Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for June, 2009
The Rain in Spain
By Linda Tancs
In the musical My Fair Lady, Eliza Doolittle intoned, “The rain in Spain falls mainly in the plain.” Add to that: “but not in summer.” Low rainfall, particularly around–where else–the Sun Coast (Costa del Sol) makes Mediterranean Spain an attractive summer tourist destination. Too crowded for your taste? Then head northeast to the equally sun-kissed area of Murcia in the Alicante region. With only 300,000 inhabitants (and far less tourists), Murcia offers all the sun and surf of its southern neighbor for a fraction of the cost. Its focal point is the Cathedral de Santa Maria, a Baroque beauty worth a visit. Golf and gastronomy will round out your stay.
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California Needs Cash
By Linda Tancs
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says the state wallet is empty. All the more reason, then, to spend some tourism cash in California. You can spend lots of it at Chateau du Sureau in Oakhurst, four hours north of Los Angeles. Live life like those to the manor born in a resplendent country-style chateau, complete with all the accoutrements of a grand house of Europe. Take your tea in the Grand Salon amidst its floor to ceiling fireplace–or retire to your room with its own embers. Around the meticulously manicured nine acres you’ll find walking paths, fountains, a swimming pool, a bocce court and a life-size chess set. And Yosemite National Park is just miles away. What more do you need? Start packing.
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TV Fest For High Rollers
By Linda Tancs
So what do you do after the Monte Carlo Casino takes all your money? Well, at least now through 11 June, you attend the TV Festival at Grimaldi Forum. In its 49th year, the event is chock full of public screenings and autograph signings. Competition is keen for recognition as the best of worldwide television programming. The winners are rewarded with the Golden Nymphs statuettes, a rendition of the “Salmacis” Nymph by Monegasque sculptor François-Joseph Bosio. His original work is on show at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
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Friday Night Fever
By Linda Tancs
“Laissez les bon temps rouler” (let the good times roll) takes on a new meaning in Paris on Friday nights. Beginning at 10 p.m. on Place Raoul Dautry in the 14th arrondissement the rolls of inline skates roar through the streets on a 3-hour tour of the city (weather permitting). The 18-mile route is not meant for the casual skater; the level of difficulty differs widely (think: Tour de France). The organization responsible for this endurance test, Pari-Roller, frequently changes the route; the trek for the week can be viewed on Thursdays. Think you’ve got the goods? Give it a roll.
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Underground Monument in Lithuania
By Linda Tancs
So what do underground music and Vilnius, Lithuania have in common? Answer: Frank Zappa. Zappa, the late underground music czar and leader of The Mothers of Invention, has a monument in his honor in the artsy neighborhood of Užupis. Although perhaps better known for his collaborations with former Czech leader Václav Havel as a cultural consultant, Zappa exerted a strong influence on the underground music scene across Eastern Europe. What better time to visit Vilnius than 2009 as the city celebrates its designation as a European Capital of Culture (or is that subculture?).
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Where the Kangaroos Roam
By Linda Tancs
Kangaroos are everywhere in Australia–no less so at Kangaroo Island. But that’s not the only form of abundance waiting for you in this 1700-square-mile piece of paradise just 30 minutes from Adelaide. The place is teeming with wildlife, but what else would you expect on an island that is about one third protected national park land? No worries, there’s more than kangaroos and koalas to see. From spa treatments to sand dunes and cavings to Clifford’s Honey Farm, there’s something for everyone. As English playwright Douglas Jerrold once observed about Australia, “just tickle her with a hoe and she laughs with a harvest.”
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Apache History in Oklahoma
By Linda Tancs
How many times have you, your children or your grandchildren shouted “Geronimo” down the slides or off the monkey bars at a playground? No doubt you’ve heard it many times. What few probably know is the history of the real Geronimo, the Apache warrior behind the fabled shout-out. Buried at Fort Sill National Cemetery in Oklahoma, historians seem unable to agree on much besides the fact that he was one of the last great Indian warriors of the 19th century, spending the last 15 years of his life as a prisoner of war at the fort after fighting against Mexican and U.S. forces for their infringements on Apache lands. Hardly a hostile prisoner, he became friendly with his captors and even attended the inauguration of President Theodore Roosevelt. Does that diminish his image as a fierce combatant? Visit his stomping grounds, and you be the judge.
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Sticker Shock in Cuba
By Linda Tancs
Now that travel under some circumstances from the U.S. to Cuba has been eased, don’t break the piggy bank for that traveling money. According to the official Cuban tourist board in Canada, that American-based dinero will not be as welcome as you might be. For instance, unlike euros, Canadian dollars or even Swiss francs, American dollars are subject to a 10% surcharge on exchange. Also, credit and debit cards and traveler’s checks drawn on U.S. banks are not accepted. That’s not to say that you can’t spend dollars at all. Save the greenbacks for the street vendors and relatives. In other cases, it might be best to go continental.
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Travelrific® Travel Journal 