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
Beautiful Music in Buenos Aires
By Linda Tancs
Acoustically, Teatro Colón is one of the world’s best opera houses. One reason is because the orchestra pit, accommodating up to 120 musicians, is treated with a resonance chamber and special curves for the reflection of sound. Another reason is the horseshoe-shaped hall. But the music isn’t the only beguiling feature of this music hall, boasting a majestic flight of stairs, sculptures and stained-glass windows. They say there’s a secret in every corner of this architectural gem, like the underground rehearsal rooms. Take a guided tour to uncover more of its charms.
Share this:
Rare Access in Florence
By Linda Tancs
Florence, Italy is often referred to as the cradle of the Renaissance, a cultural jewel of 15th century art and architecture. A mecca for museum lovers, that rich history is housed in over 70 museums across this city bisected by the Arno River. You can beat the madding crowds by heading to a less-visited site like the Vasari Corridor. Open only via special access through a tour or travel agency, this secret passageway through an unmarked door at the Uffizi Gallery connects the gallery to the Pitti Palace. It was built in 1564 by Giorgio Vasari at the behest of Grand Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici, who desired a safe path between his home at the Pitti Palace and the Palazzo degli Uffizi where he worked. The scenic covered walkway traces the Arno with panoramic views at Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), then dips into the interior of the church of Santa Felicita, ending at the famous Grotto of Buontalenti inside the Boboli Gardens.
Share this:
London’s Oldest Riverside Pub
By Linda Tancs
The Prospect of Whitby, London’s oldest riverside pub in Wapping, was once known as the Devil’s Tavern, a nod to its once-upon-a-time popularity with thieves, smugglers and pirates. More polished clientele included Charles Dickens, Samuel Pepys and artists Whistler and Turner. Originating in 1520, this traditional British pub boasts an original flagstone floor, a rare pewter-topped bar and old barrels and ship masts. And what good would a storied pub be without a haunting or two? Reputedly a favored watering hole of “hanging judge” Jeffreys, his spirit allegedly still presides over the hangings and drownings at high tide visible from his bar stool.
Share this:
The Tunnel of Shells
By Linda Tancs
Call it Shellhenge, a mysterious shell-lined tunnel network in Margate, England. Discovered in 1835, The Shell Grotto is a pathway and chamber beneath a residential garden, comprising 4.6 million shells forming exquisite mosaics. Its origins are a mystery to this day. Unique work of art, pagan temple or secret meeting house? You decide.
Share this:
The Big Zipper
By Linda Tancs
What is one mile long, 500 feet high and flies at speeds up to 100 miles per hour? Answer: The Big Zipper, Europe’s longest and fastest zipline. Located at an abandoned quarry in Snowdonia, North Wales, this adrenaline-boosting tourist attraction offers spectacular mountain views–if you keep your eyes open long enough to enjoy it! Are you ready to fly like an eagle? If not, no worries. The Little Zipper might be just the ticket for you.
Share this:
Summer Proms in Warwick
By Linda Tancs
Warwick Castle is celebrating its 1100th year with a birthday party this weekend to rival any queen’s jubilee. On 12 July a spectacular Summer Proms concert will feature popular classics and film themes along with an emotional sequence of music and songs commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings, marked by an aerial display by an original World War II Spitfire. A magnificent fireworks display will end this unforgettable evening. The castle will close to daytime guests at 4:00 p.m.
Share this:
A Bar for the Madding Crowd
By Linda Tancs
Thanks to the digital era, humans have an attention span of nine seconds–that’s eight seconds more than a squirrel. Our reliance on technology is not likely to change, so why not embrace it? That’s what the folks at London’s The Thirsty Bear have done. The city’s first total self-service pub, each table comes equipped with iPads for food orders and self-pour beer taps. You can even surf the Net and choose jukebox music. The lack of queues is bound to make the crowd, well, less madding.
Share this:
Celebrating Cricket’s Bicentenary
By Linda Tancs
Lord’s, the home of cricket in London, celebrates 200 years of sport, having hosted the first known cricket match in 1814 between MCC and Hertfordshire. To commemorate the bicentenary of this venerated sporting venue, eager fans are awaiting this Saturday’s star-studded lineup in the MCC versus Rest of the World match. Luminaries include Sachin Tendulkar, Shane Warne, Brian Lara, Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi. Can’t make the match? Visit the historic grounds and museum for a peek at the largest cricket collection in the world. The site is just a five minutes’ walk from St. John’s Wood tube station.
Share this:
Divine Guidance in Siena
By Linda Tancs
The avid horse player is likely to pray at the betting window to break even. In Siena, Italy, divine guidance is a central part of the race during Il Palio, the signature horse race taking place in the city each year on 2 July and 16 August. Today’s event honors Madonna of Provenzano; on 16 August the competition honors the ascension of the Virgin Mary into Heaven.
Share this:
Shaw’s Corner of Hertfordshire
By Linda Tancs
The writer Franz Kafka once remarked that writing is utter solitude. All great writers express the need for solitude–and some find it–like George Bernard Shaw. The Irish playwright moved at the height of his fame to an Edwardian villa in Ayot St. Lawrence in Hertfordshire, England known as Shaw’s Corner. In his garden he installed a shed–his writer’s nook–where he wrote Pygmalion, Man and Superman and Major Barbara. He named the little hut (which swivels to catch the sun) “London” so his wife could inform curious callers of his destination and avoid interrupting him. How clever!
Travelrific® Travel Journal 