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
England’s Oldest Racecourse
By Linda Tancs
Chester, England rightly takes its place in horse racing history, the first recorded race dating back to 1539 during the reign of King Henry VIII. Known as the Roodee, the course is the oldest one still in use in England. The 2013 season ends this Saturday with a series of class 3 and class 4 stakes with prizes ranging from £8,000 to £50,000. Situated in the heart of Chester and easily accessible by road or rail, the course is signed from all the major routes into Chester on race days.
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A Rare Glimpse of a Goldsmiths’ Pavilion
By Linda Tancs
The Goldsmiths’ Company, founded in London to regulate the craft and trade of the goldsmith, received its first royal charter in 1327. Thanks to its efforts you can be assured of the quality of gold, silver and more recently, platinum. The guild is housed in Goldsmiths’ Hall, a hidden gem just northeast of St. Paul’s Cathedral at the junction of Foster Lane and Gresham Street. The palatial-style building is never open to the public except during exhibitions and designated open days. That’s why the Goldsmiths’ Fair is a great opportunity to steep yourself in its long history. Taking place from 23 to 29 September and then from 1 to 6 October, the fair gives discerning collectors the world over a chance to meet the up-and-coming designers of jewelry and silverware design.
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The Island of Magic
By Linda Tancs
Recently named in a travel magazine survey as the world’s friendliest city, it isn’t hard to see why the stretch of beaches comprising Brazil’s Florianópolis earns it the nickname, the island of magic. About 450 miles southwest of Rio de Janeiro, this beachy destination easily gives glam spots like Ibiza or Punta del Este a run for their money. Originally renowned for its surfing holes like Joaquina, Praia Mole and Praia Brava, its cosmopolitan flair can’t be missed on Jurerê Internacional, Canasvieiras, and Ingleses on the north end of the island, where domestic and international tourists mix and mingle in trendy beach bars and nightclubs. For a little more peace and tranquility, witness the traditional Azorean customs still practiced on the island’s south end or visit the city centre for ample remnants of its colonial past. Whatever you do, prepare to be spellbound.
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Longitude 131°
By Linda Tancs
Longitude 131° is more than just a coordinate. It’s an experience in Australia’s Outback that puts the glam in glamping. Located near Ayers Rock Resort with complimentary transfers from the area airport, the luxury resort sports only 15 “tents,” each comprising a white dome roof and fabric draped from the center to create the illusion of camping’s more rustic nature. But that doesn’t make the experience any less adventurous–the World Heritage listed Uluru-Kata Tjutaof National Park beckons just minutes from your door.
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The Bard of Eastwood
By Linda Tancs
It’s an auspicious year in Eastwood, England, the hometown of writer D.H. Lawrence. Not only are they celebrating the centenary of the author’s semi-autobiographical novel Sons and Lovers, but 2013 also marks the 10th anniversary of the annual D.H. Lawrence Festival. In conjunction with the D.H. Lawrence Heritage Centre, the events on tap through 21 September include a series of lectures, exhibitions and guided walks, like the Blue Line Trail. The one-hour walk takes in sights like the library where a young D.H. would read, the chapel where his family worshipped and the pub renamed the Moon and Stars in his breakthrough novel. Join the D.H. Lawrence Society today for their special birthday lecture on Lawrence as a philosophical novelist.
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England’s First Natural World Heritage Site
By Linda Tancs
England’s first natural World Heritage Site is known as the Jurassic Coast, covering 95 miles of unforgettable coastline stretching from East Devon to Dorset. Despite its name, the area actually covers three geological time periods: the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. Each period is spectacularly covered. For starters, there’s the red rocks of the Triassic Period at Orcombe Point at Exmouth, site of the former supercontinent Pangaea. The famous Durdle Door limestone arch near Lulworth lures fans of the Jurassic Period. And the white chalk stack of Old Harry Rocks at Handfast Point near Studland highlights a time during the Cretaceous Period when the ever widening Atlantic Ocean breached the chalk ridge. Use the South West Coast Path to access the entire site.
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Australia’s Twelve Apostles
By Linda Tancs
It might seem like just a stack of large rocks to some, but the limestone monoliths jutting out from the Southern Ocean coastline near Melbourne, Australia known as the 12 Apostles have their followers. Although their naming has no biblical connection, it’s quite evocative and certainly an improvement over the original moniker–the Sow and Piglets. Part of Port Campbell National Park, the formations are located on the corner of Booringa Road and Great Ocean Road in Princetown 3269, just a four-hour drive or so from Melbourne via the Great Ocean Road. Sunrise and sunset are great viewing times to view the rocks’ dramatic color changes.
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The Candelabra of the Andes
By Linda Tancs
The Paracas Candelabra, also known as the Candelabra of the Andes, is a well-known prehistoric geoglyph nearly 600 feet long on the northern face of the Paracas Peninsula at Pisco Bay in Peru. That much is certain. Less certain is what it represents. Is it a candelabra design, the likes of which would have made Liberace swoon? Or is it a depiction of the trident of Viracocha, the South American god of Incan mythology responsible for creation? You decide.
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Penguins on Parade
By Linda Tancs
Australia’s Phillip Island boasts the world’s smallest penguin, but that’s not its only charm. At sunset the penguins march from the sea to their sandy burrows after a hard day’s fishing. Want the best view of the waddle? The sky box at Summerland Beach’s elevated viewing tower allows five people each evening to have an enviable pole position for the ultimate view.
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New Flower Show in Brussels
By Linda Tancs
Brussels believes in flower power. In addition to the Flower Carpet that graces the Grand Palace in even-numbered years, the city has plugged the odd-numbered years’ gap with a new show for those years. Today through 18 August, Floraliëntime debuts with a major international plant and flower arrangement event in Brussels City Hall and at the Grand Place. The inaugural theme is “Colors of Life.” With 100,000 flowers adorning City Hall, you can be assured of that.
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