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
Festive Munich
Munich, the capital of Bavaria, is perhaps best known for its festive beer halls. But the city is equally prized for its Gothic, Baroque and Romanesque-styled buildings, its royal boulevards and outdoor markets. The city’s motto is “Munich Likes You.” Find out why at Travelrific® Travel Show.
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Aircraft Bling
By Linda Tancs
Luxaholics will no doubt feel like they’ve died and gone to heaven after an experience with Air Emirates’ A380. For those who have been sleeping, the Airbus A380 is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Its girth isn’t the only thing that’s supersized, though. This super jumbo has enough amenities to make old Concorde look like budget travel. Just ask the folks at Telstar Logistics, who wrote an eye-popping account of their invitation to scope out the digs. Photos included. Reminds me of Shakespeare’s observation: “Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy.”
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Take a Chic Picnic in London
By Linda Tancs
London’s newcomer, Sofitel London Heathrow, offers a gourmet picnic and late checkout now through 31 August. Enjoy the dog days of summer with your sweetie on the green with a bottle of bubbly. Bring earplugs–this is an airport hotel, after all. Better yet, visit the meeting rooms commemorating cities around the world, and let your imagination be your guide.
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Racing Around the World
By Linda Tancs
Start your engines, motor sports enthusiasts! In light of the IndyCar Series’ recent announcement on the 2009 schedule, let’s look at race car museums around the world. Just 30 minutes outside the Las Vegas Strip, the Vintage Race Car Museum in Henderson, Nevada surveys different eras in racing, covering sprint cars, midgets, Indy Race League cars and engines. Across the country, Philadelphia’s Simeone Foundation Museum recently opened an exhibition of racing cars from World War I to the latest 21st century NASCAR. For a European flair, head on over to Hamburg’s Prototyp for a view of a Le Mans race prototype and the Mercedes Benz world record car. Best thing is, you don’t have to fill up the tank.
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OpenSkies Opens New Route
By Linda Tancs
OpenSkies, British Airways’ premium-plus sub, slowly but surely is building its routes. In addition to the New York/Amsterdam route, the acquisition of French airline and codeshare partner L’Avion adds additional routing to Paris via Newark Liberty International. L’Avion seats business-class only, which nicely complements OpenSkies Prem+ configuration boasting 52″ pitch seating. Need a tour round The Golden Bend? Don’t fret–the airline’s concierge services will take care of the details for you. You can get there for a very un-businesslike fare if you book by August 21. You can even purchase carbon offsets towards your journey, the proceeds of which benefit carbon emission projects. Is this a new era in travel? Time will tell. As playwright Arthur Miller said, ” An era can be said to end when its basic illusions are exhausted.”
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Roll Out the Barrels
By Linda Tancs
You needn’t wait for Oktoberfest to enjoy your favorite brew. Kicking off tomorrow through 3 August is the Berlin International Beer Festival along the city’s Karl-Marx-Allee. Showcasing over 200 breweries from more than 80 countries, the event includes traditional culinary fare, musical entertainment, and the newest brands to tickle your taste buds. Admission is free. The festivities this year will highlight 1000 years of Czech beer making, which brings to mind the Czech proverb, “A fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it’s best to be thoroughly sure.”
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Castle in the Sand
By Linda Tancs
Let’s face it, there’s no shortage of lodging for the adventurous traveler: igloos, ice hotels, caves, and now this: a giant sand castle. One thousand tons of sand and four sculptors later, Dorset unveiled the first-of-its-kind hotel a few days ago on Weymouth beach. Lacking certain–ahem–amenities, the experience is yours (until Mother Nature’s wrecking ball is in full throttle) for a mere 10 quid a night. Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream, indeed!
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Environmental Effects of Tourism
By Linda Tancs
Sometimes too much interest can be a bad thing. For years now, conservationists have been bemoaning the effects of tourism on a wide range of treasures around the world. Recently, a report indicated that the platforms harboring visitors at some of Cambodia’s ancient monuments are in danger of collapse because of the wear and tear from guests unloading from tour buses from sunrise to sunset. This situation is hardly unique, and other countries have implemented measures to control the effects of tourism on the environment. For instance, Egyptian authorities have long rotated the availability of tombs in the Valley of the Kings to offset the effects of rampant tourism. With some nations realizing a substantial part of their GDP from travelers, a dilemma arises between accommodating those who contribute to the community coffers and preserving an ecosystem that grows ever more fragile by the day through human and industrial actions. Ultimately, these nations must manage their tourism assets like a key player trying to effect change in a system, using goals that are strategic, measurable, agreed, realistic and timely. Then maybe sustainable tourism can be achieved.
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World Tourism Grows Amid Uncertainties
By Linda Tancs
The World Tourism Organization recently reported some encouraging news on the status of international tourism. Amid roiling global markets, the WTO found that world travel grew at a rate of about 5% during the first four months of this year, up 1% long term. Summer travel in the northern hemisphere will dictate whether the uptick holds at year-end. Not surprisingly, the U.S. sported a double-digit increase in tourism, thanks in no small part to the declining dollar. Tiger economies are enjoying a surge in inbound travel as well. On the other hand, Europe’s numbers are lagging except for the ever-popular southern and Mediterranean destinations. Overall, the WTO remains cautiously optimistic, so why shouldn’t we?
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Golfers Will Find Paradise in the Balkans
By Linda Tancs
In Bulgaria, golf remains a little-known sport played predominately by foreign investors, diplomats and locals, if the scene at Ravno Pole is any indication. But it’s the foreign investment that may turn this land of almost 8 million inhabitants into a golf mecca. Already 19 properties are under development, set to compete with the ski and Black Sea resorts for an influx of tourism that reached the 5 million mark last year. If Black Sea Rama, a Gary Player signature course, is any indication, it’s the luxe traveler with 15.000 euros to spend on a membership who’s likely to find karma there. However, this government-supported venture promises to make golf an every man’s (or woman’s) game. Whatever the case, an uptick in Bulgaria’s tourism image seems assured.
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