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
A Giant in Italy
By Linda Tancs
Nearly three times the actual size of its subject, the Colossus of Barletta in Italy is a bronze statue of a Roman emperor (thought to be Theodosius II) in Barletta’s city center. An icon of the city, the 16-foot-high structure is also known as “the Giant.” Legend has it that the statue was found in 1204 on a rock in the port of Barletta following the sinking of a Venetian ship returning from a crusade. The more sensible explanation for its appearance is that it was transported to Puglia from Ravenna by imperial decree to serve as an embellishment. You’ll find it in front of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher.
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The Most Flemish City
By Linda Tancs
Sometimes referred to as “the most Flemish city of the North,” Haarlem is one of the most beautiful cities in the Netherlands, its historic city center boasting hundreds of listed monuments. Many of them surround Grote Markt (great market), the oldest part of the city in the shadow of St. Bavo Cathedral. Situated along the river Spaarne, one of the locale’s icons is the functional and imposing De Adriaan windmill, where guided tours are offered in English. An easy day trip from Amsterdam, Haarlem has two railway stations and a bus connection with Schiphol Airport.
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Wild Countryside in Belgium
By Linda Tancs
The Ardennes is a region of unspoiled nature that spans Belgium, France and Luxembourg. In southeastern Belgium, the Ardennes sports a matrix of fairy-tale castles, many dating back to the Middle Ages. One of the largest is Walzin Castle, perched on a cliff nearly 165 feet high. It overlooks the Lesse River, a popular spot for kayaking. In fact, kayaking is the best way to view this imposing 11th-century castle. Take some time to walk or hike the nature reserves and prehistoric caverns dotting the area.
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An Impressionist’s Dream in Normandy
By Linda Tancs
Étretat is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of France. Long a haunt of Impressionist painters, it’s well known for striking rock formations carved out of its white cliffs, including the Porte d’Aval arch and L’Aiguille (the Needle), a pillar rising up from the Atlantic. The clifftop views are unforgettable and free to access. Once upon a time, Étretat thrived on its fishing trade and kelp was commonly harvested and burned on the beach for its iodine. At low tide, you may be treated to a kelp-covered beach at Porte d’Aval. Arrive at sunrise or sunset for spectacular photos.
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Holy Water in Ecuador
By Linda Tancs
Nestled at the foot of Tungurahua (an active volcano) in Ecuador is Baños de Agua Santa (baths, or springs, of holy water). A major tourist center between the central Andes and the Amazon of Ecuador, it’s prized for its hot springs credited with healing powers. The views aren’t bad, either, surrounded as it is by mountains and waterfalls flowing into deep ravines. You can view the cascades on a gondola-style cable car strung from one hilltop to the next. As you might imagine, it’s a great locale for landscape photographers. Enjoy a three-and-a-half-hour drive south from Quito through the Andes.
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Denmark’s Garden Island
By Linda Tancs
Dubbed Denmark’s “Garden Island,” Fyn boasts a treasure trove of castles and manor houses. Arguably its biggest tourist attraction is Egeskov Castle, reportedly Europe’s best-preserved Renaissance water castle. Since 1784, Egeskov has been in the possession of some remnant of the Bille family, who still live in the castle today. Some of the palace’s notable exhibitions are the dolls’ house with over 3,000 objects, a historical toys collection and a paper doll designed by Hans Christian Andersen. The fastest way to Egeskov by train is from Odense to Ringe, where you can pick up a taxi.
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Kenya’s Grand Canyon
By Linda Tancs
The Marafa Depression is a vast canyon-like area resulting from soil erosion located near Malindi, Kenya. Known locally as “Hell’s Kitchen,” the view is actually heavenly. It’s a sandstone gorge punctuated with crayon box colors like red, white, orange and pink that are particularly luminous when mirrored by the sun at sundown. That’s why many tours will be timed to take in the sunset. Be sure to take a guided tour of the canyon, and don’t forget your camera.
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A Romanian Wonder
By Linda Tancs
Dubbed one of the Seven Wonders of Romania, Corvin Castle is a Gothic-Renaissance castle in Hunedoara and one of Europe’s largest castles. Built in the Middle Ages, it served as a fortress against the Ottomans before its makeover into a palace by John Hunyadi, a Hungarian general and governor. It bears the dubious distinction of being located next to a steel plant, the result of the 19th-century industrial revolution that overtook the area. A popular legend is that Dracula was imprisoned there. The closest big city is Deva; minibuses run regularly from there to Hunedoara.
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Spain’s Game of Thrones
By Linda Tancs
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Alcázar of Seville is a royal palace in Seville, Spain. Hardly a relic, the upper chambers of the 12th-century palace are still used by the Spanish royal family as their official residence in Seville. Originally a Muslim fortress, it abounds with exotic Moorish architecture, as well as Gothic, Mudéjar, Renaissance and Baroque styles that have been added over the centuries. It’s prized for its tiles, especially those adorning Ambassadors’ Hall, the throne room of the original palace. The hall is one of the locations used to film the series, Game of Thrones. Other features used in filming were garden locales like Mercury’s Pond (a large pool decorated by frescoes and stonework punctuated with a bronze statue of Mercury) and the Carlos V Pavilion bounded by orange trees.
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Hamlet’s Castle
By Linda Tancs
Immortalized in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Kronborg is one of the most important Renaissance castles in Northern Europe. Strategically located at the head of the Øresund Sound in Helsingør (Elsinore), it was a toll-collecting site for ships passing into the Baltic Sea. These days it’s better known as Hamlet’s castle. Not surprisingly, each summer you can enjoy live performances of Shakespeare’s greatest plays from Danish and international companies. Get there by train in 45 minutes from Copenhagen’s Central Station or one hour by car.
