoon at leisure and a luxurious stay at the grand Kempinski Palace Portorož. Our travels then take us to the Istrian Peninsula in Croatia for a truffle-hunting tour. Back in Slovenia, we’ll explore the coastal town of Piran, renowned for its Venetian architecture, and then visit the home of the famous Lipizzaner horses. Thereafter, we’ll tour the romantic castle on Lake Bled, then take in the iconic sites of Solvenia’s capital, Ljubljana. An optional excursion includes Pula, Croatia’s best-preserved Roman ruins.

Our main program includes Rovinj, with all the exuberance and color of a traditional Mediterranean fishing village. Later, we’ll drive to Trieste for a visit to the imposing Castello de Maramare overlooking the azure Adriatic Sea. Finally, we’ll head to Italy for the splendors of Venice — the Bridge of Sighs and Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Square, along with La Serenissima’s fashionable boutiques, glass blowing exhibits, the enchanting labyrinth of the city itself and, yes, that gondola.

Like other Traveller programs, this tour offers a feast for your senses, showcasing some of the Adriatic’s lesser known destinations, charming local cultures and natural wonders. Did we mention that roundtrip air is included?

Price: $4,298 from Washington, D.C. Operator: Aventura World

Morocco: Medinas and Minarets Oct. 3–13, 2020 "Traveling . . . gives you home in a thousand strange places, then leaves you a stranger in your own land.”

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o wrote Ibn Battuta, the 14th-century world explorer.

Nowhere is this more apt than in his homeland of Morocco. Here, the sights, sounds, colors, smells, tastes and otherworldliness of its landscape stretches from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic and from the Atlas

Mountains to the Sahara Desert, filling your senses with wonder. We invite you to join us as we savor the cultural, historical and artistic diversity of Morocco.

We’ll begin our journey in Rabat, Morocco’s capital and home to world-renowned architecture, gardens and museums. Chellah, considered the most hauntingly beautiful ruins in Morocco, will be among the highlights here. In Fes, we’ll stroll through the oldest covered souk in the world, a market labyrinth selling fruits and spices, vibrantly decorated ceramics, textiles and leather goods.

Here, the intimacy of Fes’ narrow cobblestone lanes conveys the impression that visitors are very much a part of the community. Marrakech lays out its magic carpet for us to worlds we thought were lost. Djemaa el-Fna square comes alive in the evening with snake charmers and monkey handlers, acrobats, storytellers, musicians and medicine men. It is the fabled city’s social heart, where every evening is festive, glamorous and exotic.

An optional three-night desert extension features a luxury camp in the Merzouga Dunes of the Sahara Desert.

Here, we’ll enjoy a sunset camel ride and a lamp-lit feast accompanied by traditional Moroccan Gnaoua musicians.

As the sun rises over the dunes, we’ll awaken to a lavish breakfast and a day’s journey to the red-walled city of Ouarzazate for a final night in Morocco.

With five-star boutique hotels throughout, we promise you Moroccan memories that will linger long after you’ve returned home.

Price: from $5,995 from Casablanca, Morocco Operator: Destinations & Adventures

Wild Baja: The Whales of Magdalena Bay January 14–19, 2021

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n this compact natural history expedition, we’ll enjoy six extraordinary days in the company of majestic grey whales. This is not an ordinary whalewatching experience. We literally anchor among the whales in Bahía Magdalena, where mothers and calves relax after the longest mammal migration on earth.

We’ll see and hear them around the ship and venture out in expedition-landing craft for exhilarating upclose encounters. Magdalena’s 70-mile-long bay will offer us ample opportunities for interactions. While

whales are likely to be the highlight of our voyage, the Baja Peninsula is home to so much more. We’ll paddle through intricate mangroves aboard sea kayaks in the narrow channels of the Hull Canal or peddle fat-tire bikes along the remote beaches of Boca de Soledad.

We’ll beachcomb endless crescents of sand, studded with thousands of sand dollars on Isla Magdalena. Here also, we can view the many species of birds, including magnificent frigate birds and diving pelicans, in this world-renowned birding region. Throughout the voyage, we’ll choose from our favorite locations to hike in small groups and kayak peaceful shorelines, engaging with the region in the most immersive, educational, and enjoyable way possible.

