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
The City of Five Seasons
By Linda Tancs
In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the folks believe that taking time to smell the roses extends life, almost like adding a fifth season to the calendar. That’s the basis behind the city’s tagline, The City of Five Seasons. For all the history, arts and culture that flourish in Iowa’s second largest city, you may very well need a fifth season to experience it all. Start with a focal point like Brucemore, a classic 19th century Queen Anne-style house on a 26-acre estate in the heart of the city. Caroline Soutter Sinclair built the mansion between 1884 and 1886 as a home for her six children; it’s only been owned by two families since that time. Now operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, this historic site is also an important community cultural center, offering concerts, theatre, special tours and exhibits. Guided mansion tours start this month.
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The Hawk Walk
By Linda Tancs
Established in 1967, the International Centre for Birds of Prey is the world’s oldest and largest center dedicated to birds of prey–owls, hawks, eagles, kites and vultures. Now shared across two locations in the U.K. (Newent and Duncombe), this epicenter for raptor breeding and conservation offers three different flying displays daily. Most of the trained birds are located at the Hawk Walk. Head for the flying fields at the end of the walk. Awash in daffodils this time of year, the flying demonstrations and natural surroundings are a photographer’s delight.
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The Crown Jewel of Jump Racing
By Linda Tancs
The focus of jumping season in England is The Festival at Cheltenham. Taking place today through 13 March at Prestbury Park, it’s the place where dreams are made, where the best horses, jockeys and trainers forge their reputation for excellence amidst a crowd of 235,000 people. The environment isn’t too shabby, either. Located at the edge of the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, Cheltenham is a Regency spa town with a flair for culture and style.
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America’s Best Kept Secret
By Linda Tancs
It isn’t necessarily the secluded white sand beaches, marine life or water sports rendering the Northern Mariana Islands America’s best kept secret. Sure, you’ll find those assets in lots of places. What you won’t find elsewhere in America are captivating Micronesian sunsets and the busiest airport in the world during World War II. Together with indigenous culture, nightlife and shopping, the islands of Saipan, Tinian and Rota offer visitors irresistible hospitality in a sparsely populated paradise. Sample a local delicacy while you’re there like apigi (young coconut wrapped in banana leaves and roasted).
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Where Java Rules
By Linda Tancs
Surakarta (also called Solo) in Indonesia is where Java rules. And no, that doesn’t mean coffee. This city in Central Java exudes Javanese culture, like the courtly dances evocative of a royal bygone era. It’s also the heartland for traditional batik and the rich yellow hues characteristic of the area. Batik is so prized that there’s an annual batik carnival to celebrate this popular form of Javanese art.
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Spanning the Narrows in Venezuela
By Linda Tancs
Punctuated by the Angostura Bridge connecting it with the rest of Venezuela, Ciudad Bolívar is a historical city featuring houses, buildings and a cathedral dating to the colonial period. Formerly named Angostura because of its location on the narrowest part of the Orinoco River, it enjoys the distinction of being the site where the first Venezuelan newspaper, El Correo del Orinoco, was printed. That newspaper building, housing the original printing press, is now Bolivar Museum. he night views of the cathedral and Paseo Orinoco are spectacular. For another spectacular view, be sure to visit nearby Angel Falls, the highest waterfall in the world. Named for an aviator who flew over the falls, its immense height (15 times higher than Niagara Falls) is enough justification for the heavenly moniker.
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Where America’s Sun Sets
By Linda Tancs
In the heart of Polynesia, America’s sun sets. And no, it isn’t Hawaii (although America’s 50th state does constitute one of three points of the Polynesian triangle). It’s American Samoa, an island territory in the South Pacific comprising five volcanic islands and two atolls. Its national park is one of the most remote in the United States. Covering three of the islands, the predominate land mass of the park is rainforest, promising lush views amid long, unhurried hikes. This is a must-see for the ecotourist seeking an unspoiled, uncrowded destination.
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Historic Mount Holly
By Linda Tancs
Revolutionary War history abounds in New Jersey, even in a small town like Mount Holly in Burlington County. It was there that a diversionary tactic was executed that resulted in a reduction of enemy forces in Trenton, enabling George Washington to capture the state’s capital city. Known as the Battle of Iron Works Hill, it’s just one of several sites in town with ties to the war. Another notable is The Old School House, used by the British army as a temporary stable for their horses during their retreat from Philadelphia in 1778. The Friends Meeting House, used by the British as a commissary in 1778, is where the New Jersey State Legislature met in 1779. A private residence, the Stephen Girard House is where the Girard family resided and operated a business during the war. Girard later became a prominent financier and philanthropist, funding the government’s battle during the War of 1812. In 2006, he was ranked the fourth wealthiest person in United States history.
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