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
Queen of the Arabian Sea
By Linda Tancs
Hailed as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, the Indian city of Kochi was a 14th century trading center for spices. Over the centuries, it’s been occupied by the Portuguese, Arabs, British, Chinese and Dutch. Those influences abound, like the Chinese fishing nets at Fort Kochi, Vasco House (the house where Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama lived), and the Dutch Palace of Mattancherry. Flanked by the Arabian Sea to the west and Willingdon Island (a man-made island) and its environs to the east, Kochi is easily accessible by air and is a convenient gateway to Kerala, one of National Geographic Traveler’s “50 greatest places of a lifetime.”
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A Garden Party
By Linda Tancs
England’s Great Dixter House and Gardens in Northiam is a gardener’s delight. The manor, built for Richard Wakehurst, retains its medieval charm and characteristics and is one of the longest surviving timber-framed halls in the country. A stunning feature of the gardens is that they follow the exterior of the house. The fluid design includes yew topiary, meadows, mixed borders, a rectangled wall garden, the sunk garden, the high garden (typical of Edwardian times), an exotic (tropical) garden and the long border (with its high season from mid-June to mid-August). Take your cues from an expertly designed English garden. The site offers instruction on everything from vegetable planting to exotic gardening and planting techniques.
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England’s Most Scenic Railway
By Linda Tancs
The Settle-Carlisle Railway takes you on a 72-mile journey through England’s Yorkshire Dales, a scenic excursion including such attractions as the market town of Settle; Horton and the Three Peaks region of the Dales; the Ribblehead Viaduct; Dent (the highest station above sea level in England); Pendragon Castle (the legendary birthplace of King Arthur) at Kirkby Stephen; the picturesque village of Armathwaite and its salmon fishing; and Carlisle, within easy reach of Hadrian’s Wall and the castle once home to Mary Queen of Scots. Local residents may qualify for a Dales Railcard. Visitors to Britain can use their Britrail pass to travel on the line. You can thank The Friends of the Settle Carlisle Line for fighting against a proposal to close this famous historic and scenic route.
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A Swanky Museum in London
By Linda Tancs
In the heart of central London is a neo-gothic mansion once built to order for American financier-turned-British nobleman William Waldorf Astor. Now owned by The Bulldog Trust, the property at 2 Temple Place is an exhibition space, London’s first venue to specifically showcase publicly-owned art from around the UK. The inaugural exhibition explored the artistry of William Morris. Stay tuned for the next show, due to open in January 2013. Until then, why not view the magnificent exterior of this newly renovated mansion on a walking tour of Victoria Embankment. Summer sees a number of lunch-time concerts in the bandstand area of the gardens there.
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Nature’s Baths in BVI
By Linda Tancs
If you’re not necessarily the beach going type, there’s still good reason to visit Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands. A top attraction are The Baths, a series of boulders forming pools and grottos that attract as many shutterbugs as sun bathers. At the entrance to The Baths you can shop for clothing and tropical trinkets like shipwreck coins and mahogany and hibiscus wood carvings. You can whet your palate there as well and enjoy the panoramic views from Top of the Baths restaurant. Another earthy delight is Gorda Peak, the highest point on the island. You’ll find hiking trails there, offering magnificent views of North Sound. The area is also home to the world’s smallest lizard, the Virgin Gorda gecko, and one of the Caribbean’s last remaining dry forests.
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Cowes Still Thrills
By Linda Tancs
Cowes Week is a highlight of the British summer, one of the longest running and most successful sporting events in the country. For the uninitiated, it’s one of the oldest and most prestigious regattas in the world on the Isle of Wight, having officially begun in 1826 with just seven yachts. Today, 1,000 boats in up to 40 different handicap, one-design and multihull classes race every day for eight days. This year’s event takes place between 11 and 18 August. If you’d like a close-up view of the battle in the Solent, consider booking a place on the the official event spectator boat, which will run from Trinity Landing on Cowes Parade. 12 August is Family Day, and the price for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children under 16) will be at a special rate of £20, a savings of £5.
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The Grand Canyon of Europe
By Linda Tancs
If you prefer your deep river canyon to have a hint of that je ne sais quoi, then you’ll find it at Verdon Gorge, France’s version of the Grand Canyon. Straddling the departments of Var and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence for 15 miles, the majestic cliffs are the result of the erosion of the Verdon River. Europe’s biggest canyon, its summertime appeal with the locals is owing in no small part to the wealth of activities that beckon from its cliffs, trails and waterways–like aqua trekking, hiking, biking, climbing, paragliding and horseback riding. Those lavender fields and cheese plates will just have to wait.
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Top Guns in the UK
By Linda Tancs
Royal Armouries is the United Kingdom’s National Museum of Arms and Armour, including artillery. The artillery–Big Guns, as they say–range from pre-gunpowder siege machines to modern-day super guns. They’re located at Fort Nelson, an historic monument strategically positioned atop Portsdown Hill, with panoramic views across the Meon Valley and Portsmouth Harbour. The Leeds branch has over 8,500 objects on display in five galleries: War; Tournament; Oriental; Self Defense and Hunting. And at the Tower of London’s White Tower is a dazzling display of 500 years of spectacular royal armour, including the imposing steel skirts and military codpiece of Henry VIII. The most surprising thing about the museum is its fourth location: Louisville, Kentucky. Thanks to a collaboration with The Frazier History Museum, Royal Armouries opened an exhibit on the museum’s third floor in 2004 to present a history of the British Isles, from 1066 to the early 1900s, through the use of multimedia displays and artifacts. This marks the first time a UK national museum has opened a branch in the United States.
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A Natural Wonder in the Philippines
By Linda Tancs
Reputedly the world’s longest underground river, Puerto Princesa on Palawan Island in the Philippines winds its way through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. A clear lagoon meets the cave’s mouth, surrounded by ancient trees dominated by monkeys, monitor lizards and squirrels. The navigable river is one of seven new natural wonders of the world. And to that the locals say Mabuhay!
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The Jungle of the Mirrors
By Linda Tancs
The Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve (2,080,000 hectares), the largest reserve in Peru, is located 183 kilometers from Iquitos and is home to numerous endangered species, like the charapa river turtle, the giant river otter, the black caiman, and the river dolphin. Sometimes referred to as the jungle of the mirrors, the area is rife with activities for nature lovers, such as birdwatching, canoe rides, piranha fishing, and excursions to a watching tower to observe the birth of the Amazon at the confluence of the Marañón and Ucayali rivers. Couple that with a stay at the Pacaya Samiria Amazon Lodge at the Marañón River’s bank and you’ve got an idyllic holiday.
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