Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Author Archive
The Telephone Pole Farm
By Linda Tancs
A quirky yet iconic tourist attraction in Chester, New Jersey, the “telephone pole farm” on North Road hearkens back to the days when wooden telephone poles would be planted and tested for survival against the elements by comparing the effects of various chemical treatments. In this case, the outdoor laboratory site served one of the most famous research units in the world, Bell Labs. Today, the farm serves as a welcoming ambassador to the township’s Highlands Ridge Park, where you’ll find a portion of the Patriots’ Path, a multi-use trail system in Morris County.
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The Red Sea Reef
By Linda Tancs
The Red Sea Reef is the largest coral reef in Africa and features hundreds of endemic species found nowhere else. It boasts over 220 species of corals accompanied by over 1,000 species of fish, 40 species of starfish, 150 species of crustaceans and 25 species of sea urchins. Egypt’s Ras Muhammad National Park protects a small portion of the reef, and it’s the go-to place for scuba divers and snorkelers to explore this amazing underwater resource. The park is located at the southernmost tip of the Sinai Peninsula.
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Crossroad of Culture
By Linda Tancs
Designated by UNESCO as an area of Outstanding Universal Value, Samarkand is a city in Uzbekistan known for its mosques and mausoleums. Among the oldest, continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia, it’s along the Silk Road, the ancient trade route linking China to the Mediterranean. Registan Square is the symbol of the city’s history as a trade and cultural center as well as a stunning tourist attraction, boasting three ornately decorated madrassas surrounding the square on three sides. Another must-see site is the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum, a towering spectacle with an azure dome and beautiful tilework. It’s the burial place of the Mongol conqueror Timur (Tamerlane) and some of his descendants. Consider a guided sightseeing tour as English is not widely spoken.
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World’s Largest Popcorn Ball
By Linda Tancs
The world’s largest popcorn ball is located in Sac City, Iowa. The colossal structure measures 8 feet in diameter and tops out at a whopping 9,370 pounds. It’s displayed in its own custom shed at the edge of the Sac City Museum Village. While you’re there, be on the lookout for historic barns and corn cribs painted with colorful 8-foot-square quilt blocks. You can pick up a map of quilt locations at convenience stores in the county.
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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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The Castle of Marietta
by Linda Tancs
Built in 1855, the Castle of Marietta is a Gothic Revival-style mansion in Marietta, Ohio. Before becoming a historical house museum in 1994, it was home to some of the city’s most prominent and influential citizens, including a lawyer, senator, banker and a land and oil speculator. Many of their furnishings are on display in the well-preserved rooms. Tours (available from April to December) include the first and second floors.
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A Fest of Love and Grease
By Linda Tancs
How many ways can you love bacon? Let us count the ways: bacon on a stick, chocolate-covered bacon, bacon burger, bacon cannoli, bacon Bloody Mary, bacon poutine, bacon sticky buns. That and more awaits you at PA Bacon Fest, an annual event in downtown Easton, Pennsylvania. Rounding out the festivities are activities like a bacon eating contest, live music, cooking demonstrations and a hog calling contest. This year’s event takes place on November 4 and 5.
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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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