Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Art in the Subway
By Linda Tancs
Stockholm’s subway (metro) system may not be the biggest or the oldest, but it does boast the world’s longest art gallery. Sixty-eight miles long, the tunnels exhibit artwork initiated during Sweden’s late 1950s cultural boom that continues to be updated today. Its 100 stations feature unique art on the platform, walls or waiting hall. The system celebrated a milestone, its 75th anniversary, last year.
Share this:
The Viking Age
By Linda Tancs
Danish prehistory culminated in the Viking Age, the period from A.D. 800 to A.D. 1050. During the Viking Age the first kings appeared, who ruled an area roughly corresponding to present-day Denmark and, at the end of the age, also ruled over England and Norway during certain periods. That’s just part of 9,000 years of history you’ll discover at the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen. Denmark’s largest museum of cultural history, it’s regarded as one of Europe’s best museums. A key exhibit showcases national treasures such as the Sun Chariot (a Nordic Bronze Age artifact discovered in Denmark), the well-preserved remains of the Bronze Age Egtved Girl, and an incredible collection of archaeological finds from the Viking Age. Self-guided and guided tours are available.
Share this:
A Unique Site in Maine
By Linda Tancs
Open seasonally, Scribners Mill is a 19th-century historic sawmill and homestead in Harrison, Maine. A unique site, it’s the only sash saw mill in the U.S. that was family-owned and is located on its original site in its undisturbed rural setting. Among seven restored structures you’ll find the homestead complex, a working blacksmith shop, shingle mill and a coopers shop. Tours are free.
Share this:
Cairo’s Grand Museum
By Linda Tancs
Opened less than a year ago, the Grand Egyptian Museum is the largest museum in the world devoted to a single civilization. Located near the Great Pyramids of Giza in Cairo, the venue displays, conserves and studies over 50,000 artifacts across 7,000 years of ancient Egyptian civilization. The entrance is marked by a hanging obelisk, the first elevated obelisk in the country. Inside, you’ll find galleries dedicated to Egypt’s most famous pharaoh, King Tut. Additionally, you’ll find colossal statues in the Grand Hall and a collection of boats from the funerary complex of King Khufu, among many other galleries. Advance ticket purchase is highly recommended.
Share this:
Hampton Carousel
By Linda Tancs
Built in 1920, Hampton Carousel is a historic carousel housed in a pavilion, operated by the Hampton History Museum in Hampton, Virginia. One of few antique wooden merry-go-rounds still existing in the U.S., it still boasts its original mirrors and oil paintings, as well as 48 intricately decorated horses rising and falling to the strains of the original band organ. Open seasonally, it only costs one dollar to ride this precious piece of history!
Share this:
Steaming in California
By Linda Tancs
Wildflowers peak in high elevation areas between July and September in Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California. It’s one of many things to see in summer, the park’s busiest season. Snow often lingers on park trails well into the summer months, though. Once it’s cleared, you’ll enjoy the sites the area is known for, like the bubbling mud pots of Bumpass Hell, the largest hydrothermal area in the park. Likewise, once the snow clears, you can hike Lassen Peak Trail to the summit of one of the largest plug dome volcanoes in the world. You’ll be rewarded with views of Lake Helen at the base, a high elevation lake that often has snow and ice into mid-summer. Another option is to drive Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway and enjoy the scenic vistas. A one-way journey on the 30-mile highway will take approximately one hour without any stops.
Share this:
Utah’s Largest Forest
By Linda Tancs
The largest national forest in Utah, Dixie National Forest occupies almost 2 million acres and stretches for about 170 miles. It straddles the divide between the Great Basin and the Colorado River in southern Utah. Whether you traverse it by highways or trails, you’ll be met with scenery ranging from colorful desert canyon gorges to high mountain forests, plateaus and alpine lakes. There are informational signs on trails, scenic overlooks as well as visitor centers to tell you about the area you’re visiting.
Share this:
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.
Share this:
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.
Share this:
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.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 