The National Geographic Sea Lion is ideal for exploring Magdalena Bay. Intimate and inviting, her scale fosters a rewarding sense of community and esprit de corps, accommodating just 62 guests in 31 outside cabins. Our expert expedition team will illuminate the wonders of the region — desert ecosystems, seabird migrations and whale behavior — from every possible angle. Our expedition leader, undersea specialist, certified photo instructor and naturalists, plus a wellness specialist and video chronicler are all dedicated to ensuring a most rewarding voyage. You’re sure to discover, as we have, that, among natural history cruising, Lindblad Expeditions is THE class act.

Price: from $3,740 from San Carlos, Mexico Operator: Lindblad Expeditions Photos by: Bennet Goldberg

Patagonian Adventure Feb. 1–11, 2021

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e invite you to travel with us to one of the most mysterious and secluded areas of the world, Patagonia. With the spectacular landscape of the Andes, rolling pampas, Andean lakes, abundant wildlife and a wealth of fossils from prehistoric wildlife to ancient humans, the vibrant natural history of Patagonia has intrigued scientists and beckoned explorers for generations.

We’ll begin in Santiago, Chile, at the foot of the Andes with a survey of 4,500 years of pre-Columbian civilization in the Americas. We fly next to Puerto Montt, with its lakes, waterfalls, snowcapped volcano and famous fish market before pushing on to Punta Arenas, Chile’s southernmost city on the Strait of Magellan opposite Tierra del Fuego. From here, our expedition ventures to Puerto Natales the gateway to southern Patagonia. For the next four nights, the well-appointed Remota Lodge will serve as our haven of contemplation after each of our ventures into the awe-inspiring beauty of the region. On this portion of the trip, we’ll be able to choose our own activity and guide: trekking in a national park, horseback riding with a gaucho across the wind-swept pampas, mountain biking through majestic forest, navigating by boat around a glacier filled lake or visiting an authentic Patagonian estancia.

With excellent accommodations, all internal flights and superb personnel throughout, this is an extraordinary educational travel opportunity to some of the most pristine areas on the planet.

Price: $7,490 from Santiago, Chile Operator: Royal Adventures

We’ll visit Torres del Paine National Park, whose towering spires of granite, ice fields and glaciers will inspire indelible memories. Here condors ride on currents above the Andes, and foxes, rheas and guanacos give chase across the pampas. Returning to Santiago we’ll conclude our adventure with lunch and tasting of select Chilean vintages at the private Kingston Family Vineyards in the Casablanca Valley.

Photo by Kingston Family Vineyard

Six-Day Getaway to Berlin April 22–28, 2021

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his year’s Getaway program returns to Berlin, one of Europe’s most dynamic cities. The W&L Traveller’s Six-Day Getaway tours offer extraordinary value and convenience. Each international adventure includes roundtrip airfare from Dulles International in Washington, D.C. (other gateways are available).

The hotels are conveniently located and rated four-star, and each package includes guided tours, a welcome reception, two dinners, two lunches and full breakfast daily, with some free time available for independent pursuits. Each program is led by a W&L host or faculty member, with an excellent manager-guide serving each group throughout the itinerary. Busy people looking for short-term holidays will find just enough to satisfy their urge to get away and yet enjoy a substantive experience with enduring value.

A major city in the heart of continental Europe, Berlin presents a dazzlingly new image of Germany to the world. No other major city in Europe has seen more change in the past century: World Wars I and II, the Cold War, the Berlin Wall and the successful reunification of two politically opposed regimes.

Berlin has always been a center for the arts, from the time of the Prussian kings to the Roaring Twenties.

Every art form has shaped the capital throughout the centuries. But new developments and the city’s revitalized architecture have made the rebirth of the city even more dramatic. In addition to the impressive variety of historical and modern attractions of this dynamic capital city, our itinerary includes a half-day excursion to Potsdam for the legendary Sansssouci Palace of Frederick II. Our hotel is centrally located within easy walking distance of the Brandenburg

Gate and Museum Island. Consider this a further incentive to join us for a discovery of why Berlin is now the third-most popular European destination after London and Paris.

