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
Snail Racing in Congham
By Linda Tancs
“Snail racing” is as oxymoronic as you can get, which might explain why there’s only one such championship in the world. Now in its 40th year, the World Snail Racing Championship is due to take place on 16 July in Congham, an English village in Norfolk. And what prize awaits the winner at the finish line, you might ask? Why, a silver tankard stuffed with lettuce, of course! Slow and steady just might win this race.
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A Mistletoe for Any Season
By Linda Tancs
There’s no need to hold out until the Christmas season to fall under the amorous spell of the mistletoe. At the Mistletoe Lodge outside England’s Amberley Castle in West Sussex, summer is the perfect time to play Cupid. Perched upon the beautiful sycamore trees by the Castle’s main entrance, the lodge is a tree house reached by a rope bridge and walkway, offering spectacular views of the 900-year-old Sussex castle and its lakes and grounds. The tree house is available for rental for a ‘dîner à deux’ from May to September (weather permitting), offering up seasonal fare and a floral ambience custom crafted to your liking. No wonder the luxury retreat is a favorite for marriage proposals.
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Gluten Free Travel
By Linda Tancs
Those with celiac disease or wheat allergies know the special challenges that travel can pose. Rest assured, you needn’t be an armchair traveler. Information sites like Gluten Free On the Go compile lists of places where dietary needs can be met. Where to eat, stay and shop on a gluten-free or restricted diet is just a click away.
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Running with the Fishes
By Linda Tancs
It’s not every day that humans compete with dolphins and sharks for good eats. But ’tis the season off South Africa’s east coast for locals and tourists to rush after massive schools of sardines off Durban, South Africa during their annual migration. Consider a sardine run expedition fit for divers and snorkelers alike for an underwater extravaganza of a lifetime.
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Through the Looking Glass
By Linda Tancs
Stained glass, leaded glass, art glass–the possibilities are endless. That’s what the folks at the Shanghai Museum of Glass want you to take away from their new museum celebrating the art and technology of glass making. Boasting ancient and contemporary collections from around the world, the glass-encased facility includes a hot glass demonstration hall for those interested in understanding the process and performance of glass blowing. Handle with care!
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A Taste of London
By Linda Tancs
There’s great taste abiding at Taste of London. From 16 to 19 June, 40 local restaurants and world class chefs will compete for your palate in Regent’s Park. The event features a boutique food market, cooking lessons from culinary greats in the Taste Theatre and a Secret Garden. No roses there, just a gourmet oasis of wines and first-class foodstuffs. Hope you’re hungry.
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Open Garden Days in Amsterdam
By Linda Tancs
Think of Amsterdam and you probably envision wooden shoes and tulips. But did you know that Amsterdam has more canals than Venice? Along those 17th century canals where you’ll experience some of the oldest homesteads in the city as well as its industrial heritage, watch out for the clock gable and the fabulous canal houses along what’s known as The Golden Bend. Along Prinsengracht, you’ll find very old homes, including the location of the Anne Frank House and museum. For a taste of the city’s industrial past, sail by the giant warehouses of Keizersgracht. The canal gardens have a charm of their own, highlighted each year in June during Open Garden Days. Located around Keizersgracht and Herengracht, features include the floating gardens on the houseboats’ roof and behind the canal houses. On the 17, 18 and 19 of June this year some thirty canal gardens will be open to the public. Reachable on foot, a three-day pass will give you plenty of time to discover the color in the canals.
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India’s Longest Urban Beach
By Linda Tancs
Bad news for swimmers: India’s longest urban beach in Chennai–Marina Beach–is not a swimming beach due to strong undercurrents. Good news for walkers: the wide, 12 km long beach begs for long walks, particularly in the morning when crowds are thinnest. A major tourist attraction, the beach is particularly noteworthy for its roadside statues celebrating local and national luminaries like Gandhi, Kannagi (a goddess) and Thiruvalluvar, a poet. With three railway stations adorning the route–Chepauk, Thiruvallikeni and Light House–you have plenty of options to get there.
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Maritime Amalfi
By Linda Tancs
The Amalfi coast, Italy’s Campania region, is a stretch of coastline on the southern side of Italy’s Sorrentine Peninsula, reaching from Positano in the west to Vietri in the east. Navigate the towns of this coastal region by boat, a popular and time honored tradition. Learn more at Travelrific® Travel Show.
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The Giants of Montenegro
By Linda Tancs
Bordered by Serbia, Croatia, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro may be earning stripes for its sparkling yacht-infused harbor, but its inland majesty is equally compelling. Just a few hours’ drive inland from the pomp of Porto Montenegro is Durmitor National Park, a UNESCO nature reserve in Žabljak featuring the massif Mount Durmitor. A year-round attraction, the massif of 50 peaks and 18 glacial lakes is a mecca for mountain tourism, sporting a canyon second only to Arizona’s famed Grand Canyon. You can get there via two international airports, Podgorica or Tivat–or by bus from Podgorica to Žabljak for less than 10 euros. The clime (or climb, as the case may be) is typically alpine, so dress accordingly.
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