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
A Mexican Summit
By Linda Tancs
At 18,491 feet, Pico de Orizaba is the highest summit in Mexico and the third highest in North America. Known as Star Mountain by the Aztecs, its permanent mane of snow and ice attracts novice and professional mountaineers the world over. Fly into Mexico City, Pueblo or Veracruz. From there you can take a taxi, private driver or bus to Tlachachuca, a village at the base of the mountain, and begin your adventure.
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The World’s Oldest Desert
By Linda Tancs
Known as the world’s oldest desert, the Namib (meaning “vast place”) in Namibia includes a national park that is home to one of the largest game reserves in Africa. Due to its slope towards the Atlantic Ocean, a fog blankets the dunes and allows certain species to thrive and adapt to its arid conditions. One of those species is the welwitschia plant, described by Charles Darwin as the “platypus of the plant kingdom.” Of all its wonders, perhaps the most photographed are the red and gold sand dunes at southern Namib, reaching a height of 1,000 feet at Sossusvlei.
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Cultural Learning in Cuba
By Linda Tancs
The U.S. Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control has recently dished out approvals for “people to people” cultural excursions to Cuba under new government rules. The timing couldn’t be better as Havana celebrates its 25th year of the Marathon Marabana on 20 November. More than 2500 people ran last year. Will you join them?
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Trad Festival Begins in Ennis
By Linda Tancs
The folks of Ennis, Ireland in County Clare haven’t lost the art of traditional Irish music. After all, it’s celebrated each year at the Trad Festival, a gathering of traditional singers, dancers and musicians in a relaxed and informal setting. Now through 14 November, this year’s event will include a masterclass for both flute and fiddle enthusiasts on Saturday. Just 24 km from Shannon Airport, you can reach the festivities by train or bus as well from Dublin or Limerick.
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Underground at the Hermitage
By Linda Tancs
To tens of thousands of travelers, Russia’s Hermitage is the cat’s meow, its 365 rooms in the Main Museum Complex located in the historic centre of St. Petersburg boasting nearly three million works of art by the likes of masters from Italy, Spain, Holland, Flanders, France, England, Germany, and other Western European countries. What most visitors may not know is that its labyrinthine underground tunnels are home to nearly 100 cats, whose function is not to meow but to rid the massive complex of any mice or rats, a tradition begun centuries ago by Tsarina Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the First. Sounds like a purr-fect solution to a vexing problem.
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Fashion, Food and Frolic in Stratford
By Linda Tancs
UK shoppers are no strangers to the Westfield Group, one of the world’s largest shopping centre portfolios boasting approximately 25,000 retailers in more than 10.5 million square metres of retail space. The new Westfield in East London’s Stratford is Europe’s largest urban shopping mall with 222 stores, a fresh food court and leisure and entertainment activities like a bowling alley, casino and cinema. Sign up for sneak peeks and you could win 1000 GBP.
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Alicante Hosts Iconic Regatta
By Linda Tancs
Lots of regattas are iconic, like Cowes, the longest running annual sailing regatta in the world. And the International Rolex regatta in St. Thomas, or Antigua’s Sailing Week or America’s Cup. But none can match the rigors of the Volvo Ocean Race, the world’s toughest sailing event, a marathon on the seas lasting over eight months and passing through four oceans and five continents. Beginning on 29 October in Alicante with in-port races, this edition of the event will visit Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Sanya, Auckland, Itajaí, Miami, Lisbon and Lorient before finishing in Galway. The first leg leaves for Cape Town on 5 November. Visit Alicante’s Race Village before then.
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Treehouse Dining in Northumberland
By Linda Tancs
Ordinarily you might not wish to see a tree trunk rising like a phoenix from the floor of your dining room. That is, of course, unless you’re dining in a treehouse. No doubt a unique experience, The Treehouse at Alnwick Gardens in England’s Northumberland offers farm-to-table menus, live music and a long list of beers and wines. Not to mention the bird’s-eye view. Needless to say, the kids will love it.
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Tallest Nordic Hotel
By Linda Tancs
Only 15 minutes from Stockholm’s city centre, the brand new Scandic Victoria Tower is the tallest Nordic hotel, piercing the skyline at 34 floors and with enough glass to clear Murano of its inventory. The glass-clad tower with distinctive windows forming triangular patterns was created by architect Gert Wingårdh. All of the hotel’s 299 rooms are doubles, with free access to the gym, sauna and internet. This month the Skybar opens on the 34th floor. Enjoy the view.
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A Singular Concierge
By Linda Tancs
A singular service is atypical, extraordinary–of a quintessential nature. So arguably a concierge service offering 24/7/365 assistance is the quintessential valet. That’s what the folks at Quintessentially aim to be. Available worldwide, members get a host of services and customized attention, like travel services, special health and beauty offers, events and entertainment assistance, spa and health club privileges and personal shopping. You might even find youself in the best seat at that trendy restaurant. It’s all about connections. But you’ll have to join the club; sounds like it could be money well spent.
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