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
A Giant Tale in Albania
By Linda Tancs
The relatively small country of Albania sports a giant tale. According to legend, the Tomorr and Shpirag mountains in Berat were once giants vying for the affection of a young maiden. Upon their deaths in the ensuing battle, the maiden’s voluminous tears formed the Osum River. Nice story, but the locals would much rather you remember their fair town as the “city of a thousand windows.” That moniker arises from the view below the citadel, where an impressive array of windows strikes the eye thanks to the homes nestled in the rocky castle hill.
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Shetland’s Ancient Capital
By Linda Tancs
On the southern peninsula of Mainland, Shetland, you’ll find its ancient capital, Scalloway. Derived from Old Norse meaning “bay of the huts,” the picturesque village with Viking roots can trace its habitation back to the Bronze Age. Its breathtaking view is punctuated at the Scord, an approach by road that encompasses the harbor, the castle, a bridge and some islets. The four-story castle dominates the village and is probably one of the only fortified structures that a visitor can see by obtaining a key from the local hotel.
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Visiting Nancy
By Linda Tancs
Who would think that a deposed Polish king would contribute much to 18th century European architecture in northeastern France? Well, that’s what you’ll find in Nancy, a historic French city. Thanks to an uprising in the 1700s, Nancy and its environs (formerly the Duchy of Upper Lorraine) were granted to Stanisław Leszczyński, former King of Poland. The new duke built Stanislas Square to honor his son-in-law Louis XV of France. Befitting its royal connection, the square boasts immense classical façades laden with wrought-iron railings embellished with gold. City Hall, the Grand Hotel and the opera house complete the panorama of what is considered to be one of the most beautiful royal squares in Europe. Nancy is 90 minutes by high-speed TGV train direct from Gare de l’Est in Paris.
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The History of Photography
By Linda Tancs
Photojournalist Dorothea Lange once remarked that a camera is a tool for learning. That’s certainly the goal at the Museum of Photography in Charleroi, Belgium. Touted as the largest photography museum in Europe, the facility’s learning tools include a discovery trail, digital laboratory, darkroom and mobile studio. Housed in a former Carmelite monastery, the museum is home to 80,000 prints and three million negatives representing the entire history of photography from the 19th century to the present day. The collection is spread across the renovated monastery and a newer contemporary wing.
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South Pacific’s Only Kingdom
By Linda Tancs
Tonga‘s monarchy is over 1,000 years old and is the only remaining kingdom in the South Pacific. The harborside capital Nuku’alofa is where the Royal Family resides. In Longi you’ll find the tombs of past Tongan kings. Blessed with a year-round tropical climate, there’s no end to princely indulgences for everyone–from beaches and untouched rainforests to mountains and ancient lava tubes.
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Two Heroines
By Linda Tancs
Phuket, Thailand’s largest island, is no stranger to adverse forces. Although most might best remember the damage wrought by the 2004 tsunami, this southern province has battled against adverse influences for centuries. For instance, during the Battle of Thalang in 1785 the Burmese sought control of this island paradise and might have won it were it not for the marshaling of troops led by two sisters. Driving the Burmese to retreat, the two women became local heroines and were bestowed honorary titles by a grateful King Rama I. The Two Heroines Monument is located on Krasattri Road.
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A Rocky Ride in Nicaragua
By Linda Tancs
Forty-five minutes from León, Nicaragua, stands Cerro Negro (Black Hill), Central America’s youngest volcano. A mere child at nearly 165 years, its crater offers amazing views of volcanic chain Los Maribios, not to mention the sensory overload of heat and sulfur gas owing to its active nature. In recent years, it’s found favor beyond avid hikers and volcanologists: the adventure set have taken to boarding down its rocky, ash wall. Thanks to Nature’s thinly-milled rock, thrill seekers can opt for a modified snowboard ride down a forbidding slope at even more forbidding speed (50 miles per hour or more). Wear long pants, and prepare for a hard landing.
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The 2015 European Capitals of Culture
By Linda Tancs
Welcome to a new year and two new European Union capitals of culture: Mons in Belgium and Pilsen in the Czech Republic. The major exhibitions in Mons feature Van Gogh’s emergence as an artist in the Borinage, the poetic metamorphosis of Paul Verlaine, and the Battle of Lumecon in the main square where St. George slays the dragon. The opening ceremony for Mons 2015 will be held on 24 January. Like Mons, Pilsen will promote great personalities associated with the city, like Jiří Trnka (the Walt Disney of the East), Ladislav Sutnar (a pioneer in information graphics) and the architecture of Adolf Loos. The festivities officially launch in Pilsen on 17 January.
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A Sailor’s Life in London
By Linda Tancs
England’s long history as a port is revealed at the Museum of London in Docklands. In this thriving business hub, there’s little evidence of its 18th century roots–a place where dockers, merchants and sailors mixed with smugglers and thieves as countless vessels unloaded rum, sugar and coffee from the Caribbean. The area’s maritime character comes to life, though, at Sailortown, a permanent exhibit recreating an alehouse, sailors’ lodging house and chandlery, among other things. Just two minutes away from West India Quay, the museum is easily reached by tube via Canary Wharf or West India Quay on the DLR.
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Remains of the Day
By Linda Tancs
Richard III was England’s last king of the House of York and last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His remains were found, quite unceremoniously, beneath a car park in Leicester’s city centre. Excavations of the site revealed an ancient friary church alleged to be the burial spot of the king after he was killed in the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. Along with the King Richard III visitor centre commemorating the find, Leicester also features the Richard III Walking Trail, tracing his journey from Leicester to Bosworth Field. Nearby the centre is Leicester Cathedral, where the king’s remains will be reburied next year.
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