Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for March, 2015
Bounding Europe and Asia
By Linda Tancs
Associated with the boundary between Europe and Asia, the Ural Mountains (the Urals) stretch for 1,500 miles roughly north to south from the Arctic Ocean down to central Russia and reach into Kazakhstan. Among the world’s oldest mountain ranges, the tectonic activity giving rise to the Urals occurred about 300 million years ago between two long extinct continents. The range is divided into five parts: northern, southern, central, polar and sub-arctic. The southern Urals, stretching from the valley of the Ural River near the city of Orsk to the valley of the Ufa River north of Mount Yurma, are the most popular with tourists thanks to rafting opportunities, but you wouldn’t want to miss a glorious sunset over Shugor River in the polar Urals.
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A Taste of Valhalla
By Linda Tancs
In Norse mythology, Valhalla is the great hall where heroes slain in battle are received. You’ll get a taste of it in Uppsala, Sweden, a place rife with Viking history. In particular, at Gamla Uppsala you’ll encounter the royal burial mounds of ancient kings, which you can freely explore. Nearby is Sweden’s first cathedral, built in the 12th century over a pagan temple. Gamla Uppsala is a 30-minute bus ride from Uppsala central station.
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Water, Music and Light
By Linda Tancs
Themed water shows are nothing new, but few of them consistently make the world’s top 10 lists. Of that class, the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas rank supreme. Over 1,000 water-emitting devices spout streams choreographed to light and musical routines ranging from classical to Broadway. Running daily, it’s free, too. Now you have something fabulous to see once you’ve donated all your money to the tables.
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The Trail of Tears
By Linda Tancs
Following the passage of the Indian Removal Act of 1830, President Andrew Jackson engineered the forced relocation of the Cherokee nation east of the Mississippi River to lands west of the Mississippi. Forced to flee their homeland with little more than the clothes on their back, the exodus across nine states, marked by disease and death, came to be known as the trail of tears. This somber journey is commemorated in the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. One of 19 national historic trails, it passes through the present-day states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. A series of signs throughout the region alerts travelers to important markers such as documented original trails and historic sites or segments.
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Pre-Civil War Grandeur
By Linda Tancs
It’s hard to imagine that a landmark example of pre-Civil War opulence like the Morse-Libby House was once scheduled to be demolished and replaced by a gas station. Located in Portland, Maine, the mansion has all the signature elements of a classic Italian villa: rich detail punctuated with low-pitched roofs and a soaring, square tower. Its interior is no less impressive, boasting gas lighting fixtures, stained glass, a painted trompe l’oeil wall and ceiling decorations, gilded surfaces, intricate plasterwork and lavish fabrics, carpets and furniture. The mansion was built between 1858 and 1860 as a summer home for Ruggles Sylvester Morse, a Maine native who made his fortune in New Orleans as a hotel magnate. The house was later occupied by the family of J.R. Libby, a dry goods merchant, who made few changes to the property. It’s a good thing; the interior is the only intact surviving example of the work of famed designer Gustave Herter.
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A Place Apart
By Linda Tancs
It’s a place apart, an unspoiled and uncluttered island where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Bristol Channel. Situated off the coast of Britain’s North Devon, it’s Lundy Island. The views, needless to say, are amazing–even more so from the helicopter that runs this time of year (November to March) from Hartland Point on Mondays and Fridays. It’s the only way in until the MS Oldenburg starts running from April to October. A favorite of day trippers, you can also rent a self-catering property for a longer break; the options range from a 13th century castle to a fisherman’s chalet.
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Jewel of the Missions
By Linda Tancs
The legend of the swallows is a captivating facet of Mission San Juan Capistrano in California. According to the tale, a priest at the mission became very upset when a local innkeeper kept destroying the nests that cliff swallows were building in the crevices of the inn’s roof. He invited the swallows to build their nests instead at the mission, established in 1776 by a Franciscan priest. And the invite did not go unheeded. Old mud nests clinging to the stone church, the swallows arrive to rebuild their homes every year in March–on the nineteenth day, as a matter of fact–St. Joseph’s Day. The event is marked by an annual celebration at the Mission on 19 March that includes ringing of historic bells, live mariachi music and a special guest lecture on cliff swallows. The birds leave for their winter home in Argentina in October.
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China’s Hawaii
By Linda Tancs
Virtually at the same latitude as Hawaii, China’s Hainan Island has no winter. Not surprisingly, it’s affectionately known as the “eastern Hawaii.” The beaches, tropical scenery, and yes, coconut plantations are all reminiscent of America’s 50th state. Coconut has been so prevalent since ancient times that the island is also called “Coconut Island.” In late March or early April there’s an annual international coconut festival celebrated in Haikou. As yet unspoiled by rampant tourism, the island’s primary visitors are Chinese and Russian.
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Cocktails and Creatures
By Linda Tancs
Talk about creature comforts. For one week beginning on 19 March some lucky pub goers will be able to get up close and personal to one of Nature’s most fascinating raptors: the owl. Annie the Owl and her posse will be the nocturnal guests of honor at a pop-up bar in Soho, London. A ticket lottery will determine who gets dibs at a two-hour, two-drinks encounter. Fashioned after the wildly (no pun intended) popular owl cafes in Tokyo, proceeds from the event will benefit an owl conservation group. Don’t worry–the owls will be handled by professional falconers to ensure their comfort and safety. What a hoot!
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Old Hickory’s Homestead
By Linda Tancs
U.S. President Andrew Jackson (you know, the one on the 20 dollar bill) gained the nickname Old Hickory as a result of his toughness on the battlefield during the War of 1812, a battle that ultimately won him the White House. Following the presidency, he retired to his much loved estate in Tennessee, The Hermitage. The main house, considered one of the best preserved early presidential homes, is a Greek Revival brick mansion, chock-full of original furnishings, including very scenic and stunning wallpaper depicting the tale of Homer’s Odyssey. The pastoral surroundings are punctuated with a small herd of Belted Galloways (sometimes referred to as the Oreo-cookie cow due to its appearance). In the southeast corner of the garden you’ll find the tomb of the president and his beloved wife, Rachel. Visited by millions annually, the property is located just miles outside downtown Nashville.
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