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 Food Beneath Your Feet
By Linda Tancs
Now talk about “farm to table.” Usually, your food comes to you, like a nice catch at 16 feet or so below sea level. Would you like to meet your catch at the source? Ithaa Undersea Restaurant in the Maldives is the world’s first all-glass undersea restaurant. At 16 feet below sea level, you can spot your catch with 180° views of reef and marine life–no scuba gear required. Unforgettable? Be sure of that. Kind of gives new meaning to the phrase “menu is seasonal and subject to change”–don’t you think?
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Safari by Numbers
By Linda Tancs
Generally, Africa may not seem like the ideal place for a family vacation. After all, children under the age of six are generally not allowed on game drives. More than likely, however, you wouldn’t consider a safari destination for children that young anyway (or would you!). You can always choose a lodge with family amenities, like Singita Ebony or Singita Boulders lodges. They offer activities for children including board games, DVDs, wildlife shows, cooking with chefs, a cosmic safari (astronomy), and nature quizzes. If the kids are older, why not consider something more adventurous, like the 12 spacious en-suite safari-style tents at Toka Leya Camp in Zambia, where you can raft and bungee jump. Whatever you decide, the dry winter months (through August) offer the best game viewing.
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Art and Decadence in Marseille
By Linda Tancs
In the Panier quarter of Marseille is a French gallery-turned-guesthouse that proudly proclaims its marriage of art and decadence. Known as Au Vieux Panier, each room in the five-room B&B boasts a different design by a different artist, redesigned annually by a new group of creatives. The rooms have sported monikers like Purgatory Palace (a convergence of geometric patterns and biblical imagery), Catch the Wind (a 1960s style commune) and the Panic Room (a down-the-middle split between stark white and graffiti gone wild). De beaux rêves!
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A Jubilee Fit For a Queen
By Linda Tancs
Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation took place on 2 June 1953. Celebrating her 60 years on the throne, the upcoming central weekend of her Diamond Jubilee (2-5 June) promises to be as memorable and majestic as, well, her Majesty. Some highlights include the river pageant on Sunday afternoon, a mustering of 1000 boats and ships upriver of Battersea and ending at Tower Bridge, featuring the Queen’s barge, a floating belfry, historic ships, boats spouting geysers and music barges. On 4 June the BBC will present a concert at Buckingham Palace surrounding what Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, famously referred to as The Wedding Cake (the Victoria Memorial). The concert will include classic hits from artists including Shirley Bassey, Alfie Boe, Jools Holland, Jessie J, JLS, Elton John, Tom Jones, Lang Lang, Annie Lennox, Madness, Paul McCartney, Cliff Richard and Ed Sheeran. The long celebratory weekend will end on 5 June with the carriage procession up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square, through Admiralty Arch and down the Mall through the center gates at Buckingham Palace. As the royals wave from the balcony, the RAF will fly over the palace–minus Concorde, whose deafening roar signalled its awesome impending approach during the Golden Jubilee flyover in 2002. Long live the Queen!
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Torch Relay in Ironbridge
By Linda Tancs
On the border of North Wales and approximately three hours from London is the town of Ironbridge in Shropshire, England. Its world famous Iron Bridge is the first arch bridge to be made of cast iron. The bridge crosses the River Severn at the Ironbridge Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay will cross the Iron Bridge today at 3:14 p.m., making its way along Wellington Road to the Museum of Iron and finishing at the Coalbrookdale pub at 3:39 p.m. Entertainment starts at 2:00 p.m. Expect large crowds; use the free park and ride at Stoney Hill.
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Winging It in the Falklands
By Linda Tancs
The black-browed albatross has the largest wingspan of any flying bird. You’ll find two-thirds of the world’s population in the Falkland Islands, a compact group of more than 740 islands approximately 400 miles off the southeastern tip of South America. Rendered an endangered species by BirdLife International, this majestic bird breeds on Steeple Jason and Beauchêne Island. Perhaps one of nature’s best kept secrets, the unspoiled terrain of this UK Overseas Territory draws visitors from around the world, particularly in conjunction with cruise tours of Antarctica via the Drake Passage. There are also scheduled flights from Europe or other parts of the world with LAN Chile via Santiago de Chile and Punta Arenas. Not up for a commercial flight? Consider hitching a ride with the RAF via Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. It won’t be cheap, but it will certainly be adventurous–as will ground travel. The Falklands has the greatest number of four-wheel drive vehicles per capita in the world thanks to, shall we say, choppy road conditions.
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Best of British
By Linda Tancs
There are 14 events scheduled for the month of May alone to celebrate the Best of British Festival, running 25 May to 26 July in Winchester. Those events include author Claire Tomalin’s take on Charles Dickens, a hog roast to celebrate the upcoming Diamond Jubilee, a reading of the Churchill letters and a chat with Field Marshal Lord Vincent. Dame Judi Dench is headlining this festival; so put this on your to-do list.
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A Shard of Glass in London
By Linda Tancs
If you thought the views from the London Eye were amazing, wait until the viewing galleries for The Shard at London Bridge Quarter open next February. Hailed as a vertical city, the glass pyramid undergoing final construction in London will offer 40 mile views across the city. The Shard is the EU’s tallest building at 1017 feet. You can pre-register now for updated visitor information.
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Taking Off in London
By Linda Tancs
London, England is a treasure trove of cultural enrichment, architectural design and—airports? That’s right. As if Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted and London City weren’t enough to service London and the surrounding area, you now have a sixth option: Southend. Located less than 40 miles east of Central London and less than 38 miles from Stratford, Southend is easily accessible to passengers by car, rail, coach, bus or taxi. The airport officially opened on 5 March. easyJet, the UK’s largest airline, celebrated its inaugural flight from Southend to Belfast on 2 April. With flights to other popular European destinations like Barcelona, Amsterdam and Malaga, the seaside resort-turned-air hub may give the other contenders a run for their money.
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An Enchanting Tour
By Linda Tancs
The last installment of the Harry Potter film series may have passed, but the movie magic will never end. You can experience the enchantment of Harry Potter’s world in London at the Warner Brothers Studio Tour. The self-guided, three-hour walking tour takes you behind the scenes of such sites as the Great Hall, Dumbledore’s office (including the sword of Gryffindor, the Sorting Hat and the Hogwarts headmaster portraits), Diagon Alley and Hagrid’s hut. The tour also reveals secrets on the execution of those special effects and animatronics. Be sure to order your tickets in advance; there are no sales at the door.
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