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
The Grand Canyon of Greece
By Linda Tancs
Although no match for Arizona’s Grand Canyon, Vikos Gorge is the deepest gorge in Greece and often referred to as the Greek Grand Canyon. It’s even listed in Guinness World Records as the deepest canyon in the world in proportion to its width, which can range to just a few meters at its narrowest point. Located in the Pindus mountain range, now is a good time to visit, when the river is shallow.
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A Towering Pinocchio
By Linda Tancs
Carlo Collodi is the pen name of the Italian novelist responsible for the character Pinocchio. He reportedly spent a considerable amount of time in Collodi as a child, which is why the locale lays claim to the famous author. It’s where you’ll find Pinocchio Park, where you can walk through the story on themed paths taking visitors past statues of characters in the order in which they appear in the book. You’ll first be greeted by a towering wooden Pinocchio, touted as the tallest wooden Pinocchio in the world. It stands 63 feet tall if you count the 11-foot-high plinth. Collodi is easily reached by train or car from Florence.
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Cotton Castles in Türkiye
By Linda Tancs
Pamukkale (meaning “cotton castle” in Turkish) is a town in western Türkiye known for the mineral-rich thermal waters flowing down white travertine terraces on a nearby hillside, which does resemble a kingdom made of cotton. Legendary for its healing claims, it’s been a flourishing spa destination since ancient times. The closest town is Denizli, which is serviced by a bus terminal, train station and airport.
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Oak of the Witches
By Linda Tancs
Heralded as a national monument, there’s a thriving 600-year-old oak tree in Capannori, Italy. In addition to its age, what’s enchanting about it is its size—over 65 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 13 feet and a crown diameter of 131 feet with gnarled branches stretching horizontally. Legend has it that witches met at the oak and danced on it, causing it to reach horizontally rather than vertically. The tree is so distinctive that it’s recorded on NATO maps as a military point of reference.
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A Sea Arch in Iceland
By Linda Tancs
Of the many rock formations in western Iceland, Gatklettur (Hellnar Arch) is arguably the most popular. Located in the heart of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, you’ll get there by walking a coastal path between the villages of Arnarstapi and Hellnar. The peninsula is one of the most beautiful regions in the country and is often referred to as “Iceland in Miniature” because of its diverse geological features and wildlife. It’s best to get there via a tour from Reykjavik or rent a car; there is no public transportation within the region.
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Boulder Chic in Portugal
By Linda Tancs
From Manueline style to baroque to azulejos, Portuguese architectural styles are recognizable by visitors worldwide. And then there’s boulder chic, as one might call it, in the village of Monsanto, Portugal. Giant boulders carpet the entire hamlet, which is replete with red-roofed granite houses. Homes there are sandwiched between, on and underneath goliath boulders, a situation attributable to the town’s location atop a rock mass outcrop. Therefore, the walks are steep but the unusual sights are worth a trip. Take a bus from Lisbon or Porto.
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Seoul Music
By Linda Tancs
Divided into an upper and lower level, the Hyundai Card Music Library in Seoul, Korea, boasts an enviable collection of records from Korean hip-hop to Western classics along with music-related books and magazines. The record exhibition on the lower level includes a rare vinyl collection that features The Beatles’ 1966 controversial cover of Yesterday and Today and one of the nine existing albums of the Sex Pistols’ God Save the Queen. Upstairs you’ll find over 3,000 music-related books as well as every single issue of Rolling Stone ever published. Hyundai credit card holders get special benefits, like live performances in an underground concert hall.
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The Center of Portugal
By Linda Tancs
Portugal’s first natural park, Serra da Estrela Natural Park is literally at the center of it all. Over 200,000 acres, it’s the largest protected area in the country. The landscape is characterized by rocky outcrops, boulders and crags, a terrain prized by hikers who are spoiled for choice with over 40 trails. The locale is also where you’ll find Queijo Serra da Estrela, a cheese made in this mountainous region for centuries from sheep that graze in the meadows blanketed by buttercups this time of year.
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The Library of Mistakes
By Linda Tancs
Make no mistake about it: The Library of Mistakes highlights financial mistakes of the past in an attempt to avoid their repetition in the future. Located in Edinburgh, Scotland, the facility is a free-to-use public library dedicated to the study of financial history. In addition to their vast collection of books, the library offers online and in-person courses to help financial professionals perform a better service for their clients and to educate the general public.
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A Hidden Gem in Scotland
By Linda Tancs
One would hardly expect one of the finest collections of 20th-century British art to be located on the tiny Scottish island of Orkney. Yet that’s what you’ll find at The Pier Arts Centre in Stromness, a captivating maritime town that serves as Orkney’s main ferry port. The venue features artists like Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson and Alfred Wallis as well as contemporary art by Sean Scully, Eva Rothschild and Olafur Eliasson. A focal point for the local community, local artists are featured as well, and the facility boasts a valuable library and archives open to the public.
