Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for August, 2016
Doggone Good Travel Advice
By Linda Tancs
Want some doggone good travel advice? Then head over to BringFido.com, an information center for all things related to traveling with dogs. Their dog friendly city guides rank more than 10,000 cities worldwide for their popularity among dog owners and general “dog friendliness.” Once you’ve found the perfect locale, the site will also give you the scoop on the best places to stay, play and eat, including a forum for information sharing.
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Florida’s First Magic Kingdom
By Linda Tancs
Before The Mouse, there was the house—that is, the Tampa Bay Hotel, a lavishly grand hotel built by railroad magnate Henry B. Plant as a respite for wealthy Northerners. Affectionately referred to as Florida’s first “Magic Kingdom,” the 1891 Victorian-era getaway with soaring minarets (inspired by trips to the Middle East) is a National Historic Landmark now occupied by the University of Tampa. A section of the building is reserved as the Henry B. Plant Museum, featuring original opulent furnishings and artifacts from the hotel collected by Mr. and Mrs. Plant during their world travels as well as educational exhibits related to the late Victorian period, the beginning of Florida’s tourist industry and the early years of Tampa as a small village before Plant left his imprint.
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Legendary Guitars in Pennsylvania
By Linda Tancs
Through six generations, Martin Guitar‘s legendary heritage has helped create music history. Located in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, their museum boasts a treasure trove of over 170 exquisitely crafted guitars that parallel the company’s history. A guided factory tour starts in the lobby of the Visitors Center, which houses the entrance to the museum. Their one-hour tours follow a guitar from rough lumber to a finished product, an endeavor requiring more than 300 steps to complete. Public and group tours are available Monday through Friday.
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Edinburgh of the Seven Seas
By Linda Tancs
The world’s remotest inhabited island, Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic (a U.K. overseas territory) has only one village—the aptly-enough named Edinburgh of the Seven Seas. Arguably as far from the madding crowd as one can get, it’s home to less than 300 citizens. An active volcanic island with rare wildlife, the nearest mainland city is Cape Town, South Africa, from which about nine ships depart for the island each year.
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Pomp in Edinburgh
By Linda Tancs
From its early days, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has been an international favorite, with 70 percent of its attendants coming from outside Scotland and half of that percentage from overseas. The word “tattoo” comes from the closing-time cry in the inns in the Low Countries during the 17th and 18th centuries—“Doe den tap toe” (“Turn off the taps”). The event is a musical extravaganza set amidst the backdrop of Scotland’s Edinburgh Castle. From the bleacher seats you’ll experience the sights and sounds of dragoon guards, cavalry bands, royal regiments and international dancers and drum corps. This year’s event takes place from August 5 to August 27.
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On the Water’s Edge in Geneva
By Linda Tancs
The annual Geneva Lake Festival in Switzerland takes place from August 4 to August 14. The event will feature dozens of food stalls, a parade, a carnival and concerts. Don’t miss the fireworks display on August 13 that will illuminate la Rade, the landmark water jet on the lake.
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Where Spring is Eternal
By Linda Tancs
Medellín is Colombia’s second city. Set in the Aburrá Valley, it’s surrounded by green mountains and enjoys springlike weather year round, earning it the moniker “City of Eternal Spring.” The city has come a long way since its darker days as the center of Pablo Escobar’s drug operation and related violence. In fact, in 2013, it was named the most innovative city in the world in The Wall Street Journal’s City of the Year Contest. Call it a model of industrial chic, with sleek new buildings housing cultural centers as well as an airborne gondola system and escalators hugging the hillside, both leading to inspiring views. The view is equally inspiring on the ground this time of year, when the flower festival ends with a parade of flower farmers. They transport beautiful floral arrangements, many weighing up to 150 pounds and measuring 15 feet in diameter.
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Second Life for Historic Ocean Liner
By Linda Tancs
In 1952, the SS United States took its maiden voyage to Europe and broke the transatlantic speed record. Over 100 feet longer than Titanic, it was the ship of choice for a who’s who including the likes of Marlon Brando, Salvador Dali, Grace Kelly and four U.S. presidents. Retired from active service in 1969, the ship has been moored in South Philadelphia since 1996. Now owned by a conservancy group, the old gal is being readied for a comeback thanks to Crystal Cruises. The luxury line recently announced plans to resurrect it as a 400-suite, 800-passenger ocean liner.
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