Price: from $3,295 from Washington, DC Operator: Jet Vacations

Flavors of Sicily May 7–15, 2021

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e are pleased to reprise the W&L Traveller’s Flavors of Sicily, one of the most enthusiastically reviewed of our land programs in recent years. Once again, our Flavors program will provide an intimate, immersive approach to a set of authentic cultural and culinary experiences. Here, in the most picturesque region of Sicily, we’ll converse with winemakers whose award-winning vineyards thrive on the flanks of Mount Etna and enjoy their boutique wines paired with savory antipasti. We’ll prepare such iconic dishes as pasta

alla Norma with Sicilian chefs, then enjoy them in the shade of citrus groves near the coastal town of Catania.

The beautiful landscapes of Sicily are populated by the spirits of ancient Greeks and Romans who found paradise on this island.

With easy access to the many sites on our itinerary, we’ll use only one accommodation for this trip, Taormina’s Grand Hotel Mazzarò Sea Palace. Superbly situated in the picturesque bay of Mazzarò, close to the cable car service up to Taormina, this five-star deluxe property provides exceptional comfort in a stunning setting. Each room enjoys sea views from generously proportioned furnished balconies. Excellent guides, including popular Flavors host Chiara Sanguineti, will lead us on many memorable discoveries of Sicily’s celebrated past. Our itinerary includes visits to Siracusa, the 2,700-year-old seaside city founded

by Greek Corinthians, and the phenomenal Roman mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale, Sicily’s 4thcentury domestic masterpiece and UNESCO World Heritage Site. During leisure hours, we’ll also enjoy Taormina, with our hotel only a cable car ride from her renowned Greek theater.

Veteran W&L travelers are well aware that space on these distinctive, superbly priced programs is limited.

We encourage your prompt registration.

Price: $4,995, from Catania, Italy Operator: Orbridge

Her-Spania: A Woman’s History of Spain June 3–13, 2021

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wo of W&L Traveller’s most popular travel leaders, Florinda Ruiz and Lorri Olán, have designed a fascinating tour of Spain, a nation of vibrant cities, culinary wonders and stunning art and architecture.

Our recurring theme will be the remarkable women who have helped to shape the history of Spain, from saints, queens and nuns to artists, scientists and lawmakers.

Throughout this traditional itinerary, many of the women who inspired the admiration and devotion of Spanish citizens over the centuries will at last have their voice.

Our program begins in Madrid, Spain’s capital, known for its historic landmarks, enticing street energy, and one of Europe’s finest concentrations of art. We’ll explore the city’s treasures from the Prado Museum to Palacio Real and from elegant Plaza Mayor to bohemian La Latina, sampling some of Spain’s best tapas. From Madrid, we’ll travel to the grand Monasterio del Escorial, the historical residence of Spanish royalty, and the charming Castilian town of Segovia. Thereafter, we’ll visit the medieval walled city of Ávila enroute to Salamanca, Spain’s famed Renaissance city and home to the prestigious Universidad de Salamanca, one of the world’s oldest universities.

We’ll next venture deep into Andalucía, entering this breathtaking corner of Spain through Córdoba. The obvious highlight is Córdoba’s 8th-century Mezquita, an immense mosque dating from 784 A.D. Dinner with local W&L alums will be another. In Seville, we’ll witness the dazzling Reales Alcázares, the Royal Palace boasting the greatest example of Mudejar (ChristianMuslim) architecture, as well as the passion of Flamenco during a private dance performance. We’ll conclude

with a tour of Granada’s incomparable Alhambra and a final banquet of Spanish cuisine in the Albayzín. Flor and Lorri will be with us throughout, sharing their enthusiasms and guiding our discovery of the role of women throughout the history of Spain.

Price: $6,590, from Madrid, Spain Operator: Criterion Travel

Grand Canyon Rafting Adventure June 4–13, 2021

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he Colorado River in the Grand Canyon is the standard by which all other adventure trips are judged.

Its rapids are known throughout the river rafting world: Crystal, Hermit, the legendary Lava River Falls and many more. But a river trip through the Grand Canyon is much more than exciting rapids. It’s also the hikes in side canyons to fern grottos, waterfalls and huge natural amphitheaters, the beautiful beach campsites on the river, the blazing canopy of stars at night and the shared

experience of the ultimate natural history trip with friends and family.

