Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for england
Where the Stars Are
By Linda Tancs
Light management is critical to preserving the beauty of the night sky. Just ask the folks at the International Dark-Sky Association, a non-profit organization fighting to preserve the night. They’ve certified five places in the world as an International Dark Sky Reserve–in other words, that’s where the stars are. The honorees are Mont Mégantic in Canada, Exmoor National Park in England, Aoraki Mackenzie in New Zealand, NamibRand Nature Reserve in Namibia and Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales.
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The Bard of Eastwood
By Linda Tancs
It’s an auspicious year in Eastwood, England, the hometown of writer D.H. Lawrence. Not only are they celebrating the centenary of the author’s semi-autobiographical novel Sons and Lovers, but 2013 also marks the 10th anniversary of the annual D.H. Lawrence Festival. In conjunction with the D.H. Lawrence Heritage Centre, the events on tap through 21 September include a series of lectures, exhibitions and guided walks, like the Blue Line Trail. The one-hour walk takes in sights like the library where a young D.H. would read, the chapel where his family worshipped and the pub renamed the Moon and Stars in his breakthrough novel. Join the D.H. Lawrence Society today for their special birthday lecture on Lawrence as a philosophical novelist.
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England’s First Natural World Heritage Site
By Linda Tancs
England’s first natural World Heritage Site is known as the Jurassic Coast, covering 95 miles of unforgettable coastline stretching from East Devon to Dorset. Despite its name, the area actually covers three geological time periods: the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. Each period is spectacularly covered. For starters, there’s the red rocks of the Triassic Period at Orcombe Point at Exmouth, site of the former supercontinent Pangaea. The famous Durdle Door limestone arch near Lulworth lures fans of the Jurassic Period. And the white chalk stack of Old Harry Rocks at Handfast Point near Studland highlights a time during the Cretaceous Period when the ever widening Atlantic Ocean breached the chalk ridge. Use the South West Coast Path to access the entire site.
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Last of the Corn Mills
By Linda Tancs
In 1132, 13 monks came to England’s Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire to live a simpler life and created what now remains the most complete Cistercian corn mill in the country. You can have a whack at grinding some corn and watch the water wheel go round. But that’s only part of the charm of this estate, a World Heritage Site. The locale lays claim to some interesting monikers: The Temple of Fame in Studley Royal Water Garden; Anne Boleyn’s Seat (site of a decapitated statue before John Aislabie inherited the estate in the 1700s); The Serpentine Tunnel (a dark, winding tunnel cut through rock that was designed to spook guests of Aislabie); and the Temple of Piety (originally dedicated to Hercules). There’s also the Hermit’s Grotto and The Way of the Roses, a 170 mile coast-to-coast cycle route passing through the deer park.
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A Coronation Festival
By Linda Tancs
Last year saw exciting displays of honor and affection between Queen and country as Queen Elizabeth celebrated her Diamond Jubilee. But the party isn’t over as the Queen’s coronation in 1953 is saluted this month with a unique event in the gardens at Buckingham Palace. From 11 to 14 July, 60 years of royal service and tradition will be celebrated amidst a company of Royal Warrant holders (purveyors of goods and services to the Queen and other members of the royal family) at the Coronation Festival. An invitation-only royal preview will kick off the event on 11 July, followed by a public evening gala on both Friday and Saturday night. The musical entertainment features performances by Katherine Jenkins, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and the English National Ballet.
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The Legend of Drake’s Drum
By Linda Tancs
Buckland Abbey is a centuries-old manor in Devon, England. Originally occupied by Cistercian monks in the 13th century, the structure became best known perhaps as the dwelling of the Elizabethan-era adventurer Sir Francis Drake. A highlight of the Tavy Valley estate is Drake’s Drum. Reputedly Drake took the snare drum on voyages to sound his men to action. Since that time it has been rumored to beat whenever England is in peril, including during both world wars.
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Chim Chim Cher-ee
By Linda Tancs
Even chimney sweeps have a holiday to call their own. Around 400 years’ strong, the Sweeps Festival has morphed from a May Day procession to a festival weekend with merriment enough to evoke memories of ol’ Bert in Mary Poppins. Held in the town centre of Rochester, England, the event this weekend features music, dancing and entertainment coinciding with Morris celebrations of spring. Sounds supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, doesn’t it?
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The Bionic Man
By Linda Tancs
Television viewers may remember the show The Six Million Dollar Man, a popular series about a former astronaut named Steve with bionic implants who goes after the bad guys as a secret agent. Steve, meet Rex. That’s the new bionic man appearing now at the Science Museum in London. Created for less than one million dollars, Rex is the world’s first complete bionic man, featuring an artificial circulatory system and organs. Life (or should I say, science) imitates art–and at a price much less than six million dollars.
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The Gem of Downton
By Linda Tancs
Downton Abbey is a massively addictive British period drama television series. This post-Edwardian chronicle follows the life of the aristocratic Crawley family in the fictional Yorkshire enclave known as Downton Abbey. As any fan knows, Highclere Castle is used for exterior and interior filming. Located to the west of London, the castle is not in Yorkshire but rather in Berkshire and is home to the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon. Not surprisingly, the castle has become a hot commodity, but it’s only open to tourists for 70 or so days a year–during Easter, May bank holidays and in summer. Ticket sales are fast and furious. Summer 2013 is on sale now. Better hurry.
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Visit the Tea Experts
By Linda Tancs
Thomas Twining bought a coffee shop in London in 1706 and distinguished himself from the competition by selling tea. Since then, Twinings has become synonymous with tea. The flagship shop at 216 Strand in London is a mecca for tea aficionados. The location offers a free tasting bar, a museum, tea classes and, of course, a wide range of tea accessories, teas and infusions. Stop by for a cuppa.
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