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
In the Heart of the Reef
By Linda Tancs
In the heart of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is Hayman Island, a private island open to the public and the nearest of the Whitsunday Islands to the Outer Reef, including the famous Heart Reef. It’s home to One&Only Hayman Island, a premier resort where guests can enjoy their arrival by luxury yacht. With direct access to the reef, visitors flock to Blue Pearl Bay, located on the northwestern side of the island. A must for snorkelers and divers, its charms include the resident Maori Wrasse, defending the reef by eating its arch enemies. Best coral cover is in the shallow waters off the southern beach.
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Kuwait Will Implement DNA Testing for Tourism
By Linda Tancs
In a one-of-a-kind move, Kuwait has announced the imminent implementation of an earlier law requiring the collection of DNA from visitors, residents and citizens in an effort to thwart crime and terrorism. A swab of saliva or drop of blood will do the trick, which is intended to form a national database. Citizens and expats can perform their civic duty via mobile collection centers and visa renewal requirements, respectively. Tourists will be required to submit a sample at the airport to gain access to the country’s archeological and cultural delights.
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Swinging in Germany
By Linda Tancs
Germany’s longest rope suspension bridge is a relatively new tourist attraction, having opened in October last year. The pedestrian bridge spans Geierlay canyon between the towns of Mörsdorf and Sosberg near the border with Luxembourg. The 1,200-foot-long bridge sits nearly 300 feet above the canyon floor, offering thrill seekers dizzying yet picturesque views of the forested valley. The footbridge complements the area’s hiking trails.
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A Hot Spot in the North Atlantic
By Linda Tancs
Second only to a robust fishing industry, tourism is hot in the Faroe Islands. The idyllic, self-governing archipelago (part of the Kingdom of Denmark) lies northwest of Scotland and halfway between Iceland and Norway in the heart of the North Atlantic. Despite the cool latitude, it has a number of hot attractions. Historic Kirkjubøur, for instance, has a church from the Middle Ages still in use and one of the world’s oldest inhabited log houses as well. On the western island of Mykines you’ll find a birder’s paradise that is believed to be the site that the seafaring Irish monk St. Brendan described in the middle of the sixth century. Add to that deep grottos dominated by soaring, sheer cliffs in Vestmanna, located beyond ancient villages like Kvívík, the site of remains of a well preserved Viking farmstead. Small and unspoiled, the islands have received top marks for preservation of nature, historic architecture and national pride.
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Lilies of the Amazon
By Linda Tancs
Close to seven feet. That’s how large the water lily gets in the Amazon at Victoria Regia Nature Reserve. It’s just a 15-minute boat ride from Leticia, Colombia’s southernmost city located on the banks of the Amazon on the Colombia—Brazil border. Once you’ve ogled your fair share of flora, take in the tourist boardwalk in Leticia where you can enjoy the breeze from the Amazon and admire fiery sunsets amidst many stores and food courts.
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Three Kingdoms
By Linda Tancs
Jingzhou, China’s ancient city, is the heart of ancient Chu, the center of a power struggle between the states of Shu and Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. Now a bustling city of over six million people on the banks of the Yangtze River, the area boasts a treasure trove of relics from one of China’s bloodiest eras, including ruins of five Chu cities and hundreds of ancient tombs (18 Chu kings among them). During the first week of May, the Jingzhou International Dragon Boat Festival celebrates the famous poet Qu Yuan. His statue stands in nearby Ying, the Chu capital.
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Gateway to the Loire
By Linda Tancs
What do Amboise, Azay-le-Rideau, Chenonceau, Chinon, Langeais and Villandry have in common? They’re all just a stone’s throw away from Tours, a gateway city to the Loire Valley in France. Notwithstanding the splendor of these chateaux, the city is full of its own charms, like Place Plumereau. At the heart of the historic center, this small square is studded with eye-catching half-timbered houses. Now through September the place to see and be seen is La Guinguette de Tours sur Loire, a café at the docks offering a mix of dancing, film nights, food and drink and entertainment.
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A Pilgrimage of Faith
By Linda Tancs
Ujjain, a historic capital in central India in Madhya Pradesh, is a venerated pilgrimage site. One of the seven sacred cities of the Hindu faith, it is one of four sites attracting millions of Hindu pilgrims during the Kumbh Mela festival. The world’s largest religious gathering, it is held every third year at one of the four locations by rotation: Haridwar, Allahabad (Prayag), Nasik and Ujjain. Bathing in the river associated with each place during Kumbh Mela is said to wash away one’s sins. This year the event returns to Ujjain from April 22 to May 21.
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The Home of Gin
By Linda Tancs
Beefeater is the world’s most awarded gin, boasting a recipe that’s virtually unchanged since the 1800s. Distilled in the heart of London, the facility is housed in an Edwardian building in Kennington that features original Victorian pot stills and a botanical room. Thanks to a custom built visitors center, you can view the original stills, watch the distilling process and learn about premium gin making spanning over 150 years. And what would a distillery tour be without a wee sample greeting you at the end. Cheers!
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Where the Car is King
By Linda Tancs
Car enthusiasts, rejoice! Looking to find the world record-breaking SSC Ultimate Aero TT, Gumpert Apollo and Lamborghini Countach QV5000 all in one place? Then head to the London Motor Museum in Greater London, home to one of the largest collections of both classic and custom automobiles in Europe. Other jaw-dropping attractions include the Batmobile (both the film and TV versions), Hollywood icons like the General Lee and American muscle cars.
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