Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for asia
A Wonder in Asia
By Linda Tancs
Sri Lanka bills itself as a wonder of Asia—and no wonder. From the tops of the mountains to the depths of the ocean, this tropical island in the Indian
Ocean offers visitors a panoply of exotic charms. Listen in at Travelrific® Radio for some highlights.
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Paris of the Orient
By Linda Tancs
Ho Chi Minh City (also known as Saigon) is Vietnam’s Paris of the Orient. It was, after all, a French colony. French inspiration is everywhere. Consider the Opera House–reminiscent of Petit Palais–or the Notre Dame Basilica, its building
materials imported from France. The area is not only a treasure trove of French colonial architecture but also a biological haven, hosting an increasing number of newly discovered species in the nearby Mekong Delta.
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The Jungle’s Temple
By Linda Tancs
Ta Prohm is a temple at Angkor, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia. One of the most visited sites in the region, this former Buddhist monastery is probably best known for the massive tree trunks and roots that have consumed the structure in an eerie natural embrace. Not surprisingly, the site was used in the film Tomb Raider.
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A Cultural Hue
By Linda Tancs
Located in central Vietnam on the banks of the Perfume River, Huế is the country’s cultural heart, its complex of monuments earning recognition from UNESCO. Once the seat of a feudal dynasty, that status is preserved at the Citadel, a walled forbidden city reserved for emperors, concubines and loyal attendants. The ancient emperors’ tombs are scattered along the river’s banks. Nearby is Thien Mu Pagoda, the tallest in Vietnam and a testimonial to the city’s imperial past.
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A Roar in China
By Linda Tancs
There’s a roar in China about four hours northeast of Xi’an that can be heard for miles. That’s where you’ll find Hukou Falls , the second largest waterfall in China. The Yellow River roars at a junction where it meets the Hukou Mountain and the range on both sides chokes the river’s width, creating a surge as it plunges over a cliff.
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The Trail to Happiness
By Linda Tancs
Of all the ski destinations in the world, northeastern China might not sound like a natural choice. Yet the Changbai Mountain region is Asia’s largest ski area. Bordering Russia and North Korea, the mountain region has a UNESCO nature reserve boasting Siberian tigers and a crater lake, among other attractions. Now visitors can enjoy the combined luxury of Westin and Sheraton at the mountain’s base, an area rife with ski runs sporting monikers like the Trail to Happiness. Zen on the slopes? As American writer Robert Pirsig observed, the only Zen you find on the mountaintop is the Zen you bring there.
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A Grand Parade in the Philippines
By Linda Tancs
Think Mardi Gras without the beads. On the third Sunday of January each year Cebu City in the Philippines (the oldest Spanish settlement in the country) brings to a close the nine-day Sinulog Festival with colorful parades and dancing to the beat of drums, trumpets and gongs. For the origins of this street party, look to the 1500s, when Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan planted a cross at Cebu and claimed the territory for Spain. He presented an image of the baby Jesus, the Santo Niño, to the island’s rulers, resulting in a conversion to Catholicism. The annual fiesta honors Santo Niño, and Magellan’s cross made of tindalo wood is a popular attraction in Cebu today.
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Christmas Capital of the Philippines
By Linda Tancs
The Giant Lantern Festival in San Fernando, Philippines, is an annual event held on the Saturday preceding Christmas Eve. The spectacular lights have earned the city its moniker as “Christmas Capital of the Philippines.” Competition is fierce, and colored plastic lanterns are complemented by paper and fiberglass. This is where imagination really does soar.
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Tokyo’s Skytree
By Linda Tancs
The world record books show no shortage of tallest skywalks. Add another to the list. Tokyo’s Skytree is the world’s tallest freestanding broadcasting tower, a white neo-futuristic space needle piercing 634 meters into the sky. Its Tembo Deck at 350 meters is covered in huge five-meter-high glass for a 360-degree view up to 70 kilometers away. From there, a ride in a glass tube to the Tembo Galleria at 450 meters completes the skywalking experience.
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A Natural Wonder in the Philippines
By Linda Tancs
Reputedly the world’s longest underground river, Puerto Princesa on Palawan Island in the Philippines winds its way through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. A clear lagoon meets the cave’s mouth, surrounded by ancient trees dominated by monkeys, monitor lizards and squirrels. The navigable river is one of seven new natural wonders of the world. And to that the locals say Mabuhay!
