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
Britain’s Beloved Models Turn 60
By Linda Tancs
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the very first Corgi diecast model car. Introduced in July 1956, the miniature vehicles were manufactured in Wales and named after the Welsh dog breed. Eventually Corgi achieved market dominance over Dinky, the British company that ushered in the modern era of toy cars in 1933. Its prized collections include The Aviation Archive, Hauliers of Renown, Vanguards and The Original Omnibus Company. They’re celebrating their special anniversary with limited edition models of famous vehicles and liveries from the air and the road. The Hornby Visitor Centre in Kent offers visitors a journey through the history of Britain’s best-loved toys, including Corgi, Hornby, Scalextric and Airfix. The retail shop offers an array of these products as well.
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Ireland’s First School of Falconry
By Linda Tancs
At Ireland’s Ashford Castle in County Mayo you’ll delight in an embarrassment of riches. Dating back to 1228, the glorious castle on the picturesque shores of Lough Corrib set amidst 350 acres of ancient woods was once home to the Guinness family and later found fame as the respite of choice for actors in the classic film “The Quiet Man.” Now part of the Red Carnation hotel chain, the five-star property offers luxurious trappings fit for royalty (a common guest), like unique works of art, carefully sourced antique furniture, custom designed carpets and beds and exquisite towels and linens. No wonder, then, that it’s been voted one of the best hotels in the world by Travel + Leisure. Of all the estate’s activities, one of the most exciting is its falconry school. The oldest established school in the country, instruction in this ancient sport requires no previous training. Just the thing when the usual pursuits of golf, tennis, kayaking, boat cruising, horse riding, tennis or fishing just won’t do.
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Portobello Gins Up Interest in Hotel
By Linda Tancs
What could be better than ginning up interest in—gin! The opening of a new gin distillery in London, England, might not garner that much interest but for the fact that you can eat, drink and sleep in it! That’s the idea behind a new hotel from the folks at Portobello Road Gin. Opening in November, the new venue (at Portobello Road, where else) will include not only a boutique hotel but also a gin museum, blending rooms, a Spanish style “Gintonic” bar and restaurant, an actual distillery and the “Ginstitute,” a mixologist’s delight. Better book early for this spirited respite.
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The Horns of a Dilemma
By Linda Tancs
To run or not to run? That is the question this time of year as revelers contemplate the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. The renowned centerpiece of the festival of San Fermin (patron saint of Navarra) takes place each day at 8:00 a.m. from July 7 to July 14. Runners (over the age of 18) must be in the running area by 7:30. The actual run stretches from the corral at Santo Domingo where the bulls are kept to the bullring where they will fight that same afternoon. Undoubtedly wishing to be spared a horn salute, the brave participants will first pray to the saint to guide them in their run, a mad dash that typically lasts three or four minutes. The most dangerous part of the bullrun is a closed curve leading into Calle Estafeta, the longest stretch. The last stretch is also very risky because it leads into a dead end street providing access to the bullring.
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More Than Cheese
By Linda Tancs
Edam is a semi-hard cheese that originated in the Netherlands and put its namesake city on the map. But there’s more to this city than its cheese. In fact, shipbuilding is a prosperous part of its history, giving birth to Halve Maen (Half Moon). That was the ship assigned to Henry Hudson by the Dutch East India Company to chart a new route to Asia. Instead, bad weather found him charting the river in New York that now bears his name. Prized today for quaint shops and canals, it also boasts a fort with spectacular views of the wetlands. And, oh, about the cheese: the cheese market was the hub of the city in the Middle Ages where farmers brought their cheeses to be weighed, sold and exported all over the world. Re-enactments of the market’s hustle and bustle are held on Wednesdays during the summer from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Look for signage to Kaasmarkt.
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The Pride of Norway
By Linda Tancs
One of Norway’s best loved attractions is just an hour’s drive north from Oslo. There you’ll find Skibladner, the world’s oldest paddle steamer, ploughing Lake Mjøsa, Norway’s largest inland lake. The pride of Norway, the oldest preserved paddle steamer in timetabled service is celebrating 160 years of sailing this year. Skibladner sails between the villages and towns around Lake Mjøsa as she has always done: Lillehammer, Moelv, Gjøvik, Hamar and Eidsvoll. Sailings began on June 22 and continue through August 14.
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World’s Steepest Cogwheel Railway
By Linda Tancs
A feat of engineering, the cogwheel railway system was invented by Colonel Eduard Locher-Freuler in the 1880s. It enabled gradients of up to 48 percent and made possible the construction of a railway up Switzerland’s Mount Pilatus. Eliminating the need for a tiresome ascent on foot, the system started out in 1889 as a steam coach and was later electrified in 1937. From Alpnachstad to Pilatus Kulm, the world’s steepest cogwheel railway gives visitors to Lucerne a bird’s-eye view of lush meadows carpeted with Alpine flowers, sparkling mountain streams and imposing rock faces.
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Endurance Racing in France
By Linda Tancs
The engines are getting ready to roar as the time nears for France’s annual endurance race, Le Mans. One of the oldest races, 24 Hours of Le Mans is taking place from June 18 to June 19 in Le Mans (less than an hour west of Paris). Over the course of the 24 hours, racers clock in with approximately 18 times the length of an average Formula 1 Grand Prix, so it’s easy to see why it’s considered the greatest endurance race in the world. This year will be the eighth time that the contest has fallen on this weekend. In 1932, this weekend saw Frenchwoman Odette Siko put her name in the record books with the best result for a female driver.
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Helsinki’s Maritime Fortress
By Linda Tancs
One of the world’s largest maritime fortresses, Suomenlinna was built off the coast of Helsinki, Finland, in 1748. In addition to the homeland, this notable monument of military architecture has defended Sweden and Russia. Anything but staid, the bastion fortress is a living district inhabited by 850 city residents. Open year round, you’ll want to reserve at least a half day to explore its many turns and tunnels.
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Into the Cliffs
By Linda Tancs
A time capsule from World War II, Fan Bay Deep Shelter is a labyrinth of tunnels built underneath the White Cliffs of Dover in 100 days for bombproof accommodation. Now open to the public, hard-hat and torchlit tours are led by specialist guides for intrepid tourists. There is a 45-minute walk along the cliffs to reach the site, and the tunnels are only accessible by a steep 125 steps to get into the shelter and back out again.
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