Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Official Repository for Aquatic History
By Linda Tancs
The history of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, includes its status as a premier location for competitive aquatic sports. Its swimming heritage dates back to the Civitan raft off Las Olas Beach and the Olympic-sized Casino Pool which opened in 1928. Decades later the city became the site of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Its museum has been designated an “official repository for aquatic history” by the governing body for Olympic aquatic sports. The hall of fame, which inducts members each year, recognizes aquatic athletes, heroes, contributions and influencers in the following disciplines: swimming, diving, water polo, artistic swimming, marathon, masters and Paralympics.
Share this:
The Carousel of Happiness
By Linda Tancs
Nederland is a little mountain town west of Boulder, Colorado. A gateway to the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area and Eldora Mountain Resort, it’s also where you’ll find the Carousel of Happiness, a restored merry-go-round. It features 57 hand-carved animals (only one of which is a horse, unlike most carousels) on a restored Looff carousel; Charles I.D. Looff was one of the great carousel makers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It turns to the music of a 1913 Wurlitzer band organ. Stop by for a spin and learn about carousel history with the exhibits, which includes a 1905 patent for merry-go-rounds awarded to William F. Mangels. It’s open year round although days and times vary according to the season.
Share this:
Medieval Religious Life in France
By Linda Tancs
Located around 80 miles from Paris, France, Sens was once a major center of medieval religious life. Sens Cathedral, pioneering Gothic architecture and dating to the 12th century, became a place of refuge for the exiled and martyred archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. Relics associated with Becket can be seen at the recently reopened Sens Museum, housed in the former archbishop’s palace. Although the French Revolution proved catastrophic for many churches, whose interiors were stripped or repurposed, the cathedral escaped the worst of this destruction. As a result, it boasts four 12th-century stained-glass windows, an 18th-century choir screen and the marble mausoleum of Louis, the dauphin of France, son of King Louis XV. Beyond the city’s Gothic splendor, it’s also known for its vast amount of half-timbered buildings and local viticulture.
Share this:
A Presidential Outlaw’s Retreat
By Linda Tancs
Robin Hood is a legendary English outlaw in folklore, famed for living in Sherwood Forest. His political equivalent in the U.S. might be the nation’s tenth president, John Tyler, the first vice president to ascend following the death of a president. A confessed maverick, he refused to govern under the policies set by his predecessor and was ultimately excommunicated by his party. Perhaps not surprisingly, he named his retirement retreat Sherwood Forest Plantation. Located in Charles City, Virginia, he lived there from 1842 until his death in 1862. The house, circa 1720, is a classic example of Virginia Tidewater design and remains the longest frame house in America at over 300 feet. The Tyler family still maintain the plantation today. House tours are available by appointment. A self-guided grounds tour encompasses the exterior of the house and 21 numbered stations.
Share this:
Goddess of the Sky
By Linda Tancs
The Nepali name for Mount Everest is Sagarmatha, which means “goddess of the sky.” It’s certainly an appropriate moniker, considering that Mount Everest is the world’s highest mountain above sea level at 29,032 feet. The famous mountain is a key feature of Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Not surprisingly, hiking and trekking are primary activities, with popular routes including the Everest Base Camp trek, Gokyo Lakes trek, treks to Ama Dablam base camp and, of course, scaling the great peak itself. If mountaineering isn’t your forte, then consider a helicopter tour, or photography, or wildlife spotting such as the Himalayan monal, musk deer or Himalayan tahr. Visit now for clear views and favorable trekking conditions.
Share this:
Britain’s Elegant Viaduct
By Linda Tancs
Originally built in 1838 to carry the London-Brighton line over the River Ouse, Ouse Valley Viaduct has sometimes been described as Britain’s most elegant viaduct. It certainly does strike quite the pose, which makes it a favorite of shutterbugs. Standing at 95 feet tall, the viaduct has 37 arches stretching nearly 1,500 feet across the Ouse Valley and over the River Ouse, carrying over 100 trains each day. This iconic red brick viaduct sits in a remote countryside location north of Haywards Heath and south of the village of Balcombe, West Sussex.
Share this:
A North American Fjord
By Linda Tancs
Carved by glaciers during the Ice Age, the 62-mile-long Saguenay fjord north of Quebec City is the only navigable fjord in North America. It forms a major part of the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, formed in Canada in 1998 to protect the unique ecosystem where the fjord meets the St. Lawrence River. Between May and October, up to 13 species of whales are found in the park, including blue whales and humpbacks. Whale watching cruise companies typically operate through the end of October.
Share this:
Music City’s Walk of Fame
By Linda Tancs
Located on Demonbreun Street on Nashville’s Music Mile, the Music City Walk of Fame is a sidewalk tribute. It features in-laid granite stars honoring those from all genres of music who have contributed to the world through song or other industry collaboration and made a significant contribution to the music industry in connection with Nashville, Tennessee. It’s free to stroll and always open except for special events.
Share this:
Pennsylvania’s Only Seashore
By Linda Tancs
From its shoreline to the climax forest, Presque Isle State Park is dubbed Pennsylvania’s only seashore. A French word, “presque” means “almost an island.” The park’s coastline is formed by a migrating, recurved sand spit, created 11,000 years ago from moraine deposits of retreating glaciers. A National Natural Landmark, Presque Isle is a favorite spot for migrating birds (particularly waterfowl this time of year) as well as monarch butterflies. Check with the park office for seasonal beach opening hours.
Share this:
Mushroom Houses
By Linda Tancs
Both an artist and an architect, master builder Earl Young gained a reputation for constructing homes that blend in with their surroundings. For that reason, they’ve come to be known as Gnome Homes, Mushroom Houses or Hobbit Houses. Located in Charlevoix, Michigan, they’re made from locally sourced stone and feature cedar-shake roofs. The iconic dwellings (26 homes and four commercial buildings) include such shutterbug favorites as Mushroom House (the mushroom-like dwelling that gives all the houses their most common moniker), Half House (looking like two halves), Thatch Roof House and Owl House (resembling an owl). A self-guided tour map is available from the Visitors Center at 109 Mason Street. Be aware that the homes are privately owned and not open for interior tours.
