Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for November, 2012
A Home Run in Cooperstown
By Linda Tancs
Cooperstown, New York is the birthplace of baseball–the national pastime–and home to its museum. But did you know that it’s also a treasure trove for shoppers, opera and museum lovers, and theatre and concert goers? For instance, Fenimore Art Museum, one of the nation’s premier art institutions, is located here. This neo-Georgian dwelling houses a significant collection of American folk art and American Indian art, as well as important holdings in decorative arts, photography and modern art. The museum is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, presenting On the Home Front: New York in the Civil War.
An Amazing Ride in Canada
By Linda Tancs
Icefields Parkway in the Canadian Rockies is a gorgeous mountain highway between Banff and Jasper national parks. Aptly named, you will see ancient icefields, covering majestic peaks like Mount Chephren. Of course, you can simply enjoy the five-hour one-way ride, or stop and enjoy the hikes, glaciers or wildlife viewing including bears, moose and caribou. The road is open year round, but the service stations are closed from October to May from end to end. Don’t let that stop you. Try a short guided tour, like Lake Louise to Bow Summit, the highest point on the parkway.
An Eco Lesson for Kids
By Linda Tancs
Sandos Caracol Eco Resort & Spa, located on a beautiful white sand beach
in Riviera Maya, is one of the hottest destinations these days in Mexico. Because of its quiet location in the middle of a lush green area at the edge of the Riviera Maya exotic jungle surrounded by cenotes, mangroves and natural lagoons, the hotel caters to families. Of course, you’ll find a water park, video games, a jungle gym, trampoline and a bouncy castle. But the resort also boasts eco activities for children focused on teaching them to live in harmony with nature, like Sandos Planet, an educational program explaining the effect of our everyday actions on the land, oceans and atmosphere. We could all use a lesson like that.
Tingo is Bingo
By Linda Tancs
Worried about spending too much on that hotel room? Are you biding your time watching the rates like a hawk, hoping to hit the jackpot? Tingo takes the worry and hassle out of hotel bookings. You’ll get a refund if the rate goes down after you book a “Money Back” room and an automatic re-booking at the lower rate. Your booking is protected as well if the rate goes up. Tingo has already saved consumers over $58,000. Will you be next?
Where Conifers Reign
By Linda Tancs
England’s Bedgebury National Pinetum is home to an internationally renowned conifer collection, the most complete in the world, with over 9000 trees covering 350 acres. An hour away from London, Bedgebury is close to the Kent/East Sussex border. Voted “Best Picnic Site in the South,” the serene environs also beckon hikers, cyclists, horse riders and zipliners.
Crocodile Rock
By Linda Tancs
There’s this thing called the Crocodile Rock. No, not the dance immortalized in Elton John’s song. It’s a painted rock on the Isle of Cumbrae in Scotland. You’ll find it in Millport, the only town there, reachable by car ferry from Largs on the west coast. Of course, there’s more to do than just look at a painted rock. This accessible island, inhabited since the end of the last Ice Age, also boasts Britain’s smallest cathedral with incredible acoustics. Now that’s something to sing about.
Pumpkin Fever in Delaware
By Linda Tancs
Ever wonder what happens to all those Halloween pumpkins? It might surprise you to learn that people from across the country converge east of Bridgeville, Delaware to launch pumpkins into the air during the annual Punkin Chunkin competition in November. Now through 4 November, teams will use their engineering skills and ingenuity to hurl their pumpkins to the greatest heights. A nationally recognized event, a share of the proceeds is earmarked for charitable giving. What better reason is there to chunk than that!
Sharing the Sky in Nepal
By Linda Tancs
From November to March, you can share the sky with birds of prey in Nepal. Known as parahawking, you’ll paraglide with a trained bird in the Pokhara valley. The 20 to 30 minute adventure will set you back around $185, but approximately $10 from every flight goes towards vulture conservation projects in Nepal. Go ahead, fly like an eagle.

