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 Smallest City in England
By Linda Tancs
The medieval city of Wells is the smallest city in England. Just 45 minutes from Bath (a UNESCO World Heritage City), this historic place gets its name from the springs that bubbled up during Roman times. Today those springs form part of Bishop’s Palace, home of the Bishop of Bath and Wells for over 800 years. The uniquely moated palace is famous for its resident swans that ring a bell alongside the gatehouse when they want food.
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Hong Kong Foodies
By Linda Tancs
If you have no idea what a Chinese menu says but want to eat like a local, then maybe a Hong Kong Foodie tour is for you. Lasting nearly four hours, these guided walking tours are conducted by a local. You’ll taste samples at six local restaurants serving Hong Kong food. All participants will receive a map with the tour route and directions to the closest MTR stations. Bring your appetite.
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Honeymoon Island
By Linda Tancs
Halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii in the South Pacific, the Cook Islands are a quieter alternative to their more bustling neighbors. Replete with the requisite white sand beaches, clear lagoons, lush rainforests and volcanic mountains, the main draws are Rarotonga (the largest of the Cooks) and Aitutaki, a short plane ride away. Called the Honeymoon Island, Aitutaki is a destination wedding dream waiting to happen, thanks to its sparkling lagoon, sandbars, coral ridges and motu. It’s also rumored to have the best dance recital performance in the island chain. Kia Orana!
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Town of Storehouses
By Linda Tancs
Kurashiki, Japan is an old market town near the Golden Route linking Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima. Dating to the Edo Period, the picture-perfect city is prized for its preserved canal district, dotted with willow trees and old storehouses converted into museums, boutiques and cafes. Don’t miss the Ohara Museum of Art (Japan’s oldest museum for Western art) and the displays of Bizen-yaki pottery, an ancient pottery style perfected over 1000 years ago.
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Gliding at Canary Wharf
By Linda Tancs
London’s Canary Wharf boasts the city’s first skate path, a trail adjacent to the main ice rink leading skaters under lighted trees. For the timid, a limited number of skate aids are available to keep you vertical. Even wheelchairs are welcome on the ice. Enjoy it until 16 February.
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The Emerald on the Green
By Linda Tancs
Known as the “Emerald on the Green,” Galle Face Hotel is a Sri Lankan icon hosting royalty and other glitterati since 1864. One of the oldest hotels east of the Suez and one of the few remaining colonial hotels in Asia, it’s situated in the heart of Colombo opposite Galle Face Green. Its old world charm is being preserved through a restoration project in the Classic Wing, which will continue to house historical memorabilia and artifacts.
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Flagship Vessel Celebrates 10 Years
By Linda Tancs
This month marks the tenth anniversary of Cunard’s flagship vessel, Queen Mary 2. So what makes her so special? Let us count the ways: longer than three football fields, hostess of the first Canyon Ranch SpaClub® at sea, the largest wine cellar at sea, the only onboard planetarium and over five million dollars of fine art gracing the walls. Where else will you find all that in one place? Long may she sail.
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Europe’s Capitals of Culture
By Linda Tancs
The European Commission’s picks for this year’s capitals of culture are Riga and Umeå. Riga, the Latvian capital, is the largest city in the Baltic region. Its covered market is one of the largest of its kind in Europe. Umeå, in northern Sweden, is the northernmost city selected by the EU for this annual honor. During the weekend of 31 January to 2 February, Umeå will inaugurate the year with a spectacular Burning Snow music and dance recital on and around Umeälven River. Riga promises 365 days of enjoyment of Latvian music, fine arts, cinema and pop culture. The cities are also planning several joint projects to celebrate their capital of culture year.
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A Wonder in Asia
By Linda Tancs
Sri Lanka bills itself as a wonder of Asia—and no wonder. From the tops of the mountains to the depths of the ocean, this tropical island in the Indian
Ocean offers visitors a panoply of exotic charms. Listen in at Travelrific® Radio for some highlights.
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Getting to Know Wallace
By Linda Tancs
If you were asked to name London’s best museums, what would be on your list? The British Museum? V&A? Tate? National Gallery? Chances are, you wouldn’t think of The Wallace Collection. Featuring the collections of the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the son of the 4th Marquess, this national museum boasting 25 galleries is a real gem located in Hertford House, a London townhouse. Its most prominent exhibits include paintings by Titian, Rembrandt, Hals and Velázquez and eighteenth-century French paintings, porcelain, furniture and gold boxes. But don’t stop there. Be sure to view the stunning array of Limoges enamels and striking arms and armor. Beat the crowds and visit on New Year’s Day.
