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
The Largest Theatre in Paris
By Linda Tancs
Grand Rex is the largest theatre in Paris and one of the largest in Europe. Boasting the city’s largest screen, the cinema’s outsized lines and Art Deco-style dome are out of sync with the hotels, bars and pubs along rue Poissonniere but nevertheless befitting a shrine to Parisian cinema. Inaugurated in 1932, the Ministry of Culture has decreed it a national monument. Discover its legend through an interactive, 50- minute long audio guided tour.
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Persian Pearls
By Linda Tancs
The ancient kingdom of Persia, now known as Iran, isn’t exactly a tourist magnet yet boasts 16 World Heritage sites worthy of distinction. Some, like the pre-Christian monumental ruins of Persepolis, represent one of the greatest ancient sites outside the Holy Land. Another top attraction is Isfahan’s Masjed-e Jāmé (“Friday mosque”), the oldest preserved edifice of its type in Iran and a prototype for later mosque designs throughout Central Asia. Created to exemplify Eden, the Persian Garden is a collection of nine gardens selected from various regions of Iran, maintaining an ancient geometric model and integrating cultural and social aspects of society in a manner intended to harmonize with natural surroundings. Thankfully, many of its historic sites are far removed from the more problematic border zones around Iraq and Afghanistan, a plus for the many university groups seeking tours of Persia’s pearls.
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A Year of Homecoming
By Linda Tancs
Although national gathering festivals are nothing new, it’s easy to appreciate each country’s unique artistic, cultural and ancestral heritage. This year, it’s Scotland’s turn to shine. Dubbed the Year of Homecoming, the slate of events includes a whisky festival, a re-enactment of Britain’s battle with Robert the Bruce, a celebration of Forth Bridges’ 50th anniversary and the Highland Games, a tradition since 1867.
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The Centre of the World
By Linda Tancs
Have you ever pondered which town is the nearest to the centre of the world? The people of Ludbreg in Croatia would have you believe that since ancient times certain circles of the earth expanded concentrically from their fair town, determining the position of major European cities. And so every year the citizens of Ludbreg add another tile bearing the name of one of the cities of the world to their main square on 1 April, Ludbreg’s birthday. It’s no April Fools’ Day joke; today is the Day of the Centre of the World.
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A Land of Urban Culture
By Linda Tancs
Croatia prides itself as a land of urban culture, sporting more cities than any other part of the Mediterranean. But the Mediterranean is only part of its charm, circled as it is by eastern, western and central Europe. Learn more about this newest member of the European Union on Travelrific® Travel Show.
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An Architectural Trifecta in Belarus
By Linda Tancs
Mir Castle, a red brick fortress in Belarus, is a trifecta of Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance architecture. Located in the town of Mir in the Grodno region (55 miles southwest of Minsk), the fortification serves as an emblem of the vast Lithuanian empire that ruled the region, the castle grounds having once belonged to the grand dukes. The castle complex was later built by Prince Yuri Ilyinich in the 16th century and became the family home of the Radziwills for over two centuries, who undertook extensive renovations of the complex to include an artificial lake, an Italian garden and a three story Renaissance palace along the eastern and northern walls of the castle. Recently renovated and restored, the castle is again open to the public.
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The Graves of Arles
By Linda Tancs
Southwest of the center of Arles in southern France is the ancient Roman necropolis, Les Alyscamps. Later a Christian burial ground, the path lined with numerous sarcophagi was a subject of paintings by Van Gogh and his onetime roommate, Gauguin. Van Gogh was quite prolific while residing in Arles; the Van Gogh trail is a self-guided walking tour highlighting points of artistic inspiration.
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Indoors at the Globe
By Linda Tancs
Like in Shakespeare’s time, London’s Globe Theatre is open to the elements–thus sometimes hath the brightest day a cloud, as The Bard wrote in Henry VI. But even the staunchest theatregoer wouldn’t mind some cover, 17th century protocols notwithstanding. That’s where the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse comes in. The newest addition to the Globe is an indoor candlelit theatre, accessible through the main foyer. The venue offers plays, concerts, opera and comedy. The Globe is best accessed on foot. Use a footpath along the Thames from Waterloo or Southwark Bridge.
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World War Museum Opens
By Linda Tancs
In Bastogne, Belgium, thousands of soldiers died in WWII during the Battle of the Bulge. Their valor is commemorated at the Bastogne War Museum. Opening tomorrow, this new museum will feature interactive exhibits dedicated to the battle and World War II.
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An Ostrogothic Wonder in Italy
By Linda Tancs
Kissed by the Adriatic Sea by virtue of the Candiano Canal, the Italian city of Ravenna boasts a unique collection of early Christian mosaics–unless you’re visiting the Mausoleo di Teodorico. Devoid of consecrated mosaics, the Mausoleum of Theoderic is a tomb commissioned by Theoderic the Great, king of the Ostrogoths from 493 to 526. The only surviving emperor’s tomb from this period, the structure is a geometric mishmosh comprising a decagon in the lower half and a circular upper half. Carved of white Istrian stone, it is a stunning example of Ostrogothic artistry.
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