Travelrific® Travel Journal

Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!

Archive for June, 2008

New York’s Delaware River Valley

By Linda Tancs

From Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend, New York’s river valley towns in Sullivan County are brimming with events centered on, or around, their aqueous neighbor.  Join the fun.  Visit www.travelrificradio.com.

 

 

Carnival Dreamin’

By Linda Tancs

Family-friendly cruising should take on a whole new dimension in September 2009 when Carnival launches Dream, its biggest project ever at 130,000 tons. What distinguishes this titan from the rest of its clan is the ambitious array of kid-oriented features, including larger play areas and a water park. You’ll need to head to Rome for the inaugural cruise–kids in tow or not–that is, if you can afford it. Hopefully, today’s economics won’t impinge on the ability of this Dream to become reality.

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Ludwigsburg Festival in Full Swing

By Linda Tancs

North of Stuttgart lies the former dukedom of Ludwigsburg, Germany.  Noted for its 452-roomed palace and heirloom gardens, this Baroque-inspired town plays host to a summer music festival, aptly known as the Ludwigsburg Palace Festival.  Open through 27 July, events include an opera gala celebrating the festival’s 250th year, string quartets, musical interpretation of the spoken word and a classical concert with fireworks.  With some ticket prices as low at 11 euros (and even lower for children), it won’t even burn a hole in your pocket.  The hills are indeed alive with the sound of music.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it on sites such as StumbleUpon, vote for it, or bookmark it.  Thanks for your support!  Travelrific® was featured as Blog of the Day on NJ.com!

Routes Follow European Theatre

By Linda Tancs

The Culture Programme of the European Union sponsors a European Route showcasing the European architectural aspects of theatre buildings around the EU.  First to open was the German Route in 2007, exploring German theatrical architecture from the 17th to 19th centuries, including the half-timbered summertime theatre in Neubrandenburg, Frederick the Great’s private theatre in Potsdam, Gotha’s palace theatre and the much-copied 19th-century style playhouse in Meiningen.

A recent addition to the theatre trail is the Nordic Route, celebrating the historic theatres of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.  Visitors to Sweden will enjoy the theatre barn, a staple of Swedish cultural traditions, the oldest of its kind located in Hedemora.  Historic stage sets and props await visitors to Halden, Norway, site of an Empire-style theatre built by townspeople in the 19th century.  Saved from demolition in the 20th century, the Elsinore Theatre in Aarhus, Denmark is the oldest playhouse in the country preserved in its original form.

By 2009, five routes will connect culturally significant properties from Italy to Norway.  The three additional routes to open are the Italian Route, the Emperor Route (covering Austria and the Czech Republic) and the Channel Route (linking the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK).  Novelist Oscar Wilde regarded the theatre as the greatest of all art forms.  See if you agree.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it on sites such as StumbleUpon, vote for it, or bookmark it.  Thanks for your support!  Travelrific® was featured as Blog of the Day on NJ.com!

Mobility-Challenged Travelers Find Companions

By Linda Tancs

Mobility-impaired travelers can fret less about getting from point A to point B.  Former airline professionas have taken on a second life as traveling companions for those with special needs.  Their services include booking travel, handling airport transfers and keeping relatives informed of your progress on domestic and international flights.  This service epitomizes the phrase, a friend in need is a friend indeed.  Find them at www.flyingcompanions.com.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it on sites such as StumbleUpon, vote for it, or bookmark it.  Thanks for your support!  Travelrific® was featured as Blog of the Day on NJ.com!

Summer Solstice Along the Hudson

By Linda Tancs

What better way to celebrate the summer solstice this weekend than at the Clearwater Music and Environmental Festival at Croton Point Park on the banks of the Hudson River in Westchester County, New York. Founded by musician Pete Seeger over 30 years ago, the festival mixes environmental education with cool tunes for a warm summer weekend. You can even sail on a replica of a 19th century riverboat. So make like Tom Sawyer and head on over.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it on sites such as StumbleUpon, vote for it, or bookmark it. Thanks for your support! Travelrific® was featured as Blog of the Day on NJ.com!

Shakespeare and Beethoven, Perfect Together

By Linda Tancs

Boulder, Colorado brings you the classics this summer in equal measures of music and theatre.  From 20 June to 16 August at the Mary Rippon Theatre and University Theatre venues, Blue Mountain Arts presents a half century celebration of Shakespeare featuring Macbeth, Love’s Labour’s Lost and Henry the Eighth.  Maybe the Bard will inspire you to picnic at the Flatirons in Chautaugua Park, where you can listen to chamber music, the classics and international music from 21 June to 1 August.  In July, Beethoven rules with all nine symphonies presented from the 6th to the 13th of the month.  Just one more way to enjoy the mountain air.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it on sites such as StumbleUpon, vote for it, or bookmark it.  Thanks for your support!  Travelrific® was featured as Blog of the Day on NJ.com!

Bumping Rules Revised

By Linda Tancs

In follow up to our July 18, 2007 post, the U.S. Department of Transportation has finally issued its revisions to airline bumping rules.  As in the past, compensation for involuntary bumps will ensue for delays of at least 2 hours domestically and 4 hours internationally on aircraft holding at least 30 passenger seats.  The math in the event of this delay is this:  you get the lesser of 100% of your original one-way fare (including fees, taxes and surcharges) or $400.  If your delay is even longer (perish the thought!), then your compensation rises to the lesser of 200% of that one-way fare or $800.  You also have the right to request your payment in cash or by check in lieu of any vouchers for future travel.  That’s a good thing, considering the uncertain future of so many airlines these days.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it on sites such as StumbleUpon, vote for it, or bookmark it.  Thanks for your support!  Travelrific® was featured as Blog of the Day on NJ.com!

Paris on a Budget

By Linda Tancs

The French capital is rich with displays of cityscapes and architecture, festivities, sports, arts and entertainment.  But is it too rich for your wallet?  Fortunately, no–if you know how to stretch your euros in the City of Light.  Find out more at www.travelrificradio.com

Commuters Zip Along in New Jersey

By Linda Tancs

At busier transit hubs across New Jersey, commuters using rail and light rail services have another option to choose from to reach their intended destination–the Zipcar. The rentals, some of which are hybrid vehicles to benefit the environment, can be reserved online from NJ Transit for pickup at Metropark, Princeton Junction, Morristown, Montclair University, and Liberty State Park. Prospective users will need to complete an application for membership in the program and will receive a Zipcard to retrieve their reserved car. Customers must also return the rental to the station from which it was taken. Cars can be reserved by the hour or by the day at fees ranging from $8 to $73, respectively. Avis says they try harder. Move over.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it on sites such as StumbleUpon, vote for it, or bookmark it. Thanks for your support! Travelrific® was featured as Blog of the Day on NJ.com!