Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for April, 2019
Old Wheels in Hershey
By Linda Tancs
There’s more to Hershey, Pennsylvania, than its chocolate-themed park. Indeed, just minutes away is the AACA Museum, an automotive museum dedicated to the preservation and presentation of vintage automobiles and their vast history. A Smithsonian affiliate, the facility showcases vintage vehicle displays and interactive exhibits featuring cars, buses, motorcycles and other vehicles from the 1890s through the 1980s. Permanent exhibits include the Cammack Tucker Gallery (the world’s largest display of Tucker ’48 automobiles and related artifacts), the Route 66 gallery exploring this iconic stretch of roadway and the Museum of Bus Transportation. Special themed exhibits and car shows are plentiful.
Share this:
America’s National Road
By Linda Tancs
Authorized by Congress in 1806, the National Road was the first highway built entirely with federal funds. It linked the eastern and western states in the first half of the 19th century, running from Cumberland, Maryland, to Vandalia, Illinois. Known in many places as Route 40, its charm lies in the many historic stone bridges along its path and the quaint, untouched towns and villages that called the road “Main Street.” In fact, the road earned the nickname “the Main Street of America.” Of the many inns dotting the route, Mount Washington Tavern (adjoining Fort Necessity Battlefield) in Pennsylvania is an example of a typical stagecoach stop for early travelers on the National Road. Unlike those early settlers, if you drive straight through without stopping, you should be able to complete the route in about 13 hours.
Share this:
Sultaness of the East
By Linda Tancs
Dubbed the Sultaness of the East, Mexico’s Valladolid is more than just a hub for a nearby visit to Chichén Itzá. Yucatán’s third largest city is also a treasure trove of art and architecture. You’ll find the largest collection of Mexican folk art in private hands at Casa de los Venados. Deeply Mayan yet distinctly Iberian (founded by invading Spaniards in 1543), the quiet streets are dotted with pastel walls, colonnades and cenotes (sinkholes filled with fresh water). Renting a bicycle is a great way to get around.
Share this:
A Cliffhanger in China
By Linda Tancs
Nestled in the cliffs of the Taihang Mountains, the Chinese village of Guo Liang Cun would be cut off from the rest of the world were it not for Guoliang Tunnel. One of the world’s steepest and most dangerous roads, it was chiseled into the side of the mountain by local villagers without aid of electric equipment or large machinery. Needless to say, it took years to complete back in the 70s. Enjoy the thrill ride in Henan Province, with more than 30 “windows” providing spectacular vistas.
Share this:
Australia’s Favorite Steam Train
By Linda Tancs
Easily accessible by fast electric train from Melbourne, Puffing Billy is arguably Australia’s favorite steam train. Over a century old, the train still runs on its original 15-mile track between Belgrave and Gembrook. That route takes you through the Dandenong Ranges, a set of low mountain ranges east of Melbourne, featuring Emerald Lake Park and cool climate gardens. You can book a tour through any of the major day tour operators.
Share this:
The Key to the Kingdom
By Linda Tancs
Sweden’s Kalmar Castle traces its origins to the 12th century. Because of its strategic location it was known as the key to the kingdom, a medieval fortress protecting against pirates and other enemies. The Vasa kings Gustav, Erik XIV and Johan III rebuilt the medieval castle into a Renaissance palace, and it remains today one of the best preserved Nordic Renaissance castles. Guided tours are offered daily.
Share this:
Batty in Austin
By Linda Tancs
From late March through autumn, Austin, Texas, hosts North America’s largest urban bat population, a community that swells to 1.5 million by summer’s end. Their habitat is in the crevices of the Congress Avenue Bridge, where onlookers congregate before sunset to witness the spectacle of their flight to catch dinner. Be sure to face east on the bridge or catch the view from the lake below on a boat cruise.
Share this:
World’s Tallest Timber Building
By Linda Tancs
Are you tired of looking at steel skyscrapers? Then head to Norway, where the world’s tallest timber building (as declared by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat) has been completed. Nearly 279 feet high, the 18-story building, Mjøstårnet, is the third tallest in the country. It’s located on the bank of Mjøsa, Norway’s biggest lake, in an area known for–what else–forestry and wood processing.
Share this:
Falling Water in Namibia
By Linda Tancs
In the Herero language, “Epupa” means “falling water.” That might be a bit of an understatement for Epupa Falls, a Namibian waterfall with a drop of about 130 or so feet near the village of Epupa. You can thank the Kunene River for this spectacle, one of the country’s five perennial rivers. Nonetheless, April and May are reportedly the best times to view the falls.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 