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
Romancing the Tome
By Linda Tancs
Romantics flock to Paris because it’s widely regarded as the city of love. But it’s just as tantalizing for book lovers. Selling books since 1826, Librairie Jousseaume at Galerie Vivienne will have you yielding to the pages of texts both ancient and modern on topics as varied as history, literature, travel, poetry, comic books, theater and music. As French historian Jean-Jacques Ampère put it, “Books make eras and nations, just as eras and nations make books.”
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Green Mountains and Blue Water
By Linda Tancs
When Christopher Columbus discovered present day Haiti, he thought he’d landed in Asia or India and not the gateway to the Caribbean. The island might be better known for the port of Labadee, a cruise ship destination boasting a private resort owned by the cruise line Royal Caribbean International, but the real charm is just outside Jacmel. That’s where you’ll find Bassin Bleu, an idyllic respite of cascading waterfalls surrounded by green mountains and blue water. Hopefully you’ll find the commute well worth it, after being rattled to and fro in a 4×4 for 30 minutes. Despite the common wisdom, in this case it’s the destination that counts, not the journey.
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Straddie’s Natural Wonders
By Linda Tancs
Starting around May and ending in July, thousands of humpback whales migrate north past Australia’s North Stradbroke Island (popularly known as “Straddie”), a favored destination for Brisbanites just off the coast. You’ll find the best land-based viewing at Point Lookout. Forget your watch; here you’re on nature’s time. Besides whale watching season, there’s plenty of hiking, fishing, swimming (five beaches to choose from) and surfing to keep you occupied. Or just relax at one of the peaceful inland lakes with names like Blue Lake and Brown Lake. It’s that simple.
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The Marlstone City
By Linda Tancs
Valkenburg is the central town in the municipality of Valkenburg aan de Geul in the southeastern Dutch province of Limburg. It’s equally as charming as nearby Maastricht (Limburg’s capital city) although probably not as well known despite having been fought after for centuries. In fact, the city and its environs were conquered in medieval times by Duke Philip the Bold for Burgundy. No doubt he was attracted to the warm yellow glow of marlstone girding its cliffs. Marlstone was mined to build the old castle (now in ruins), cultivated from the caves that now serve as a major tourist attraction. At a unique cave gallery, professional marlstone sculptors will help you unleash your inner Claus Sluter.
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A Classic Combination in Scotland
By Linda Tancs
Scotland’s Dumfries House is an all-around classic, inside and out. Set amidst 2,000 rustic acres in Ayrshire, the 18th century country house is a neoclassical gem designed by Robert Adam, one of the most important British architects of his day. Inside, the house enjoys the distinction of holding one of the largest collections of Chippendale furniture in the world, a classic by any standard. A royal restoration begun in 2007 saved the property from an uncertain future.
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A Prehistoric Masterpiece Unveiled in France
By Linda Tancs
Discovered in 1994 in the Ardèche department of southern France, the Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc cave contains the earliest known and best preserved figurative cave paintings in the world depicting Upper Paleolithic life. Its 36,000-year-old paintings cover not only the typical herbivores dominating Paleolithic life but also stunning images of bears, panthers, lions and other predatory animals–424 animals and 14 species in all. This prehistoric masterpiece would be lost to public viewing (in consideration of the need for preservation) were it not for the replica cave constructed less than five miles from the original site. The official opening is on Saturday, 25 April.
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The Essence of Extremadura
By Linda Tancs
Badajoz is the capital of Badajoz Province in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. Kissing the border with Portugal, a key focal point for spectacular views is Alcazaba, a fortress built in the 8th century by its Moorish conquerors. It’s surrounded by a host of little squares and gardens from which spring other imposing sites like the fortress-inspired cathedral and palatial museums. But nothing is as emblematic as Puerta de Palmas, an entrance point to the city marked by two majestic cylindrical towers guarding their namesake bridge across the Guadiana River. Take a walk across the bridge and enjoy the riverside.
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The Glass City
By Linda Tancs
In the 19th century, architect Alphonse Balat designed a complex of greenhouses for Belgian King Leopold II to complement the castle of Laeken. Known as the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken, the sweeping collection of rotundas, cupolas and galleries comprising metal and glass resembles a glass city. Some of the king’s original plant collections still exist, surrounded by rare and valuable plants meticulously labeled. Continuing a century-old tradition of opening the luxurious collection to public view for a limited time, this year’s opening–punctuated by blooming azaleas–began on 17 April and continues until 8 May.
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Tropics Trivia in Taiwan
By Linda Tancs
The Tropic of Cancer is one of five major circles of latitude (the others being the Tropic of Capricorn, the Antarctic Circle, the Arctic Circle and the Equator). In Taiwan, the Tropic of Cancer cuts through Shuishang Township (Chiayi County) and Ruisui and Fengbin townships (Hualien County), all of which have landmarks on the line. Chiayi County is a special treasure, the only county in Taiwan with three major national scenic areas: Alishan National Scenic Area, Southwest Coast National Scenic Area, and Siraya National Scenic Area. Some of the treasures you’ll find are Alishan (home of the renowned Alishan Forest Railway and the Tsou indigenous people), the fishing harbor of Dongshi (where Aogu Wetland Forest Park, the largest lowland forest park, is located) and the Budai salt fields, busiest this time of year when the sun is strongest and rain is scarce.
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Palace of the Normans
By Linda Tancs
A stronghold of Palermo, Sicily, the Palace of the Normans is a testament to the cultural, historical and religious influence of the region’s invaders over the centuries. The palace was begun in the 9th century when Sicily was under Islamic rule and still retains Arabian vaults in the basement. When the Normans conquered Sicily in 1072, the building was transformed into an administrative and residential compound marked by arcades and exquisitely designed gardens, an appropriate dwelling for the Sicilian kingdom established under Norman rule. King Roger II added the stunning Cappella Palatina, a chapel boasting Byzantine, Islamic and Norman styles that is highly prized for its elegant mosaics. Following additional reconstruction by the Spanish and Bourbons, the palace ultimately became, and remains, the seat of Sicily’s regional parliament.
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