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
World’s Tallest Hotel
By Linda Tancs
Dubai is a record setter in a number of ways: that’s where you’ll find the world’s largest private yacht, the tallest building, the largest shopping mall. And now there’s another one for the record books: the world’s tallest hotel. Located on Sheikh Zayed Road, the five-star JW Marriott Marquis Dubai (standing at 1,164 feet and 72 floors) offers discerning travelers 14 dining options and luxurious rooms complete with LCD TVs, iPod stations, Wi-Fi and a master room control tablet. Head to the Vault Lounge on the top two floors for panoramic views.
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Positively Mythic
By Linda Tancs
In Malta, 7000 years of history echo through such storied attractions as a medievel dungeon, Megalithic temples, palaces, underground catacombs and remains of Roman villas. That’s a lot of sightseeing, and all the while the azure waters of the Mediterranean beckon. June is best for sun and sea escapes amidst the secluded coves or sandy beaches. Lest you think that the island is just another haven for sun worshippers, the late summer rains give way to verdant pastures rife with wildflowers for nature lovers. Just a few hours’ flying time from most mainland European cities via Air Malta or other carriers, your kingdom awaits.
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South America’s Big Island
By Linda Tancs
Ilha Grande (translated, the “Big Island”) is a tropical paradise in Angra dos Reis, a Brazilian municipality located in the southern part of Rio de Janeiro state. Its largely undeveloped and rugged landscape attracts Brazilians across the nation seeking a quiet haven. Considered by some to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, Lopes Mendes Beach shares its sparkling waters with surfers and monkeys alike. The largest village, Vila do Abraão, is an intimate cove with striking views of its mountainous peaks from the cozy port. The ferries and launches from Angra all dock there. That’s about all the transportation you’ll encounter; the island is free of motorized vehicles.
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Life in the Fast Lane
By Linda Tancs
Located in the middle of the Irish Sea, the Isle of Man boasts the oldest continuous parliament in the world. Although resplendent with beaches, glens, hills and dales, it’s not for the love of nature alone that visitors flock to this British Crown dependency. At this time of year, it’s all about life in the fast lane. Through 7 June The TT vrooms through the island. One of the most prestigious motorcycle races in the world, you’ll have enviable views from the grandstand in Douglas, the capital city.
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Leipzig Celebrates Wagner
By Linda Tancs
German composer Richard Wagner was born on this day 200 years ago, and the folks in Leipzig are celebrating their famous son’s milestone birthday. This year’s Wagner Festival runs through 26 May. Today’s events include a ceremony at the Opera to commemorate the 200th anniversary of his birth, attended by fans and dignitaries alike. Another highlight will surely be a production of his classic composition, Die Götterdämmerung, in the Paulinum building at the University of Leipzig. Throughout the festival the Museum of City History will be presenting a wide-ranging exhibition on his life, relationships and works. And stop by the maestro’s birthplace for the Tune A Day at 3:30 p.m. daily, where young musicians will perform a theme from one of his many masterpieces.
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Heidelberg Illuminates
By Linda Tancs
The fireworks at Heidelberg Castle in southwest Germany are an ancient affair. Now 400-years-old, the pyrotechnics began as a celebration of the royal marriage between Friedrich V and England’s Elizabeth Stuart. The thrice yearly event (June, July and September) will be supplemented today to mark the International German Gymnastics Festival taking place in the region. Besides the north and south river banks, great views are in store for those aboard river boats of the Rhine-Neckar River Cruising Company.
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Princess on the Promenade
By Linda Tancs
Created by László Marton in 1989, Budapest’s Little Princess is a bronze statue along the Danube promenade between the Chain Bridge and Elisabeth Bridge near Vigadó tér. Reputedly the most photographed, it is but one of many gems in the city, including the statues at Castle Hill, the Holocaust monuments, the Liberty Monument atop Gellért Hill and the Time Wheel monument (the world’s largest hourglass) celebrating Hungary’s induction into the European Union.
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Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
By Linda Tancs
Eighteen percent of the finest countryside in England and Wales is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, or AONB. The 38 AONBs in England and Wales and eight in Northern Ireland are protected by national legislation granting them special legal status. Many are well known, like the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, the Isle of Wight, Cornwall and the Cotswolds. Other areas may not get as much press–hidden gems just waiting for you to explore them. Consider, for instance, the Ring of Gullion, a ring dyke in Northern Ireland not found anywhere else in the United Kingdom. One of the few lowland AONBs, the Wye Valley straddling England and Wales boasts the first major river to be designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest along its entire length. And don’t neglect the smallest of the AONBs, the granite Isles of Scilly off the coast of Land’s End. What about Scotland, you ask? The countryside acts creating AONBs do not apply to Scotland; they have National Scenic Areas instead. The 40 NSAs cover idyllic landscapes, including legendary peaks like Ben Nevis and Glencoe.
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Chim Chim Cher-ee
By Linda Tancs
Even chimney sweeps have a holiday to call their own. Around 400 years’ strong, the Sweeps Festival has morphed from a May Day procession to a festival weekend with merriment enough to evoke memories of ol’ Bert in Mary Poppins. Held in the town centre of Rochester, England, the event this weekend features music, dancing and entertainment coinciding with Morris celebrations of spring. Sounds supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, doesn’t it?
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Life on the Farm
By Linda Tancs
Is a farmer’s life for you? Here’s one way to find out: choose a Swedish farmstay. With over 300 participating farms, you can choose your length and type of accommodation, like a quaint B&B on an organic farm, for instance. Don’t worry, you needn’t milk the cows. There’s ample opportunity for horseback riding, hiking, swimming, fishing–or just enjoy the fertile farmlands of a district like Skåne.
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