Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Copenhagen’s Climbable Spire
By Linda Tancs
Located in the Christianshavn neighborhood of Copenhagen, Denmark, Our Saviour’s Church boasts a magnificent organ from 1698 and a beautiful altar. Furthermore, the Baroque church has 40 elephant motifs symbolizing the Order of the Elephant, the highest order of chivalry in Denmark. Perhaps its most famous attraction, though, is the serpentine spire. Inaugurated in 1752, climbing all 400 steps to the top has become very popular. On the last 150 external steps, you will experience one of the best views over Copenhagen with an overview of the city from every angle at 282 feet. Entrance to the church is free; advance booking is recommended for the tower.
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Korea’s National Garden
By Linda Tancs
Suncheon Bay National Garden is South Korea’s first national garden. Occupying 1.12 million square meters, you’ll want at least half a day to explore the various gardens built in the style of various countries like Spain, the Netherlands, England, Italy, Mexico and more. The site also features a wetland reserve, one of the five major coastal wetlands in the world. Visit the Korean garden after returning from the wetland reserve in the evening. This is when the traditional Korean houses are lit up and particularly beautiful. You can use SkyCube, an unmanned rapid transit system, to move between the garden and the wetland reserve.
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Sweden’s Smallest Statue
By Linda Tancs
Beloved by locals, the smallest statue in Sweden is Iron Boy (Järnpojke). It’s located in Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s Old Town. Less than six inches high, it sits on a larger table in the courtyard next to the Finnish Church, looking up toward the sky (which is why it’s also referred to as “the little boy who looks at the moon”). It isn’t unusual for folks to leave coins or flowers or even to dress him in accordance with the weather. Legend has it that you should rub his head for good luck.
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A Norwegian Pilgrimage
By Linda Tancs
A network of nine pilgrimage routes, St. Olav Ways trace the legacy of St. Olav, king and martyr. Devotion to the saint, a Viking king credited with consolidating Christianity in Norway, began with his death in battle in 1030. The final stage of the trek is Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway’s third-largest city. Built over the burial site of St. Olav, the cathedral is Europe’s northernmost medieval cathedral. Of all the routes, many pilgrims choose Gudbrandsdalsleden, a journey spanning nearly 400 miles from the capital of Oslo to Trondheim. Taking around a month to navigate, it’s the longest pilgrim way in the country and was the main road to Nidaros (now Trondheim) during the Middle Ages. Regardless of the route chosen, though, you’ll encounter stunning Nordic landscapes, rich history and deep spiritual tradition.
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American Revolution Museum
By Linda Tancs
In time for America’s 250th anniversary, seize the Revolutionary spirit of the founding of a nation at Virginia’s American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. It tells the story of the nation’s founding, from the the colonial period to the dawn of the Constitution and beyond. Indoor galleries feature period artifacts, immersive environments and films. Outdoors, visit a re-created Continental Army encampment as well as a Revolution-era farm featuring period crops, a farmhouse and a separate log kitchen.
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Hot Chicken in Nashville
By Linda Tancs
Nashville, Tennessee, boasts more than one kind of fireworks on Independence Day. July 4 is also the date of the annual Music City Hot Chicken Festival, which celebrates (what else) hot chicken, Nashville’s unique culinary claim to fame. The day kicks off with the Fire Truck Parade. You’ll also find live music, an amateur cook-off and a collection of area vendors. The free event is held in East Park.
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Queen Anne’s Revenge
By Linda Tancs
Queen Anne’s Revenge was the flagship of Edward Teach, also known as “Blackbeard,” during the period known as the “Golden Age of Piracy.” It ran aground off the coast of North Carolina in 1718 and remains one of the oldest shipwrecks discovered in the state. Since its discovery in 1996, the site remains largely undisturbed except for the conservation, documentation and investigation of artifacts recovered from the ship. That work is undertaken by The Queen Anne’s Revenge Conservation Lab in Greenville, North Carolina. Free tours of the lab are available by appointment only. Highlights include pieces of a real pirate ship, including a 12-foot anchor and parts of the hull structure itself, and a warehouse containing one of the largest collections of cannon excavated from a single wreck.
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A Revolutionary Victory in New York State
By Linda Tancs
Fort Ticonderoga, located in upstate New York between Lake Champlain and Lake George, is an iconic 18th-century star fort. Capturing the fort in 1775 provided the Continental Army with their first offensive victory of the Revolutionary War and the artillery needed to liberate Boston. Visit Mount Defiance (included with a general admission ticket) for a birds-eye view of Ticonderoga’s epic military landscape and discover how the summit shaped America’s history. A combination ticket gets you a 75-minute boat cruise on Lake Champlain.
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Norwegian History in Iowa
By Linda Tancs
Decorah, Iowa, is a small town known for its scenic bluffs, waterfalls, and canoeing. It’s also a cultural hub, known for its Norwegian heritage. It’s where you’ll find Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School. The museum building includes artifacts from home life in 19th-century Norway, a 25-foot wooden sailboat, an immigrant log house from 1853, and countless displays of folk art. Heritage Park on Vesterheim’s campus includes 12 historic buildings in an open-air setting depicting the story of immigration, showcasing life in Norway in the 1800s and then life for immigrants in America. With over 33,000 artifacts, Vesterheim is one of the most comprehensive museums in the United States dedicated to a single immigrant group. The campus is open daily.
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Where the Ice Age Lingers
By Linda Tancs
West of Seward, Alaska, Kenai Fjords National Park on the Kenai Peninsula comprises the Harding Icefield, its outflowing glaciers, and coastal fjords and islands. With nearly 40 glaciers flowing from the icefield, you might say it’s a place where the Ice Age lingers. Visitors primarily access the park by road to Exit Glacier and by water along its stunning coast. Perhaps you’d like to hike the Harding Icefield Trail, or kayak, or take a boat tour to seek out playful wildlife and calving glaciers along Kenai Fjords’ rugged coastline. Humpback whales feed on the bounty of the fjords in late spring through summer. Ranger-led programs are offered between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day.
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