Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for October, 2023
The Story of the Trolley
By Linda Tancs
The Shore Line Trolley Museum in East Haven, Connecticut, tells the story of the trolley. The museum owns nearly 100 vintage transit vehicles and maintains diverse collections of photographs, books, documents and artifacts (like tokens, hat badges and ticket punches). The museum also operates the Branford Electric Railway, recognized by the U.S. Department of the Interior as the oldest, continuously-operated suburban trolley line in the United States. Opened in 1900, the line and equipment are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Branford Electric Railway Historic District. Visitors get to experience this history by riding on a restored trolley through scenic surroundings.
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An Island Between Two Worlds
By Linda Tancs
Sandwiched between Tunisia and Sicily, Lampedusa is an island between two worlds. The last trace of Italian terrain before the African coast, it forms part of the Pelagie Islands, an island group that includes Linosa and Lampione. One of its most popular spots is Rabbit Island (Isola dei Conigli), a few hundred feet off the coast. Contrary to its name, there are no rabbits, but you will find a protected loggerhead sea turtle population and a beach considered by some to be the best in the world. Gastronomically, the island offers a mix of Sicilian and African dishes, particularly along Roma Street (Via Roma), where the majority of shops and restaurants are located. Lampedusa is served by air from many of Italy’s principal cities. You can also take a ferry or hydrofoil from Sicily.
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Hiking and Hot Springs in Hokkaido
By Linda Tancs
Named after the volcanic caldera lakes of Lake Shikotsu and Lake Tōya, Shikotsu-Tōya National Park is located in Hokkaido, the second-largest and least developed of Japan’s four main islands. The rugged wilderness offers refuge for many endemic species of flora and fauna, including Ezo foxes, black woodpeckers and alpine hares. Untouched woodland provides spectacular trekking opportunities along steep-sided Hohei Gorge. You’ll also find many bathing spots among the hot springs; the popular hot spring resort of Noboribetsu is within the park. Another adventure worth checking out is a ride on the Mount Usu Ropeway, a line that climbs Mount Usu, an active volcano in the park. Mount Yōtei, one of the highest peaks in the park, is said to be a look-alike Mount Fuji. See if you agree.
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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045.
Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.
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Biodiversity in Ecuador
By Linda Tancs
Considered one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, Yasuní National Park is the largest protected area of continental Ecuador. It teems with life, which isn’t all that surprising considering that it sits at the intersection of the Amazon, the Andes and the Equator. It boasts around 1,300 tree species, 600 bird species, 400 fish species and at least 170 species of mammals, including the endangered white-bellied spider monkey and the giant otter. The park is also home to several indigenous communities. Most visitors fly from Quito to the gateway town of Coca. Tours of the park are available through lodges and river cruises.
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The Views on Tam
By Linda Tancs
One of the most prized assets in the San Francisco Bay Area, Mount Tamalpais State Park offers views as varied as the Farallon Islands, the Marin County hills, San Francisco Bay and the city, Mount Diablo and, on rare occasions, the snow-covered Sierra Nevada mountain range 150 miles away. Known locally as Tam, you’ll find miles of trails along the 2,500-foot-high mountain crossing redwood forests, oak woodlands, open grasslands and a shrubland community found primarily in California. Located just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, daily service is provided by the West Marin Stage Coach via route 61.
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The Bridge in the Sky
By Linda Tancs
A popular attraction, Sri Lanka’s Nine Arch Bridge is commonly referred to as “the bridge in the sky.” A marvel of engineering erected in 1921 during the nation’s British colonial period, it features nine arches built of a mixture of stone and bricks. The 300-foot-long bridge perched 100 feet high is flanked by tea plantations and lush vegetation, making it a favorite of shutterbugs. Located in the town of Ella, the best way to view it is by taking a train along the Ella-Kandy railway line.
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The Three Giants
By Linda Tancs
Lake Atitlán is one of the most prized tourist attractions in Guatemala. It’s flanked by three volcanoes, Atitlán, Tolimán, and San Pedro, known as “The Three Giants.” The picturesque setting is a favorite with hikers, particularly those willing to endure the arduous climb to the summit of Atitlán, nearly 12,000 feet. What’s particularly spectacular about the cloud forests of this region is the horned guan, a rare bird endemic to the region with a red horn on the top of its head. You can take a shuttle from Guatemala City to the lake, which will take about four hours or so depending on the traffic.
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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045.
Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.
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Height of Land
by Linda Tancs
Height of Land is an apt name for a viewpoint in western Maine offering views so sweeping that it’s been described as one of the finest in the state if not in all of New England. You’ll find it on state route 17 along the Rangeley Lakes Scenic Byway, a 52-mile-long national scenic byway that begins just north of Byron and features six major lakes. The photo-worthy spot boasts sprawling views of the Rangeley Lakes region and the mountains beyond. Bordering the Appalachian Trail, it presents a fine opportunity to hike at least a small portion of the trail while you’re there.
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A Lakeside Rail Ride
By Linda Tancs
Visitors to Meredith, New Hampshire, can enjoy a ride on over 50 miles of historic railroad track on the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad. Operating between Meredith and Lakeport along the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee (the largest lake in the state), the route was once home to the famous Boston, Concord & Montreal line dating back to 1848. All excursions are round-trip from Meredith.
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Not Your Everyday Presidential Library
By Linda Tancs
The McKinley Presidential Library & Museum in Canton, Ohio, is not your everyday presidential museum. Of course, it has the usual presidential memorabilia and research facilities you would expect. But it also boasts animatronic figures of the president and his wife along with an interactive science center, a planetarium and the Street of Shops, a life-sized, indoor 19th-century town featuring a large HO gauge train layout. The president, his wife and two daughters are also buried at the site at the McKinley National Memorial, a city landmark. Open from April to November, the towering, dome-shaped monument has a red, white and blue skylight with 45 stars in its design, representing the 45 states in the Union at the time of President McKinley’s death.
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