Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for October, 2020
Pleasant Island
By Linda Tancs
You can count Queen Elizabeth II among the cohort who have ever visited Nauru. Larger than just Vatican City and Monaco, it’s the world’s smallest island nation, counting only some 200 visitors each year. Once coined Pleasant Island by British whaler John Fearn, this Micronesian island once ruled by Australia (among others) totals eight square miles and is easily walkable, in a single day if you like. Its phosphate reserves once made it the richest country on Earth but also contributed to the demise of marine life. Nowadays it caters to deep-sea fishermen and war history buffs seeking a rusty Japanese outpost from World War II. Nauru Airlines offers flights from Brisbane, Australia.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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The Art of Trash in Sonoma
By Linda Tancs
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as the saying goes. You might invoke that thought when you visit the trash art in Sebastopol, California. Made from recycled trash like old cars, cookware, discarded pipes and aluminum trash cans, it’s an outdoor exhibit of outsized and outlandish figures adorning a three-block radius along Florence Avenue in this small Sonoma County town. Conceived by Patrick Amiot and Brigitte Laurent, the works include a rat at the wheel of a hot rod, a tea-sipping Mad Hatter, a joy-riding skeleton on a chopper, giant birds and a mermaid.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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The Bellarine Trails
By Linda Tancs
Australia’s Bellarine Peninsula is a peninsula located southwest of Melbourne in Victoria boasting fabulous trails. First there’s the tasting trail, featuring the best of cool-climate wines that define the region. Along with nationally rated five-star wineries, the trail includes top suppliers of local produce, olive oil, cheeses, pies and seafood. You can walk off your gastronomic experience along the second route, the Bellarine Rail Trail. That’s a 20-mile walking and cycling track following the route of the former South Geelong to Queenscliff branch line. Pace yourself; the hike takes about eight hours to complete.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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An African City of Bridges
By Linda Tancs
Constantine is the third-largest city in Algeria, currently named for Emperor Constantine the Great, who restored the city following its destruction during a war before his succession. It’s popularly known as the “city of bridges,” an unsurprising title given the precipitous gorge through which the Rhumel River flows. Of the eight bridges, the most spectacular is arguably Sidi M’Cid, which at one time was the highest suspension bridge in the world. Its eastern side leads to Monument aux Morts, a memorial built to honor the French soldiers from Constantine who died during World War I. From there you can enjoy panoramic views over the plateau (some 2,000 feet above sea level) on which the city sits.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Gateway to the Amazon
By Linda Tancs
Known as the Gateway to the Amazon, Belém is the capital of the Brazilian state of Pará. Founded by the Portuguese in the 1600s, the city boasts well-preserved, Portuguese-colonial architecture along the riverfront district. The docklands also feature South America’s largest outdoor market, Mercado Ver-o-Peso, a site offering not only foods and vegetables but also crafts and antiques. A big highlight this time of year is the city’s religious festival known as Círio de Nazaré (The Taper of Our Lady of Nazareth), inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The event culminates in a procession on Sunday, when a wooden image of Our Lady of Nazareth is carried from Sé Cathedral to Sanctuary Square, accompanied by hordes of pilgrims from around the country.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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African American History in the Sourlands
By Linda Tancs
Sourland Mountain is a ridge straddling the borders of Somerset, Hunterdon and Mercer counties in New Jersey. Among its charms is one of the most historic buildings, the 120-year-old, one-room Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. Now known as the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum, it recounts the culture and contributions of African Americans who lived in the Sourlands for hundreds of years.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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From Castle to Hostel
By Linda Tancs
St. Briavels Castle began in the 12th century as a significant means of defense against the campaigns of the Welsh. Strategically located in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, it reaped the benefits of the area’s renown as a center of the medieval iron industry and the manufacture of crossbow bolts. Under King Edward I, thousands of crossbow bolts were produced at the castle in preparation for the king’s defensive campaigns. Once the conquest of Wales was completed, the castle served as a debtor’s prison. These days, the castle’s gatehouse prison serves as a youth hostel. Due to this use, access to the interior is limited; visitors should call ahead. However, the exterior of the castle and moat can be viewed during daylight hours, and there is seasonal access (April to October) to the inner bailey and courtyard.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 