Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for October, 2017
History of the Jack-O’-Lantern
By Linda Tancs
The Irish legend of Stingy Jack gave birth to the jack-o’-lantern. When Jack ran into the devil at a local pub, he tricked the devil into buying him a drink by promising him his soul in exchange for a sixpence. Well, when the devil transformed into a coin, Jack held on to it instead and covered it with crosses so the devil couldn’t change back. Eventually Jack relented but, figuring he’d have to fulfill his promise, he tried to buy more time by asking the devil to pluck him an apple to eat from a nearby tree. Then he covered the tree with crosses and trapped the evil one again. When Jack died, he was denied entrance to heaven because of his deceitful ways. Likewise, the devil turned him away, tossing him an ember to roam about the night. Stingy Jack placed the ember in a hollowed-out turnip to light his way as he scoured the earth for a final resting place. The Irish called the ghost of Stingy Jack, “Jack of the Lantern”—Jack O’ Lantern.
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The Most Lighthouses in Canada
By Linda Tancs
Nova Scotia has the largest number of lighthouses of any province in Canada. One of the most popular and iconic is Peggy’s Point, located in the quaint fishing village of Peggy’s Cove on the Bluenose Coast. Built in 1915 and located just an hour from Halifax, its ground floor even used to operate as a post office during the summer months until 2009. Nonetheless, it’s still a living postcard, arguably the most photographed lighthouse in the nation.
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The Lees of Virginia
By Linda Tancs
A successful tobacco planter and land speculator, Thomas Lee purchased property in Virginia in 1717 and began construction on a large brick Great House that survives today. Named Stratford for his grandfather’s home in London, the family homestead gave rise to a series of illustrious family members, counting among them two brothers who signed the Declaration of Independence, diplomats, a women’s rights advocate and one of the first judges elected to the commonwealth’s supreme court. But perhaps the most famous occupant of Stratford Hall Plantation (as it’s known today) is Robert E. Lee, the future General of the Confederate Army, who was born there in 1807. In addition to a tour of the Great House, visitors will enjoy the formal East Garden, restored to a typical 18th century English style. Nature trails follow the garden past the north gate. The south entrance to the house is equally impressive, described by General Lee himself as opening up to a row of poplars. The south lawn terminates in a ha-ha wall, an 18th century device which permits an uninterrupted view of the plantation while preventing the encroachment of livestock.
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The Red City
By Linda Tancs
A popular tourist destination since the 1960s, Marrakech is immortalized in a 1960s song by Crosby, Stills & Nash. It’s Morocco’s “red city” due to the hue covering the walls in the old section (Medina). But even more striking is the Medina’s combination of Amazigh, Arabic and Moorish architecture and its lively public square, Djemaa el-Fnaa, bursting at the seams with circus-like entertainment such as acrobats, fire eaters, belly dancers and street entertainers. New museums and cultural attractions are a boon to its arts industry, which includes an arts festival and magician’s festival.
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Canada’s Polar Bear Haven
By Linda Tancs
Autumn brings large numbers of polar bears to Cape Churchill within Wapusk National Park in Manitoba, Canada. The park is located within the range of the Western Hudson Bay population of polar bears, numbering approximately 1,000 bears. Wapusk protects one of the largest polar bear maternity denning areas in the world, mothers and cubs emerging from their earth dens in early spring. Access to Wapusk is via authorized commercial tour operators in Churchill. There are upcoming opportunities to view polar bears from tundra vehicles and a lodge at Cape Churchill.
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The Cradle of Caen’s Heritage
By Linda Tancs
Caen is the capital of northern France’s Lower Normandy region. The cradle of its heritage is Château de Caen, a medieval castle that is one of the largest in Europe. Built around 1060 by William the Conqueror, it stands on a hill flanked by the Romanesque abbeys of Saint-Étienne (also known as the Men’s Abbey) and Sainte-Trinité (the Ladies’ Abbey), which date from the same period and were built to appease the Pope’s disapproval of William’s marriage to his cousin Matilda of Flanders. The castle is home to the Normandy Museum (devoted to WWII and the Battle of Normandy) and the Fine Arts Museum.
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Secret of the South Atlantic
By Linda Tancs
One of the world’s remotest islands, St. Helena may very well be one of the South Atlantic’s best kept secrets. Of course, history buffs know that it’s the locale where the British exiled Napoleon after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. Not surprisingly, the general’s house and its original furnishings are a major tourist draw—that is, for those tourists who have been able to get there. Until now, the tiny British overseas territory was accessible via private flights or the last commercially operating Royal Mail ship. But thankfully the island has caught up with the 21st century with the introduction of weekly flights via South African airline Airlink. The upcoming whale shark season (November to April) is not to be missed; marine tour operators offer opportunities to swim with them. This subtropical paradise also offers an array of endemic wildlife and flora at Diana’s Peak National Park, the island’s highest point.
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An Old Farmstead in Bucks County
By Linda Tancs
The author of more than 300 books and other works, Pearl S. Buck won the Nobel and Pulitzer prizes in literature. She gained fame for her books on China, notably The Good Earth, which chronicled the fictional life of the farmer Wang Lung against the backdrop of 20th-century turmoil and revolution in China. Her farmstead, Green Hills Farm, is a National Historic Landmark in Perkasie, Pennsylvania. Dating to 1835, the oldest part of the fieldstone dwelling is a one-story stone summer kitchen. When Ms. Buck purchased the farmstead, she made extensive alternations and additions to the 19th-century farmhouse, including a two-story fieldstone wing added to the east gable. The home is open for guided tours, featuring her Nobel and Pulitzer prizes, the desk where Buck penned her novel The Good Earth, gifts from luminaries like the Dali Lama and President Richard Nixon and paintings from renowned artists.
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A Super Grove in Singapore
By Linda Tancs
There are trees and then there are “supertrees.” In Singapore, the latter consists of a trunk core made of reinforced concrete wrapped with a steel frame. Planting panels are installed on the trunks for the planting of the living skin. Each canopy, shaped like an inverted umbrella, provides shade during the day and a light and sound show at night. Over 162,900 plants comprising more than 200 species and varieties of bromeliads, orchids, ferns and tropical flowering climbers have been planted on the panels. Towering at 16 stories, these unique trees can be found all around the Gardens by the Bay– 12 at the Supertree Grove and six at the Golden and Silver Gardens. Take in a different view of the Gardens and stroll along the OCBC Skyway, a 419-foot-long walkway at a height of 72 feet connecting two trees at the grove. Admission to the outdoor gardens is free. Tickets can be purchased for the Skyway and conservatories.
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Art and Life in Amsterdam
By Linda Tancs
Rembrandt, Netherlands’ greatest artist, lived and worked for 20 years in a building in the heart of Amsterdam. Now the Rembrandt House Museum, it has an almost complete collection of his etchings. That’s enough of a collection to inspire contemporary artists, who likewise have their works exhibited there. The 17th century home has been extensively refurbished with period art, objects and furniture. Free etching demonstrations take place twice daily in Rembrandt’s former graphic workshop, illustrating etching technique and the printing process of centuries ago.
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