Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for asia
Azaleas Bloom in Tokyo
By Linda Tancs
Every year between early April and early May, Tokyo’s Nezu Shrine is ablaze in color as 100 varieties of azaleas bloom in its garden. And so marks the Azalea Festival, where visitors are treated to some rare varieties such as Fuji-tsutsuji (tiny bean-size flowers), Hanaguruma (pinwheel-like flowers) and Karafune (black azalea). Along with the flowers, there’s a plant fair, an antique fair, festive stalls and a special timed viewing of Sanjuroku kasen-e paintings.
Share this:
The Path to Wisdom
By Linda Tancs
Located in Lantau, Hong Kong’s largest outlying island, Wisdom Path follows a series of 38 wooden steles (upright slabs) containing verses from the centuries-old Heart Sutra — one of the world’s best known prayers revered by Confucians, Buddhists and Taoists alike. Rendered in Chinese and based on the calligraphy of famous contemporary scholar Professor Jao Tsung-I, the monuments are arranged in a pattern representing infinity. It’s a short walk from the largest outdoor seated Buddha statue in the world known as Big Buddha and the accompanying Po Lin Monastery.
Share this:
Sri Lanka’s Center of Pilgrimage
By Linda Tancs
A sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries, Dambulla cave monastery is the largest, best preserved cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka and one of its most popular historic sites. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, its assets include the 2,000-year-old murals depicting the life and times of the Lord Buddha and a collection of 157 statues of his image. Of its five sanctuaries, the Temple of the Great King is the largest, measuring 170 feet from side to side, 75 feet from front to back and 22 feet at its highest point. It’s dominated by an overwhelming mosaic of frescoes. Located in the central part of the nation, the site is about 92 miles east of Colombo.
Share this:
A Sea Candle in Japan
By Linda Tancs
An inverted cone tower overlooking the scenic Shonan beaches of Enoshima Island is one of the largest lighthouses in Japan. Known affectionately as the Enoshima Sea Candle, the nearly 200-foot-high tower completed in 2003 was built for the 100th anniversary celebration of Enoshima Electric Railway. Take the elevator to the top if you must, but the circular stair climb gives lingering views of sites like Mt. Fuji, Izu Peninsula and the mountains at Hakone. In addition to the spectacular panoramic view at the top, the lighthouse is illuminated at night, a sight that’s viewable nearly 30 miles away.
Share this:
Aglow in Toyama
By Linda Tancs
Just like lightning bugs, hotaruika are squid with a natural fluorescence that causes them to glow in the dark. Unlike those insects, however, millions of firefly squid in Namerikawa give off their hue (blue) along the sea, providing a twinkling light show rivaling a planetarium. Taking place generally between March and June, you’ll need to head off during the wee hours for a boat ride in Toyama Bay, Japan, to witness this unique event. Tours book quickly; April is regarded as the best time of year for viewing. If you can’t make the tour, maybe you’d like the live squid show at Hotaruika Museum in Namerikawa, the only museum in the world dedicated to this luminescent cephalopod.
Share this:
Summer Capital of the Philippines
By Linda Tancs
In the summer months of March, April and May, residents of and visitors to the Philippines flock to Baguio where the weather is demonstrably cooler. Of course, that’s not the only reason to visit this mountainous region of the Cordillera. Its lively thoroughfare, Session Road, provides ample shopping, dining and entertainment opportunities. Quieter pursuits avail at Burnham Park and the serenity of Baguio Cathedral, noted for its rose-colored hues. It’s only a 50-minute flight from Manila.
Share this:
A Super Grove in Singapore
By Linda Tancs
There are trees and then there are “supertrees.” In Singapore, the latter consists of a trunk core made of reinforced concrete wrapped with a steel frame. Planting panels are installed on the trunks for the planting of the living skin. Each canopy, shaped like an inverted umbrella, provides shade during the day and a light and sound show at night. Over 162,900 plants comprising more than 200 species and varieties of bromeliads, orchids, ferns and tropical flowering climbers have been planted on the panels. Towering at 16 stories, these unique trees can be found all around the Gardens by the Bay– 12 at the Supertree Grove and six at the Golden and Silver Gardens. Take in a different view of the Gardens and stroll along the OCBC Skyway, a 419-foot-long walkway at a height of 72 feet connecting two trees at the grove. Admission to the outdoor gardens is free. Tickets can be purchased for the Skyway and conservatories.
Share this:
Stairway to Heaven
By Linda Tancs
You’ll be knocking at heaven’s door at China’s Tianmen Mountain, called one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. Located near Zhangjiajie, it boasts a water-eroded hole (cave) between two peaks, the highest hole of its kind in the world. After an investment of 999 steps and 30 minutes (your stairway to heaven), you’ll find yourself at the cave, where unforgettable photos await. If the hike is too arduous, then visit the new glass skywalk stretching around the mountain’s vertical cliffs, overlooking Tongtian Avenue (Avenue to the Sky), a mountain road with 99 turns. For a different perspective, take the cable car ride from a nearby rail station to the top of the mountain. April to October offers the best weather for a stunning visit.
Share this:
Ancient Sovereignty in Southeast Asia
By Linda Tancs
One of the most ancient sovereign states in Southeast Asia (dating as far back as the 5th century), Brunei Darussalam is a tiny nation on the island of Borneo bordered by the South China Sea. The capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, is home to the opulent Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah mosque and its 29 golden domes, one for each of the nation’s 29 sultan rulers. The capital’s massive Istana Nurul Iman palace is the residence of Brunei’s ruling sultan, a dwelling recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest living residence of a head of state. Despite its grandiose accoutrements, Brunei is a quieter alternative to other oil-rich countries like Dubai. It features the unpretentious water village Kampong Ayer, pristine beaches and a biodiverse rainforest.
Share this:
Earth’s Largest Lizard
By Linda Tancs
The closest living example of the legendary dragon in folklore and mythology is the Komodo dragon, the largest living species of lizard on earth. Reaching 10 feet in length and topping nearly 200 pounds, the monitor is protected from extinction in its native land of Indonesia at Komodo National Park. Sitting at the center of an archipelago, the park (which recently celebrated its 37th year of conservation) consists mainly of three volcanic islands and landscapes varying from dry savanna conditions to lush forests. Bounded by white sandy beaches and clear blue waters, the area attracts underwater enthusiasts as well. Divers claim that Komodo waters present one of the best diving sites in the world, with 385 species of beautiful corals alone.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 