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
Anglophone Literary Life in Paris
By Linda Tancs
A Left Bank literary institution, Shakespeare and Company is an English-language bookshop in the heart of Paris. The first iteration of the shop began in 1919, founded by American Sylvia Beach. It attracted the great expat writers of the time—Joyce, Hemingway, Stein, Fitzgerald, Eliot, Pound—as well as leading French writers until the Nazis occupied Paris in 1941. Part of its acclaim during her tenure arises from the fact that Beach published her friend James Joyce’s Ulysses in 1922 when no one else dared. Like the first iteration, the second Shakespeare and Company was founded by an American, George Whitman, in 1951. It remains a premier gathering place for anglophone writers and readers.
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A Royal Trek in Nepal
By Linda Tancs
The Royal Trek is one of the best introductory treks in the Annapurna region of Nepal. It’s named for King Charles III, who explored the route in 1981 shortly before he married Princess Diana. It’s also known for its low difficulty level suitable for individuals of varying fitness levels and trekking experience. It follows a shrub-like path along the foothills of Annapurna, north of the Pokhara valley, that includes beautiful Gurung settlements, small hamlets, terraced farms, lush green forests and views of the Annapurna range featuring Machapuchhre (fishtail) and Langtang Mountain. The journey ends at Begnas Lake.
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A Double-Decker Cable Car
By Linda Tancs
The Cabrio Stanserhorn in Switzerland is the world’s first open-top, double-decker cable car. Your journey begins in Stans at the historic valley station where you travel for about 10 minutes via the funicular railway. Then you change at the Kälti middle station to double-decker cars for another 10 minutes to the top of the Stanserhorn. Seats on the open upper deck cannot be reserved but you have a chance on either the ascent or descent to get one. Allow at least one hour to enjoy the views from the mountaintop, where you’ll also find a revolving restaurant. The Stanserhorn season runs from April to November.
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On the Banks of the Loire
By Linda Tancs
Inhabited since the Renaissance, Château de Villandry is a spectacular French castle on the banks of the Loire. Once a defensive fortress used for peace discussions between Philip II and Richard the Lionheart of England, it was renovated in the Renaissance style by its first owner, Jean Le Breton, Minister of Finance for Francois l. The property was later renovated in the neoclassical style after it was acquired by the Marquis de Castellane. In the early 1900s, the property was acquired by Spanish inventor Joachim Carvallo and his American wife, the heiress Ann Coleman. Their particular dedication and attention to the property’s magnificent landscape (restored to the Renaissance style) created one of Europe’s best gardens. Still owned by the Carvallo family, the estate is a major tourist attraction.
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Cave Tubing in Belize
By Linda Tancs
Caves Branch River is a popular destination for caving, tubing and rafting in Belize. In fact, some of the best cave tubing in Belize takes place on the river. Many tours involve a guided hike for about 20 minutes through the Belizean rainforest and then a tube excursion down the river and through spectacular cave systems which the ancient Mayas regarded as a sacred underworld. This activity is an especially popular cruise ship excursion.
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Salt of the Earth in Bolivia
By Linda Tancs
Descending from a prehistoric lake, Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt flat at over 3,900 square miles. Located in the Eduardo Avaroa National Andean Wildlife Reserve in Bolivia, it’s one of South America’s most popular tourist attractions. This snow-hued wasteland features a cemetery of cherry red trains along its outskirts that bear silent testimony to a once burgeoning rail system designed for the transport of the area’s rich mineral resources to Pacific Ocean ports. Although generally devoid of plant or animal life, it’s also home to a migratory species of flamingos. Why not complement your visit with a stay at a salt hotel, where everything from the beds to the walls and floors are constructed from salt blocks. A bus or plane from La Paz will get you there.
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Where History and Nature Meet in Panama
By Linda Tancs
Located in the eastern sector of the Panama Canal, Chagres National Park is a place where history and nature meet. It’s home to the forest that shelters the Chagres River (the largest river in the canal’s watershed) and where you’ll find remnants of the Camino Real, a colonial route that transported goods like gold and silver from coast to coast before the canal was built. Comprising over 300,000 acres, hiking opportunities are abundant, like the peak of Cerro Jefe and its spectacular views of the canal. Rafting, kayaking and fishing are popular activities as is visiting the indigenous Emberá community by canoeing up the Chagres River. Book a tour operator for the best experience, such as an indigenous culture tour or a full-day jungle expedition.
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A Fortified City in France
By Linda Tancs
Carcassonne is a hilltop town in France known for its medieval citadel, La Cité, comprising numerous watchtowers and double-walled fortifications. Since the pre-Roman period, a fortified settlement has existed on the hill where the town stands. Take a guided tour of the ramparts for the best experience of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Robin Hood’s Castle
By Linda Tancs
Robin Hood is a product of English folklore famous for stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Old Wardour Castle in Wiltshire is dubbed “Robin Hood’s castle” because it served as inspiration for the Kevin Costner film Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. Built in the 1300s for John, Lord Lovell, its hexagonal shape may have been inspired by Queenborough Castle in Kent. Now a picturesque ruin following the English Civil War, a free audio tour will bring its history to life. For great views of the estate as well as the surrounding countryside and woodlands, be sure to climb the East Tower.
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Railway 200 Celebrations in Britain
By Linda Tancs
The Railway 200 celebrations in 2025 mark 200 years since the birth of the modern railway in the U.K. As part of the festivities, the iconic No. 60007 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ will be in operation between Pickering and Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, one of Britain’s most popular heritage railways. Between March 22 and March 30 you’ll have an opportunity to ride on this locomotive designed by celebrated railway engineer Sir Nigel Gresley. It became famous in 1959 for setting the post-war steam speed record of 112 mph during a test run, due in no small part to its sleek, aerodynamic design that reduced air resistance and enabled exceptional performance. Don’t miss the chance to see this masterpiece of British innovation.
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