Surely there are few spots on earth that can compare with the Grand Canyon for scenic beauty. But its grandeur is quite unforgettable from the exciting vantage of a whitewater raft trip. The W&L Traveller has again chartered Grand Canyon Expeditions for an eight-day adventure on the Colorado. Our 37-foot motorized raft is designed for stability, so you and your family will be completely safe, as well as surprisingly comfortable and well cared for. From the river put-in beach at Lees Ferry below Lake Powell to the takeout pier above Hoover Dam at Lake Mead 240 miles downriver, the trip is perfectly paced to accentuate both the thrills and exquisite tranquility of the Canyon.

Throughout our trip, knowledgeable guides, steeped in the history of the Canyon, will enhance our appreciation of the highlights.

Again this year, we’ve chartered two rafts of 14 passengers each. The expedition will be accompanied by a W&L geology professor, who will help us read the rock record in the world’s greatest open textbook on the earth’s history. Participants will need to travel independently to Las Vegas, where our expedition departs by air-conditioned coach early on June 5 for Lees Ferry. The package includes all safety equipment, waterproof duffels, and tents. All meals are specially prepared by the Expeditions staff. Traditionally, this trip fills quickly.

Price: from $3,495 from Las Vegas, Nevada Operator: Grand Canyon Expeditions

Jane Austen and Georgian Treasures of South England June 5–15, 2021

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nglish novelist Jane Austen (1775-1817) is famous the world over for her deftly drawn critiques of Georgian society. Following the maxim that to know a person one must walk a mile in her shoes, we’ll follow Jane’s footsteps on an exclusive tour of the houses and settings of Austen’s life in the south of England.

Following a night in historic Windsor, we’ll travel to Austen’s home in Chawton, a quaint village of rosecovered cottages, where she wrote the majority of her published works. Chawton House, once owned by Austen’s brother, is now a virtual museum of her novels, as well as the works of other women’s writing. We’ll also visit nearby Berkeley Castle, where Lady Elizabeth Craven, a Georgian writer who specialized in travel writing, led a different sort of life. Included in our itinerary are architectural showplaces such as Wilton House, Montacute House, Bowood and Stourhead, each of them featured as locations for film adaptations of Austen’s work.

To understand Georgian society more widely, we’ll explore the towns of Wells, Lacock and Salisbury, as well as the country’s only surviving rococo garden.

Bath offers the best evocation of Regency society. Our private visits to No. 1 Royal Crescent, the Assembly Rooms where Austen attended balls, and the Fashion Museum with its period gowns, all evoke the vivid settings of Austen’s fiction. Finally, we’ll pay our respects to the beloved novelist at Winchester Cathedral, where she is buried.

Our splendid accommodations for this tour include seven nights at Bailbrook House Hotel, dating back to the 1790s and surrounded by acres of private grounds.

Located minutes from Bath, Bailbrook will give us easy access to all of the beautiful landscapes, stunning architecture and lavish interiors so artfully described in Austen’s writing.

Price: $5,990 from London, England Operator: Criterion Travel

Great Journey Through Europe June 20–30, 2021

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repeat of a popular trip four years ago, this generous four-nation river and land journey evokes the Grand Tour of Europe popular with American and English travelers of recent centuries. Our itinerary combines historic and cultural visits with grand scenery in the nations of the Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland. Among our destinations will be the UNESCO-designated section of the Rhine River, three

of Europe’s legendary railways and four additional UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Following an arrival-day tour of Amsterdam, we’ll begin our cruise on the Rhine River through the Dutch polder land reclaimed from the North Sea. Our ship is the newly launched deluxe MS Amadeus Imperial, unquestionably one of the finest vessels sailing Europe’s waterways. Our calls during the five-night cruise of the entire length of the Rhine include the German towns of Cologne, Koblenz, Rüdesheim, Mannheim and Heidelberg; the lovely Alsatian city of Strasbourg in France; and finally, Basel, Switzerland.

From Basel, we’ll travel overland through the verdant countryside of Switzerland. Here we’ll visit the medieval capital, Bern, and enjoy lunch in the Kornhauskeller.

