Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for December, 2020
The River of Silver
By Linda Tancs
Río de la Plata (river of silver) is an estuary of the Paraná and Uruguay rivers and forms part of the border between Argentina and Uruguay. The major ports and capital cities of Buenos Aires and Montevideo grace its shores, one of the most densely populated areas of both Argentina and Uruguay. One of its many charms is the small island of Isla de Flores. It was once named Seal Island by visiting sailors for its vast number of South American fur seals. It’s perhaps better known for the historic lighthouse. Established in 1828, it’s still an active aid to navigation with two white flashes every 16 seconds, visible for 19 nautical miles.
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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 American Spa
By Linda Tancs
Thermal water has been used for thousands of years to treat arthritis, joint pain, burns and skin disorders. Some of the most famous thermal baths in the world are found in Europe—most notably, in Budapest, the so-called City of Spas. If an international jaunt is not in the budget, then look no further than Arkansas. That’s right: in the heart of the Ozarks a thriving city (named, of course, Hot Springs) was built around the thermal waters that attracted folks of all walks of life in the 1800s. In fact, the success of the bathing industry led to the city being touted as “the American Spa.” Hot Springs National Park surrounds the north end of the city. There you can tour a historic bathhouse, hike forested trails and, needless to say, take a nice, hot bath.
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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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Art and Nature in San Diego
By Linda Tancs
Art and nature are inextricably linked at Balboa Park in San Diego, California. On the natural side, who can resist the 100-acre San Diego Zoo? There’s also the Moreton Bay fig tree, one of the three largest Moreton Bay figs in the State of California, with a height of 78 feet, a crown width of 123 feet and a trunk girth of 486 inches. Illuminated during the Balboa Park December Nights celebration each year, it was planted as a small tree in a garden of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. That event also boasted The California Tower, an iconic city emblem and hybrid of architectural styles and artistic movements, including Baroque, Plateresque, Churrigueresque, Rococo and Gothic. You could spend days exploring the park’s rich and expansive environment. For the time-strapped, consider a ranger-led tour or stroll along at your own pace with a pre-recorded audio tour. There’s even a 35-minute guided bus tour that gives a good overview of the zoo.
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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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Green Spain
By Linda Tancs
Cantabria is an autonomous region in northern Spain, a strip of land between the Bay of Biscay and the Cantabrian Mountains. It’s known as Green Spain because of its lush vegetation, aided by a wet climate influenced by the Atlantic Ocean that produces around 47 inches of rain per year. It’s prized for its prehistoric caves, most notably the Sistine Chapel of Paleolithic Art. The region also forms part of the Northern Way of the Way of St. James, a pilgrimage route. Cheese is practically a religion there, too. Be sure to try the pasiega cheesecake, a local favorite.
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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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Bog Wild in Estonia
By Linda Tancs
The bog system of Endla Nature Reserve (the largest mire expanse in Central Estonia) provides a habitat for the white-tailed eagle, the golden eagle and the osprey. Located in Tooma village in Jõgevamaa, the expanse of over 25,000 acres also preserves the karsts of the southern slope of Pandivere Highlands. The marked trails range from over one to nearly 5 miles in length and provide an opportunity to get to know the forests, wooded meadows and bogs as well as to observe birds and learn about the local plants. Guide service is available in English and Estonian.
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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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It’s a Small World in Tokyo
By Linda Tancs
Miniature villages are a dime a dozen, but Tokyo’s Small Worlds takes it to another level. For example, many of the miniatures are operational, like a rocket that lifts off and planes flying at Kansai Airport. There’s even an opportunity for visitors to place model figures of themselves in the area of their choice using 3D printers and scan technology. Billed as the world’s largest miniatures theme park, the 86,000-square-foot facility is uniquely immersive. It’s located in the Ariake district of Tokyo, a short walk from Ariake-Tennis-no-mori Station.
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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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Serenity in Schiermonnikoog
By Linda Tancs
Car-free and carefree. Those might be the best attributes to describe Schiermonnikoog, the smallest inhabited island of the Dutch Wadden Sea islands. The entire locale is a national park, a place teeming with beaches, dunes, forests, tidal marshes, lakes and tidal flats along with hundreds of plant and bird species. It boasts the widest sandbar in Europe (the Rif) as well as the oldest house in the North Sea islands and a whale jaw over three feet high. It owes at least part of its tourism to Klozum, a costume festival that takes place on December 5 each year. You get there via ferry from the port of Lauwersoog in the Dutch province of Groningen.
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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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Mountain of Dragons
By Linda Tancs
Drakensberg translates roughly to “mountain of dragons.” It’s one of South Africa’s most spectacular natural wonders, the highest mountain range in the country, reaching over 11,000 feet above sea level. Its peaks, favored by shutterbugs and trekkers alike, include Giant’s Castle, Cathedral Peak and Mont-Aux-Sources. For those seeking an easy day hike, try the Hlatikulu Forest Trail at the foot of the mountains and near the Mpofana River Valley. It boasts some stunning forested areas in some places as well as carpets of wildflowers (in season) in others.
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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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Precious Paper
By Linda Tancs
William Morris ceiling paper was the height of fashion in 1881. It’s one of the many treasures at England’s Newark Park in Gloucestershire, near the village of Ozleworth, Wotton-under-Edge. In fact, it’s the same paper that’s used in the banqueting hall at St. James’s Palace in London. The Tudor hunting lodge-turned-private home is set in a spectacular estate at the southern end of the Cotswold escarpment with views looking down into the Ozleworth valley and to the Mendips beyond. Were it not for the restoration efforts of American architect Bob Parsons in the 70s, the house might’ve been lost to history. The fruits of his efforts led to many discoveries, like a giant Tudor fireplace and serving hatch. The basement also reveals three historical kitchens: Tudor, Georgian and Victorian. This “house of many eras” has only recently been opened to public viewing.
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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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