Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for December, 2009
Dining Guide For New Year’s Revelers
By Linda Tancs
We’ll take a cup of kindness yet for auld lang syne, as the song goes. Would you like a four-course meal with that? How about seven? Barcelona’s Noti restaurant is offering a four-course, fixed-price fiesta for 120 euros per person. For less than 100 euros, you can add 3 more courses along with a midnight snack and fireworks at Hamburg’s Landhaus Dill. Look up more specials like these at The Europe Restaurant Guide. Happy eating, and happy new year!
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The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.
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Petrol Costs Wallop Travelers
By Linda Tancs
The economy may yield more hotel vacancies in Europe than one would otherwise expect, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the cost of petrol, averaging over seven U.S. dollars per gallon in countries like France and Italy. And if you’d bank on using plastic to settle the bill, consider this: your card must have a computer chip in it, technology increasingly adopted in Europe to combat credit and debit card fraud. The use of the card is effectuated by verifying a PIN (personal identification number). It does not appear that any U.S. credit and debit cards currently possess this “chip and PIN” technology for use in Europe. The solution? Buy your petrol with cash on weekdays when an attendant is usually present, and avoid the chip and PIN conundrum you’ll likely encounter on weekends.
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Cashless Cabins
By Linda Tancs
As of December 1, 2009, travelers flying on Delta and Northwest in North America, Central America and the Caribbean became aware that cash is decidedly not king. In a move geared towards expediting the onboard payment process, customers flying within and among these destinations will have to use credit to pay for their munchies. The rule, however, does not affect trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific and South American flights or duty-free items.
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Going to the North Pole
By Linda Tancs
The North Pole is a lot closer than you think–as in North Pole, New York, in the High Peaks area of New York State’s Adirondack Park. Like its more northern cousins (e.g., Alaska and Lapland’s Santa Claus Village), the New York version celebrates its famous moniker with a Christmas themed family amusement park sporting rides, shows and shops for children and adults of all ages. For those dreaming of a white Christmas, this is the place to be. On any given year, the weather data suggests a 96% chance of any amount of snow for the holiday. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow–and Merry Christmas!
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All Aboard the Polar Express
By Linda Tancs
In that classic essay “Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus” an editorial writer for a now-defunct New York paper tells little Virginia O’ Hanlon that there is a Santa Claus. In some cases, it may take more than a newspaper writer to believe in the jolly old fellow. Indeed, it could take a magic train–like the Polar Express. Across the country, coal-fired, steam-operated vintage trains take a page from Chris Van Allsburg’s popular children’s book, “The Polar Express,” ferrying their young charges (and their parents) on a picture-perfect journey to the “North Pole.” There, Santa and his elves board the train, dishing out goodies and singing Christmas carols. Surely, that makes glad the heart of childhood–or any heart, for that matter.
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Slopes are Recession Proof
By Linda Tancs
According to the National Ski Areas Association, the 2008/2009 season is the fourth best on record despite an agonizing recession. That might not seem all that surprising to enthusiasts in ski-heavy areas like California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Wyoming–well, you get the idea. But look east to New Jersey and you’ll find a welcome uptick, quite an accomplishment for a state facing one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation. And with fresh snow from this weekend’s blizzard-like weather event, things are bound to look rosier. So before you head west for skiing’s traditional mecca, maybe you should try out one of New Jersey’s signature resorts–Hidden Valley, Campgaw Mountain or Mountain Creek. Hidden Valley Club resort is open to the public this season, but thereafter an uncrowded atmosphere will be assured on weekends with private membership. At Campgaw, the whole family can partake in skiing, snowboarding or tubing. Speaking of snowboarding, tomorrow is Go Snowboarding Day at Mountain Creek, which means you get a free lesson, lift ticket and rental. The West may have Big Sky, but New Jersey has the Best Deal.
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The Spectacle of the Everyday
By Linda Tancs
Pablo Picasso famously observed that art washes the dust of everyday life from the soul. Imagine what he’d think of the 10th edition of the Biennale de Lyon, carrying the theme “The Spectacle of the Everyday.” The exhibition, running through 3 January 2010, encourages visitors to contemplate art’s place in a world defined by consumption. Through sculptures, paintings, videos, photographs or installations by around 50 international artists, the complexity and diversity of simple human existence–the dust, as Picasso would see it–is celebrated. While you’re in the city, why not experience the rest of the culture and heritage of this region in east-central France? Get a city card for 1, 2 or 3 days, which includes free access to the Biennale.
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Transparency in Travel
By Linda Tancs
The dizzying array of airline charges can confound even the most seasoned traveler: second bag charge, security fee, fuel surcharge, exit row fee, holiday surcharge, food and beverage charges, tax, etc. What’s worse, you often don’t know what you’re getting yourself into until you hit the ‘pay’ button and that ‘cheap’ fare turns into something quite unexpected. For those who have long wished for an itemized list of those dreaded add-ons prior to checkout, your salvation may be at hand. A New Jersey senator has proposed the Clear Airfares Act of 2009, a bill intended to require airlines and ticket agents to notify consumers of all fees related to a fare in a timely manner. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation for further action. Stay tuned.
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A Millenium of Wine
By Linda Tancs
So what does Hungary’s Tokaj wine region have in common with the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China? Why, each of them is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Such a designation may seem surprising for a quiet, unassuming wine region less than 3 hours from Budapest, but the story goes that they’ve been harvesting the fruits of the vine here since the Magyar conquest over 1000 years ago. The medieval cultivation process has been well-received over the years; Louis XIV, in particular, called the sweet white wine produced here the wine of kings. You might likewise feel like royalty at Gróf Degenfeld Castle Hotel, a former palace set amidst the rolling hills of a 250-acre vineyard. The Degenfeld family offers great food, wine tastings and tours from this four-star hotel in the heart of the Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region. Considering the lush pastoral surroundings of this historic area, you’ll no doubt find a peaceful respite fit for a king.
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The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.
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A Cape May Christmas
By Linda Tancs
Cape May might not seem all that enticing for a visit in December, but the holiday seasonal offerings make this storied beach haven (the oldest in the U.S.) a must-see in winter. Learn more at Travelrific® Radio.
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The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services related to the travel destination of Cape May that are mentioned herein.
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