Following two nights in lovely Lucerne at the five-star Hotel Schweizerhof and a journey to the top of Mount Pilatus, we’ll cross the Alps aboard the celebrated Glacier Express. Finally, in Zermatt, we’ll view the iconic Matterhorn as we travel aboard the Gornergrat Bahn, the country’s oldest cog railway. The program concludes with two nights in the Alpine resort of Zermatt.

With beautiful scenery, fascinating cities and cultural treasures and the fine accommodations of a beautiful river vessel and hotels, this is the W&L Traveller’s 21st-century version of the Grand Tour.

Price: from $3,995 from Amsterdam, The Netherlands Operator: Thomas P. Gohagan & Co.

W&L Scrapbook

“Hard to improve on the educational quality of the trip. Everything we anticipated — and far more.”

“Everything perfect, including weather!”

“One of the top trips we have ever taken!”

“The meals were excellent, and the staff could not have been more accommodating and friendly.”

“Just being In Tuscany, breathing its air and enjoying the hills and vineyards all around us.

Loved the pasta cooking classes, wine tasting, checking our special food scores.”

"Great venues, good guides, good food and great companions.”

“It was such a wonderful trip — I didn’t want to come home!”

“Extraordinary in terms of depth of experience: richly rewarding, intellectually challenging “I have told everyone I see what a truly mind expanding, remarkable, ’brain on fire’ trip this was! I cannot wait to sign up again.”

"My most vivid memory was Mount Etna erupting at sunrise, while the early sunlight cast its orange glow on the mountain and on the village below."

“The W&L voyage to Egypt was simply magical. Whether it was exploring the pyramids of Giza or sailing blissfully down the Nile in our private dahabiya, our guides were the gold standard for professionalism: infinitely knowledgeable, thoughtful and very personable. The hotels, the personalized service, the opportunity to learn from experts in the company of a fun, friendly group of fellow travelers — truly, the experience was perfection from start to finish.”

Additional Travel Program Information

Goals and Expectations:

The W&L Traveller Programs are designed to provide exciting and enriching educational travel opportunities to W&L alumni, parents and friends. All tour participants are expected to enjoy traveling as members of a group and as such can anticipate the many advantages of group travel, as well as changes, delays, or minor mishaps that may occur in any kind of travel, whether it be group or individual.

Our programs are closely managed by the personnel of the Office of Lifelong Learning working in conjunction with tour operators. While management staff will do their best to look after the individual needs of travelers, their principal concern, necessarily, will be the welfare of the group as a whole.

Program Selection:

The W&L Traveller Program is compiled by W&L’s Office of Lifelong Learning from proposals by the finest tour operators specializing in educational travel. Our sponsorship of specific tours means that tour operators have met our criteria of financial responsibility, established reputation, professional staff, efficient operation and general dependability. In contracting with tour operators, the Office of Lifelong Learning ensures that neither Washington and Lee University nor the Office of Lifelong Learning will be held liable for any failure by tour operators to uphold contracted services or to meet the expectations of our travelers. In serving W&L travelers, our principal agency is on behalf of our travelers’ realization of the program’s objectives and expectations as advertised.

Registration:

Reservations are now open for 2020-2021 tours and are honored in order of receipt. Deposits, which are requested

upon receipt of reservations, indicate your acceptance of the final terms of the tour package. Balance of payment is due upon receipt of final invoice or approximately 60 days prior to departure, unless otherwise specified by the tour operator.

Tour Costs:

Dates, schedules, program details and costs, based on information available and in force by Jan. 1, 2020, are subject to change and revision. Please note that all tour prices are per person based upon double occupancy.

Single occupancy is available on a limited basis for each program at a single supplement charge. For singles wishing to share accommodations, we will do our best to make appropriate pairings.

Cancellations and Refunds:

Unless otherwise noted, the initial deposit for all tours is fully refundable up to six months prior to departure. After this time, tour participants are subject to cancellation policies governing the particular trip in which they are enrolled. There are no refunds for unused meals, accommodations or other included features. Trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended.

Additional Information:

On the following page, please check the program(s) for which you would like to have an itinerary and package description and return the form to us via email lifelong@ wlu.edu or mail: Office of Lifelong Learning, Washington and Lee University, 204 W. Washington Street, Lexington, VA 24450. If you wish to make your inquiries by phone, please contact Rob Fure, Ruth Candler or Emily King at 540-458-8723, or email at lifelong@wlu.edu.

