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
Pyrotechnics in Spain
By Linda Tancs
Las Fallas in Valencia, Spain is a different kind of celebration, ushering in the warmer weather with a fireworks-like display of burning cardboard statues and effigies around town. Fallas (meaning fires) is a unique pyrotechnic display, bringing this city of about 500,000 inhabitants into a blaze of glory for five days. The roots of this fiery fiesta are uncertain, but many say that it originated as a Pagan ritual to celebrate the onset of spring. During the day, there are plenty of parades and bullfights to keep you busy until the smoky haze begins again.
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A Holi Day in India
By Linda Tancs
On 20 March Indians celebrate the festival of Holi, a celebration of ancient origin marking the triumph of good over evil. On this day, people hug and wish each other ‘Happy Holi’. They also are awash in color, using water jets to spray buckets full of color water on each other or rubbing on colored powders–the tradition of playing colors. Holi is the great equalizer, all class distinctions dissolving into colored water. Every day should be a holi day.
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High Society Shines in Vienna
By Linda Tancs
The evening view of the Vienna State Opera is spectacular, but what happens in it today has high society all aglow. The auditorium of the State Opera hosts debutantes in white rustling gowns crowned with crystal tiaras and men in tails, regaling guests in a precise and dizzying waltz around the dance floor. Held on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday, a ticket to the ball is one of the world’s most coveted. Get your dancing shoes ready for next year.
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Geneva Auto Show is a People Pleaser
By Linda Tancs
At last year’s auto show in Geneva, automakers debuted their versions of fuel-efficient vehicles. At this year’s 81st Geneva International Motor Show, it’s the human element that gets center stage. In other words, this year’s show strives to recognize that all the engineering in the world is meaningless if the art and pleasure of driving–Fahrvergnügen in Volkswagen speak–is ignored. So it should come as no surprise that this year’s poster, showing the silhouette of a young woman at the wheel of her cabriolet, evokes the pleasure of driving. Visit tomorrow through 13 March at GENEVA PALEXPO, just a three minute walk from the Geneva Airport railway station.
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Easy Service to Gatwick
By Linda Tancs
Looking for an easy way to get from Gatwick Airport to central London? The easyBus Gatwick Airport bus runs direct to and from Earl’s Court/West Brompton in just 1 hour 5 minutes. Airport transfer prices start from £2 online, and you can guarantee your seat. Services are up to every 20 minutes from the North terminal and South terminal. Another great alternative for transportation from Gatwick!
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The Carnival Crawl in Venice
By Linda Tancs
Italy’s Pre-Lenten Carnival in Venice evokes costume balls and ornate masks and…pub crawls? Apparently, that’s the missing link during these festivities, so a pub crawl will kick off Carnival season on 26 February at the foot of the Academia bridge, just in front of the Academia museum at 7p.m. You’ll visit five local bars know as Bacari in the Venetian dialect. In each bar you will be offered a glass of local wine and, at the final bar, a shot of grappa. If it’s your birthday the tour is free, so please bring some ID. Costume dress, of course.
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Internet Science
By Linda Tancs
There are any number of science fairs occurring at any given time around the world, but armchair travelers may appreciate the advent of the first Global Science Fair hosted by Google. Google is looking for the best and brightest young scientists from around the world to submit their earth-changing experiments before 4 April. Open to students aged 13 to 18 from around the world working on their own or in a team of two or three, the grand prize is a 10 day trip to the Galapagos Islands with National Geographic Expeditions. Ready, set, experiment!
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The Power of Words in Adelaide
By Linda Tancs
Sustainable word energy. That’s the new buzz phrase at the Fringe Festival in Adelaide, Australia, now through 13 March. In the fabulous X-Space of the Adelaide College of the Arts, the free spoken word event allows visitors to get into slams, workshops, and improvs to, as they put it, spout, tout or simply shout! Go on, get a word in.
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Fresh Horses
By Linda Tancs
Almost 100 years ago the near-Olympic sport of skijoring was born in the Engadine valley of Switzerland. Skijoring is the running of thoroughbreds without riders but rather with skiers attached. The Olympics’ loss is St. Moritz’ gain; it’s there each Sunday in February that the races take place over a 2,600-meter course ladened with thick ice. Known as White Turf, the race is a test of wills between man and beast. The skier with the highest points is crowned King of the Engadine.
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Northern Lights Festival
By Linda Tancs
Nordlysfestivalen (The Northern Lights Music Festival) begins in Tromsø, Norway tomorrow through 5 February. About 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, the annual event is known for musical performances in various genres. This year is no exception. One of the festival’s highlights is the performance of The State Hermitage Orchestra from St. Petersburg, slated to perform Russian music and to host the Opera Gala, a concert introducing two of the finest young singers from the Mariinsky Theatre in a collaboration with singers from the Norwegian Opera. Later in the festival, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra will visit Norway for the first time ever. And, of course, there are those northern lights–aurora borealis–presiding over it all.
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