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
Many Fountains
By Linda Tancs
Many fountains. That’s the translation for Switzerland’s valley town, Lauterbrunnen. Located in the Bernese Oberland (Bernese highlands), there is indeed plenty of H2O in the Lauterbrunnen Valley. One of its most famous exhibits is the Staubbach Falls at the edge of the village. The spectacular cliffside plunge, one of the highest free-falling waterfalls in Europe, is the inspiration behind Goethe’s poem, Gesang der Geister über den Wassern (Song of the Spirits Over the Waters). Just as impressive is Trümmelbach Falls, a series of ten glacier waterfalls thundering through the Jungfrau with a spill rate of 20,000 liters per second, accessible only in summer via tunnel lift (something to look forward to next year). In all, there are 72 waterfalls in the valley. May the force be with you.
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The Most Fun Place on Earth
By Linda Tancs
Wales just might be the most fun place on Earth. Snowdonia, to be precise, is where Europe’s longest and fastest zipline debuted. Now, hold on to your hats–or bottoms, as the case may be–the same site has unveiled the world’s largest underground trampoline. A special train transports adventurous souls into the depths of the former Blaenau Ffestiniog slate mine, where three huge trampoline-like nets are hung at varying levels, linked together by walkways and slides. Participants in this first-of-its-kind experience are outfitted with cotton overalls and a safety helmet. Granted, an abandoned mine can be a bit drab, so LED lighting has been added to the walls for a more illuminating experience. Are you ready to put a little bounce in your step?
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Flush with Interest in India
By Linda Tancs
Loos, privies, chamber pots, water closets–call it whatever you like, the toilet is an indispensable element of human hygiene. Though it might not generate much mention in polite conversation, those flush with interest can indulge their curiosity in its evolution at New Delhi’s Sublabh International Museum of Toilets. Hailed as the only exhibition of its kind, the museum traces the evolution of the toilet and includes Victorian-era chamber pots and ancient carved and decorated commodes. A highlight is the replica of King Louis XIV’s throne, allegedly outfitted to allow for potty breaks while conducting official business. A royal flush, indeed.
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The Belgian Coast Tram
By Linda Tancs
Belgium’s Kusttram (Coast Tram) is the longest single-path tram line in the world, gliding between De Panne and Knokke on the Flemish coast. It’s convenient (a connection every 20 minutes), which means that you have no excuse not to explore the many holiday romps along its 43-mile trek. Did you know that Knokke was a favorite among the Hollywood elite like Frank Sinatra and Marlene Dietrich?
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Arts and Letters at Holkham
By Linda Tancs
One of the finest surviving examples of the Anglo-Palladian architectural style is Holkham Hall, an English country manor on the Norfolk coast occupied by Viscount Coke and two other families. Its three libraries house over 10,000 books, one of the most important and enviable literature collections in the country. So vast is its collection that the libraries form half the area of the first floor of the family wing. The property has an equally compelling manuscript collection (some dating to the 12th century), frequently loaned to galleries and museums in Italy, Germany, England, Japan and America. Holkham is two miles west of Wells-next-the-Sea; the nearest rail station is King’s Lynn. The Norfolk Coasthopper runs from King’s Lynn to Sheringham and has two stops at Holkham.
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A Gutsy Hotel in Belgium
By Linda Tancs
Ever wonder what Jonah must have experienced when he got swallowed by the whale? You might get a sense of that at Hotel Casanus, a one-room hotel shaped like a giant intestine. Located at Verbeke Foundation Art Park near Antwerp, Belgium, this colonoscopic wonder features a double bed, windows, heating, and working plumbing in a pastoral setting. You’ll have all the creature comforts of home, *butt* do you have the guts to stay there?
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A Moving Tribute in London
By Linda Tancs
Through year end you can experience James Bond in motion–sort of–at the London Film Museum’s Bond in Motion exhibition in Covent Garden. Boasting the largest official collection of James Bond vehicles, the venue is displaying over 100 individual original items from all 23 films–the largest display of its kind ever staged in London. What’s included? The Aston Martin DB5, Goldfinger’s Rolls-Royce Phantom III and the Lotus Esprit S1 submersible from The Spy Who Loved Me. Will you leave shaken, or stirred?
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The Sage of Chelsea
By Linda Tancs
Moving in the finest of literary circles, Victorian writer Thomas Carlyle earned the nickname “Sage of Chelsea.” Indeed, his home in London’s Chelsea district is where much of his writing took place (such as his Complete Works and Oliver Cromwell’s Letters and Speeches) amidst multiple gatherings with heavyweights like Dickens and Tennyson together with his equally gifted wife, Jane. Near the house is a bronze statue of the literary giant, unveiled in 1882 (a year after his death) and funded by such luminaries as Charles Darwin, Robert Browning and William Morris. Preserved by the National Trust, Carlyle’s House is accessible via a 15-minute walk from the tube at Sloane Square or South Kensington.
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A Heavenly Tomb
By Linda Tancs
The lavish lifestyles of South Korea’s elite during the Silla dynasty form part of a roofless museum in Tumuli Park. Just four hours away from Seoul by bus, the 37-acre grounds contain 23 royal burial mounds. The most celebrated (the interior of which is open to the public) is Cheonmachong, the “Heavenly Horse” tomb, a burial site for a 5th-6th century Silla king and his consort. When the site was excavated in the 1970s, a mounted horse painting (the only one discovered from the Silla era) was found, along with over 10,000 artifacts of the good life, like jade tiger claw earrings and a gold crown embellished with jade tiger claws. Clearly, it was good to be the king.
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London’s Larder
By Linda Tancs
London’s Borough Market turns 1000 years old this year. You’ve come a long way, baby–from grain, fish, vegetables and livestock trading in the 11th century to a premier market source for foodies like chefs, restaurateurs and amateur cooks. Its original location is marked by The Triangle, a patch of land purchased by local residents when Parliament closed the market in the 1700s. Now over 100 stalls strong, the facility is home to renowned producers like Northfield Farm and Furness Fish and Game. The City’s oldest fruit and vegetable market, it’s located next to London Bridge station. The full market is open Wednesday through Saturday.
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