Registration Form Please send me more information about the following W&L Traveller destinations:

Wild Alaska (7/27–8/4/20) St. Petersburg Seminar (10/2–10/20) World Affairs Cruise (10/3–13/20) Scotland (10/8–17/20) The Great Lakes (10/9–19/20) Alps to the Adriatic (9/23–10/1/20) Morocco (10/3–13/20) Wild Baja (1/14–19/21)

Antarctica (1/16–27/21) Patagonian Adventures (2/1–11/21) Getaway to Berlin (4/22–28/21) Flavors of Sicily (5/7–15/21) Her-Spania Spain (5/26–6/5/21) Grand Canyon Rafting (6/4–13/21) Jane Austen & the Georgians (6/6–15/21)) Journey Through Europe (6/15–25/21)

I would like to enroll in the following vacation seminar(s) of the 2020 W&L Alumni College:

Institute for Honor Symposium: Presidential Leadership in Time of War Tom Wolfe Weekend Seminar: Rebecca Makkai ’99, “The Great Believers” Perspectives on the Middle East A Family Adventure in Science Outdoors The Literature, Music, and Art of the Harlem Renaissance Three Great Russian Composers and the Russian Revolution Poets of the Neighborhood: Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson Law and Literature Weekend Seminar: “The Sweet Hereafter”

Please reserve the following place(s):

I will be there.

March 6–7 April 17–18 June 28–July 3 July 5–8 July 12–17 July 19–22 July 22–25 Oct. 23–24

I will be there with my spouse/guest.

Please reserve campus accommodations. I plan to stay in town.

Name

Name for Badge

Name of Spouse/Guest

Name for Badge

Street Address

City

Telephone Email

Comments or Questions

Register online at lifelong.wlu.edu or mail, fax or email this form to: Washington and Lee University Office of Lifelong Learning 204 West Washington Street Lexington, VA 24450-2116

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(540) 458-8478

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lifelong@wlu.edu

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lifelong.wlu.edu

Space is limited, so early application is encouraged.

Please direct questions to Rob Fure, Ruth Candler or Emily King, Office of Lifelong Learning / Phone (540) 458-8723

Class

State/Zip

“The best things in life are the people we love, the places we’ve been and the memories we’ve made along the way.”

William Arthur Ward

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s I contemplate my departure from W&L, a place where I have worked for 24 years, I can say without hesitation that one of the most satisfying parts of my time here has been my work with Lifelong Learning and the Alumni College. The principles of this program are at the heart of the liberal arts ideal: broad-minded, deeply engaged learning in a wide array of subjects, to sustain the passion for learning that should inform the fulfilling life. I want my undergraduate students to embrace that ideal, to think of the life of the mind as a guiding principle to a life well lived, a principle that is always with us and always sustains us. Through this program, I have had the opportunity to meet generations of W&L alumni, parents, and true believers in the W&L mission. Early in my Alumni College career, I had the pleasure of getting to know Jim and Jo Ballengee — hence my profound honor when years later I was named the Ballengee Professor of English at W&L. This work has helped me understand the lived history of the university, and as much as any experience I’ve had it’s helped me understand what is truly special about W&L, what makes W&L a place of honor. I have also had the blessing of teaching and lecturing alongside the absolute legends of W&L teachers, such as Barry Machado, Brian Murchison, Karla Murdock, Tim Gaylard, and of course the great Pam Simpson. My mind has been expanded and my life enhanced by these experiences. And finally, I have had the great joy of working alongside a staff who are so dedicated, so professional, and so capable, that they have helped me to be a better teacher and scholar myself. Susie Thompson, Tracey Riley, Emily King, Ruth Candler, and my dear friend and trusted colleague, Rob Fure. You all are a credit to Washington and Lee, and I depart with a heart full of affection and a spirit filled with great memories of our collaborations over the years.

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— Marc Conner, President-elect, Skidmore College

Office of Lifelong Learning 204 W. Washington Street Lexington, Virginia 24450-2116

PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID RICHMOND, VA PERMIT #320