Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for January, 2014
The Birthplace of Filmmaking
By Linda Tancs
Hooray for…Fort Lee? That’s right, the northern New Jersey borough’s filmmaking past gives Hollywood a run for its money. In the early 1900s, the former Rambo Saloon, a Civil War-era house on First Street, was used as a dressing room and as a front for the Westerns being filmed in the area. Recently saved from demolition, the house will be converted into affordable housing units.
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Town of Storehouses
By Linda Tancs
Kurashiki, Japan is an old market town near the Golden Route linking Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima. Dating to the Edo Period, the picture-perfect city is prized for its preserved canal district, dotted with willow trees and old storehouses converted into museums, boutiques and cafes. Don’t miss the Ohara Museum of Art (Japan’s oldest museum for Western art) and the displays of Bizen-yaki pottery, an ancient pottery style perfected over 1000 years ago.
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An Elevated Experience in Aspen
By Linda Tancs
There’s a crown jewel in Aspen, Colorado–and no, I’m not talking about the pistes. It’s the historic Hotel Jerome on Main Street. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the ski town’s grand dame was constructed in 1889 by Macy’s co-owner Jerome B. Wheeler. The luxe property has emerged from a colossal renovation and is, as Norma Desmond would say, ready for its close-up.
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Gliding at Canary Wharf
By Linda Tancs
London’s Canary Wharf boasts the city’s first skate path, a trail adjacent to the main ice rink leading skaters under lighted trees. For the timid, a limited number of skate aids are available to keep you vertical. Even wheelchairs are welcome on the ice. Enjoy it until 16 February.
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The Emerald on the Green
By Linda Tancs
Known as the “Emerald on the Green,” Galle Face Hotel is a Sri Lankan icon hosting royalty and other glitterati since 1864. One of the oldest hotels east of the Suez and one of the few remaining colonial hotels in Asia, it’s situated in the heart of Colombo opposite Galle Face Green. Its old world charm is being preserved through a restoration project in the Classic Wing, which will continue to house historical memorabilia and artifacts.
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Flagship Vessel Celebrates 10 Years
By Linda Tancs
This month marks the tenth anniversary of Cunard’s flagship vessel, Queen Mary 2. So what makes her so special? Let us count the ways: longer than three football fields, hostess of the first Canyon Ranch SpaClub® at sea, the largest wine cellar at sea, the only onboard planetarium and over five million dollars of fine art gracing the walls. Where else will you find all that in one place? Long may she sail.
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Europe’s Capitals of Culture
By Linda Tancs
The European Commission’s picks for this year’s capitals of culture are Riga and Umeå. Riga, the Latvian capital, is the largest city in the Baltic region. Its covered market is one of the largest of its kind in Europe. Umeå, in northern Sweden, is the northernmost city selected by the EU for this annual honor. During the weekend of 31 January to 2 February, Umeå will inaugurate the year with a spectacular Burning Snow music and dance recital on and around Umeälven River. Riga promises 365 days of enjoyment of Latvian music, fine arts, cinema and pop culture. The cities are also planning several joint projects to celebrate their capital of culture year.
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Happy New Year
By Linda Tancs
Hau’oli Makahiki Hou. That’s Happy New Year in Hawaiian–and what a wonderful time to visit! Those tubular waves made famous in print and film are in full vigor this time of year. Surf’s up. Are you ready?
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