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
Snow Monsters in Japan
By Linda Tancs
Mount Zao is a volcanic mountain range in the Tohoku region of Japan. Known for its rough winters, it’s no surprise that the tall fir trees on the mountain’s slopes are draped in snow and ice. Their surreal look has earned them the nickname “snow monsters.” They form around the peak of the Zao Ski Resort and are usually most spectacular around February. Access to the monsters is provided by a ropeway and a gondola for both skiers and non-skiers.
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Argentina’s Oldest Park
By Linda Tancs
Located in Argentina’s fabled Lake District, Nahuel Huapi National Park is the country’s oldest national park. Established in 1934, it’s named for Nahuel Huapi, the park’s largest glacial lake. The expansive environment is ringed by the Andes, featuring Mount Tronador, a dormant volcano. You’ll also find dense forest areas that provide cover for pudu, the world’s smallest deer. January is a popular time for hiking and lake rafting.
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Alpine Wine
By Linda Tancs
It’s been referred to as “the Alps in a glass.” Whatever you call it, alpine wine culture in Spiez, Switzerland, is shaped by the steep slopes and varying climate contributed to by the Alps and glaciers. You can experience it through a one-hour viticultural trail on the slopes of the Spiezberg. The self-guided tour directs you to 12 information boards, each with a QR code to watch 12 short films that portray a year in the life of a winemaker. Enjoy the views of Lake Thun and Spiez, too.
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Nature and Art in Japan
By Linda Tancs
Blending art into the natural environment, Hakone Open-Air Museum is Japan’s first open-air museum. The verdant lawns provide an ideal exhibition space for attractions like the sculpture garden. One of the highlights is the Symphonic Sculpture, where visitors enter and ascend a spiral staircase surrounded by colorful stained glass to a viewing platform with views of the park and the surrounding mountains. The Hakone Open Air Museum is a few steps from Chokoku No Mori Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway. Take advantage of one of the hot springs baths while you’re in town.
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Art Off the Grid
By Linda Tancs
Touted for its off-the-grid location, KaviarFactory is an international venue for contemporary art in the middle of the archipelago of Lofoten, Norway. Welcoming the likes of Ai Weiwei, Olafur Eliasson and Yoko Ono, the building itself is a well-known landmark. As the name implies, caviar was produced in the building beginning in the 1950s. The facility was ultimately transformed into the art gallery known today. Visit this time of year for Mother Nature’s own art show, the Northern Lights.
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Rabbit Island
By Linda Tancs
In Okunoshima, you can rest assured that some bunny loves you. All puns aside, the Japanese island in eastern Hiroshima is known as Rabbit Island for a reason. Make that 1,000 reasons. A rabbit lover’s paradise, you’ll find them everywhere from forest to beach. Early mornings and late evenings are the best times to take photos. Keep a respectful distance, don’t feed them (except for refilling water pans) and don’t try to take one home with you. The island is a 15-minute ferry ride from Tadanômi Port with services leaving roughly every 30 to 45 minutes. You’ll be rewarded with stunning views of the Inland Sea and its many islands.
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A Masterpiece in the Making
By Linda Tancs
Targeted for completion this year, the England Coast Path will become the world’s longest coastal walking route, hugging the entirety of the English coast for a whopping 2,800 miles. The path will pass through 23 English counties, highlighting along the way a variety of cliffs, castles, beaches, cities and nature reserves. The trek will offer something for everyone of all abilities and will be signposted. Let your own ambition be your guide.
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The Heart of Tequila Country
By Linda Tancs
Mexico is the official home of tequila. Its origin lies in the blue agave fields of Jalisco, where the plant is native to the region. Tequila is made by roasting the heart of blue agave and then crushing or squeezing it to release a liquid that is distilled to produce tequila, the authenticity of which is protected by international trade agreements. You can take guided tours of distilleries in Jalisco to learn the art of tequila production.
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The Brela Stone
By Linda Tancs
Croatia’s Makarska Riviera is a quiet enclave under an hour by bus from Split. The first town you’ll encounter is Brela, ringed by the Biokovo mountain range, the second-highest in the country. It’s known for its pebble beach and the postcard-worthy Brela Stone (Kamen Brela). An icon of the Dalmatian coastline, Kamen Brela is a large, tree-covered rock off of Punta Rata Beach. Be sure to take a walk along the town’s seaside promenade, blessed with shady, scented pines, for even more incredible views.
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Capitals of Culture in 2023
By Linda Tancs
In keeping with tradition, we begin the New Year with an announcement on the EU Capitals of Culture for 2023: Timișoara (in Romania) and Elefsina (in Greece). Timișoara was on the short list of Romanian contenders for the annual honor roll. It’s famed for its baroque architecture on Victory Square, the Bega Canal that cuts through the length of the city and the Orthodox Cathedral, the tallest church in the country and one of the tallest orthodox churches in the world. Elefsina is the fourth Greek city to win the title, the others being Athens, Thessaloniki and Patras. Birthplace of the leading tragic poet Aeschylus, the city was sacred in antiquity and boasts significant archaeological sites like the sanctuary where pilgrims were initiated into the Eleusinian Mysteries and a Roman courtyard.
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