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
Spanish Festival Marks End of Season
By Linda Tancs
From 6 to 9 September this year is the Mare de Deu de Gràcia Festival in Maó (Mahon), the capital of Menorca, the second largest of the Balearic islands of Spain. Sometimes confused with its neighbor Mallorca and not as jetsetting as its sister island Ibiza, this hidden gem offers visitors a wonderful display of equestrian skill and majesty at its annual festival marking the end of the summer season. Beautiful black horses from the local area are paraded spectacularly through the streets, ridden by ornately dressed caixas demonstrating stunning feats of bravery, including jousting. The action takes place at Plaza del Ayuntamiento, where the party continues with music and dancing long after the four-footed stars have retired for the evening. So make hay while the summer sun still shines. Mahon is located near the island’s international airport.
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Nature Conserved in Venezuela
By Linda Tancs
Larger than the U.S. state of Maryland or the country of Belgium, Canaima National Park in Venezuela guards some of the area’s richest natural resources. So it should come as no surprise that it holds the title of World Heritage Centre. Comprising rolling savannas, forests, dense river woodlands, and sheer cliffs, the expansive park (30,000 km squared) in southeastern Venezuela along the border between Guyana and Brazil is covered by flat-topped mountain (tepui) formations of great geological interest. The sheer cliffs and waterfalls, including the world’s highest (1,000 m), form a spectacular landscape. Of course, all this natural beauty attracts tourists in throngs; the ongoing onslaught is not managed entirely correctly, according to some sources, and mining of its treasures is a constant threat. Let’s hope that the incalculable richness of the area can be balanced against the economics of tourism.
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Living Art in London
By Linda Tancs
Forget your measly 15 minutes of fame. Lucky UK citizens get an hour’s worth in London as part of the One & Other living exhibition on the empty stone plinth at Trafalgar Square. The art project allows applicants from every part of the UK one hour atop the plinth, day and night, to exhibit themselves in any manner they wish. Needless to say, the results have been very colorful. Over 32,000 have applied for 2400 places. Some of the winners, chosen at random, include a town crier, an Elvis impersonator and a woman dressed as a pigeon.
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Family Fun in the UK
By Linda Tancs
It may seem a bit strange to think of family fun and youth-appropriate events amongst hop farms and oast houses. Yet that’s exactly what you get at The Hop Farm, just 45 minutes from London. Located near Paddock Wood, Tonbridge, this tourist attraction offers an oast-themed amusement park complete with a carousel, magic show, animal farm, wax museum, and outdoor play area. Don’t miss the new and upcoming Halloween 3D goblin festival and Santa’s Magical Kingdom. True to its hops heritage, the park even offers a hop history museum and a festival in September to celebrate the custom of hop picking. So hop to it!
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A Taste of Sweden
By Linda Tancs
Feeling a bit of Smaklust? Then join 100,000 fellow foodies at central Stockholm’s 2009 tasting event from 21 to 23 August. In addition to the standard fare of reindeer, elk, and preserves of cloudberry comes such epicurean concoctions as asparagus schnapps, cloudberry wines, coffee cheese, elk salami and ostrich milk ice cream. Although held centrally, you’ll experience artisanal delights from all over the country. Eat up, don’t be shy. Best of all, admission is free, so you have more cash to support their culinary endeavors.
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Krishna’s Bash in Brisbane
By Linda Tancs
This time of year Hindus the world over celebrate the birthday of Krishna, a revered deity. Lest you think the event is solely reserved to India, festivities and pilgrimages abound in Nepal, Toronto, Montreal, Paris, Singapore, Malaysia, England–and Brisbane, Australia. Brisbane, in fact, is hosting its first ever Krishna’s Birthday Festival at Roma Street Parklands Celebration Lawn on 23 August from noon till 5 p.m. Like other festivities, they’ll have plenty of food, face painting, music and merriment. The joyful noise Down Under might not attract the 65,000 or so pilgrims expected at Watford, England, but a pleasant time is guaranteed for all.
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Tall Ships Sail Into Belfast
By Linda Tancs
Belfast’s Maritime Festival this weekend is all the more special as Belfast hosts the final leg of the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009, a 7000-nautical-mile race that began in April at Vigo in the northwest corner of Spain. The ships will be berthed along Queen’s Quay, Abercorn Basin, Donegall Quay and Albert Quay, presenting a spectacular array of square-rigged and modern-rigged vessels with and without spinnaker-like sails. It’s anchors aweigh on the afternoon of 16 August. The best viewing will be along the County Down and County Antrim coastlines.
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Picasso’s Castle Opens to Public
By Linda Tancs
Opening to the public for the first time this summer is Château de Vauvenargues, Picasso’s château near the Provençal town of Aix-en-Provence in the south of France. Nestled in the foothills of Mont Sainte-Victoire, the grand estate was purchased by Picasso in 1958–a fitting acquisition, given that the mountain playing host to this dwelling has been often depicted in paintings by Paul Cézanne, Picasso’s idol. Among the sites to be seen are the guardroom where Picasso’s body lay in state and five interior rooms, including the ground floor dining room and the master bedroom upstairs. The property will be open until 27 September, and tickets must be purchased in advance.
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On the Fringe
By Linda Tancs
Now until 31 August it’s time for The Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland. Hailed as the #1 tourist attraction in Britain, this arts festival commandeers a few streets in Scotland’s capital city during its duration. Not that anyone seems to mind, of course. For the uninitiated, the event is a combination of music, dance, comedy and carousing involving very large numbers of people. That means you better book your dinner early because the eateries will swell. You can book the events you’d like to see online as well.
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Brač and Bol
By Linda Tancs
The Croatian island of Brač is the largest island in Dalmatia and the third largest in the Adriatic. Site of the highest peak of all Croatian islands (Vidova Gora), it might be better known for its limestone and dolomite, used in early Roman times in the building of cities, amphitheaters, temples, palaces and graves all over Dalmatia. Oddly enough, it has no permanent water source except in Bol, the island’s southernmost and oldest town. Needless to say, this makes Bol the isle’s best bet as a tourism center. The magnificent winds for surfing, local and appealing gastronomy, sandy beaches and a dreamy Mediterranean villa feel amidst the ancient stone abodes don’t hurt, either.
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Travelrific® Travel Journal 