Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for international travel
The Blond Beach
By Linda Tancs
Despite the prevalence of black sand beaches arising from volcanic activity, Iceland actually has beaches with white sand. And no, that’s not an April Fools’ Day joke. Just head to Skarðsvík on the northwestern tip of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Its golden sandy beach is sometimes referred to as the “blond beach.” You might even be tempted to think you’re on a Mediterranean shoreline were it not for the volcanic landscape surrounding its turquoise waters. But unlike its white-sand cousins, you’d be better off admiring it from behind the shoreline; its currents are notoriously strong.
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An Inspiring Castle in Antrim
By Linda Tancs
Northern Ireland’s Dunluce Castle is more than just another medieval ruin. After all, its exterior featured as the Seat of House Greyjoy in Game of Thrones. It also appeared on the inner gatefold of the Led Zeppelin album Houses of the Holy. Some even say it was the inspiration for the great castle Cair Paravel in CS Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia. Inhabited by both the feuding McQuillan and MacDonnell clans, its dramatic history is matched by its its perch on a craggy headland accessible via a bridge from the mainland. There’s evidence of settlement from the first millennium although the present castle ruins date mainly from the 16th and 17th centuries. You can get a nice view of the castle from the nearby Magheracross Lookout and picnic area. There’s no need to pre-book a visit to the castle but there is an entrance fee.
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The Ornament of Bristol
By Linda Tancs
Britain’s Sir Abraham Elton referred to Clifton Suspension Bridge as “the ornament of Bristol and the wonder of the age.” Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel (a key figure in Victorian engineering), it was completed in 1864, standing majestically 245 feet above the Avon Gorge. The city’s icon boasts Egyptian-inspired towers and sweeping suspension cables, its original chains still intact. On the Leigh Woods (North Somerset) side of the bridge, a museum is open daily with free admission. It features displays and artifacts on the bridge’s construction and ongoing maintenance.
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Seals in New Zealand
By Linda Tancs
Kaikōura is a year-round destination, but the best time to see seal pups in this coastal New Zealand town is fast approaching. Located on the South Island, the Kaikōura Peninsula Walkway is particularly known for its wildlife as well as ocean views. It starts at the town center and offers several viewpoints. You can walk the whole track to Point Kean car park in under an hour. It’s also a great place to eat crayfish. In the Māori language, “kai” means food; “kōura” means crayfish.
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The Traveling Show Chronicles
By Linda Tancs
Based at the University of Sheffield in Yorkshire, England, the National Fairground and Circus Archive chronicles every aspect of the fair, circus and allied entertainments, and the culture, business and life of traveling show people in Britain. The collection includes photographic, printed, manuscript and audiovisual materials on entertainment related to fairground, circus, variety and music hall, magic, sideshows, boxing booths, traveling cinematograph shows, pleasure and zoological gardens, amusement and theme parks, menageries, performing animals, optical illusion, traveling exhibitions, seaside entertainment and world’s fairs and expositions. Among the highlighted collections you’ll find one of the most important collections of early British cinema ephemera in the U.K. curated by leading film historian, author and collector Bill Barnes as well as the largest public collection of circus history in the country. A reading room is available during opening hours for exploration of the archives.
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Minimalist Ice in Taiwan
By Linda Tancs
Minimalist design focuses on simplicity and functionality. It isn’t a term you generally hear applied to ice cream, unless you visit Minimal in Taiwan’s Taichung City, the world’s first and only ice cream establishment to receive a Michelin star. It earned its award due to the way its artisans skillfully layer flavors and textures through temperature variations and creative combinations. The two-story venue on Meicun Road has both a takeaway outlet on the first floor and a dine-in section on the second floor that offers a seven-course tasting menu.
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Sri Lanka’s Most Famous Park
By Linda Tancs
Yala National Park is a huge area of forest, grassland and lagoons bordering the Indian Ocean in southeast Sri Lanka. Renowned for its leopard population (the highest density anywhere), it also hosts elephants and crocodiles as well as hundreds of bird species. The animals are more likely to come into the open when the water levels are low between February and July although sightings (particularly of the elusive leopard) are not guaranteed. Safaris are plentiful.
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The Potteries
By Linda Tancs
Often called “The Potteries,” Stoke-on-Trent is the heart of British pottery. Since the industry’s start there over 300 years ago, brands like Wedgwood, Spode, Royal Doulton, Burleigh, Emma Bridgewater and many others have shaped the city’s identity. That’s why no visit to the area would be complete without touring the many factories and museums. In addition to the outlets and opportunities at the potter’s wheel, don’t miss Dudson Museum, housed in an atmospheric, original Grade II-listed bottle oven about a mile from the Dudson factory outlet. When you step through the “oven” door you will experience the company’s heritage from 1800 until the present day and discover the history of the oldest surviving family business in the ceramic tableware industry.
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Paris of the Caucasus
By Linda Tancs
The capital of the Georgian republic of Adjara, Batumi is a Black Sea resort and port city often referred to as the Pearl of the Black Sea or Paris of the Caucasus. Apt descriptions, considering that the city features expansive views of sea and mountain regions. The best vantage point is the observation deck at Alphabet Tower, a 526-foot-high structure modeled like a strand of DNA located on the Boulevard. As its name suggests, it features the 33 letters of the Georgian alphabet known as Mkhedruli, a unique writing system considered a significant symbol of Georgian national identity and cultural heritage.
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Wordsworth House
By Linda Tancs
Wordsworth House in Cockermouth is a Georgian townhouse where William Wordsworth, England’s great nature poet, first discovered his twin loves of literature and the landscape. His childhood home features a walled, riverside garden presented as it may have been when William and his sister Dorothy played games along the flower beds. Winter blooms of snowdrops and crocuses prevail this time of year. You may still see them when the season opens in March. Take a guided tour of the house or explore at your own pace. Located on Main Street, the closest rail station is Maryport.
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