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
London to Edinburgh
By Linda Tancs
The British Empire Exhibition of 1924 and 1925 made famous Flying Scotsman, the legendary London to Edinburgh rail service. In 1934 it was the first locomotive to clock 100 mph. The old-fashioned steam engine was retired by British Rail in 1963, only to change hands several times, including an attempt to resurrect mainline tours. But now, following a successful campaign, the “people’s engine” will once again steam proudly following a full restoration. Beginning this month a whole season of events and activities will mark the return of this locomotive legend as it readies itself for an inaugural run from London’s Kings Cross to York.
Share this:
At the Edge of the Clouds
By Linda Tancs
“At the edge of the clouds” is an appropriate translation for China’s Yuanduan skywalk, the world’s longest glass walkway. The horseshoe-shaped glass bridge in Chongqing extends nearly 88 feet from a cliff edge standing 2,350 feet above the valley floor. It edges out the Grand Canyon Skywalk in length but is likely its equal when it comes to chills and thrills. Don’t look down.
Share this:
Celebrating the Sami
By Linda Tancs
The Sami are the indigenous who inhabit northern Scandinavia in a region called Sapmi, stretching across the high plains of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia’s Kola Peninsula. They celebrate their own National Day on February 6 each year, marking that day in the year 1917 when they gathered for their first meeting in Norway to address common concerns. Nowadays around 40,000 Sami live in Norway, 20,000 in Sweden and some 7,000 in Finland. In addition there are an estimated 2,000 Sami in Russia. In the city of Tromsø, Norway, their culture is celebrated with a weeklong festival known as Sami Week. Taking place this year from January 31 to February 7, the celebration includes reindeer racing, lasso-throwing, food, art and language classes.
Share this:
Bubbles in Grenoble
By Linda Tancs
Located in southeastern France, Grenoble is prized for its winter sports, especially skiing, considering that it sits in the middle of three mountain ranges. Not up to seeing the city via a downhill run? Spherical cable cars called “Les Bulles” (the bubbles) connect the town to the summit of La Bastille hill, named for the fortress on its slopes built to defend France against its great Alpine rival of the early 1800s, the Duchy of Savoy.
Share this:
China’s Grand Canal
By Linda Tancs
Officially known as the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the route of China’s ancient thoroughfare (dating as far back as 495 B.C.) runs from Beijing in the north to Hangzhou in the south and is the longest man-made waterway in the world. Although much of the Grand Canal is no longer in use, various sections running through Suzhou can still be toured. In fact, canals are such a prominent part of this ancient city in eastern China that it’s been dubbed “Venice of the East.” More than 50 miles of scenery dot the waterway, including hundreds of old-world river dwellings, 10 ancient city gates, dozens of stone bridges and two of Suzhou’s crown jewels, Hanshan Temple and West Garden Temple.
Share this:
Germany’s August City
By Linda Tancs
Reputedly Germany’s oldest city, Trier is quite august. Founded as Augusta Treverorum in 16 B.C. during the reign of the Roman emperor Augustus Caesar, its Roman heritage is omnipresent. You’ll find the famous Imperial Baths where the Romans went to relax, remnants of the St. Barbara Roman Baths from the second century and the Roman Bridge, which is still part of a main road into the city. And don’t forget the iconic Porta Nigra, the tallest Roman gate north of the Alps, measuring 98 feet high, 71 feet wide and 118 feet long. It’s one of the city’s eight UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Share this:
Slavery and Emancipation in the Bahamas
By Linda Tancs
The Pompey Museum in the Bahamas boasts a permanent collection exploring the history of slavery and emancipation in the island nation. Located in Nassau, the museum is named in honor of Pompey, a courageous slave who led a revolt against unfair conditions on the Rolle Plantation in Exuma. The site of several renowned exhibitions on slavery, the museum is located in a historic arcaded pink building at Bay and George streets.
Share this:
New York Airport Goes to the Dogs
By Linda Tancs
Boasting the world’s first air terminal for animals, New York’s JFK Airport is going to the dogs—and the cats, horses, cows, reptiles, fish, birds and any other animal you can think of. Appropriately named The ARK, the new facility under development is a luxury terminal that will handle more than 70,000 of our furry (and not so furry) friends annually. Transiting and quarantined animals will be treated to a variety of creature comforts (no pun intended), like swimming pools, luxury stalls, flat-screen TVs and massage therapy.
Share this:
Backpackers’ Paradise
By Linda Tancs
China’s Old City of Dali is the capital of the former kingdom of Dali and a gateway to the Silk Road in southwestern China. Its city gate is an iconic symbol of the ancient city as is Wuhua Tower. The Bai ethnic minority folk houses are another favorite. Aptly named Foreigners Street is where Bai crafts (and their makers) are in ample supply. Widely known as a backpackers’ paradise, foreigners spend weeks, if not months, in the ancient town to study Bai culture.
Share this:
Cagey in Neptune
By Linda Tancs
South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula is shaped like a shark tooth, an apt construction given that the Neptune Islands off its coast boast the biggest great white sharks on the planet. Eager to draw on shark tourism, the Neptunes offer visitors an up-close-and-personal experience with this apex predator courtesy of underwater cages. Go ahead and take the plunge.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 