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
Gateway to Wales
By Linda Tancs
Adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England, Chepstow (meaning “marketplace” in Old English) is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales. Appropriately known as the “gateway to Wales,” you can appreciate what it’s like to have a foot in both jurisdictions by standing in the center of the town’s landmark iron bridge. Another gem is its Norman castle, built at a strategic point overlooking the River Wye. Within the castle is Marten’s Tower, named for its most famous prisoner, Henry Marten, who signed the death warrant for King Charles I.
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England’s Independent Lighthouse
By Linda Tancs
The oldest working light on the Norfolk Coast and the only independently operated lighthouse in the U.K. is Happisburgh Lighthouse. The red and white-banded structure is 85 feet tall and its lantern is 134 feet above sea level with a range of 18 miles. There are 96 open steps up to the service room and 16 steep steps to the lantern, which are enclosed. Aside from public open days, private tours can be arranged. Book early to avoid disappointment.
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Baths of Caracalla
By Linda Tancs
Situated near the Appian Way, the Baths of Caracalla (Thermae Antoninianae) represent the ruins of one of the largest and most impressive thermae built in antiquity in Rome. The complex was initiated by the emperor Septimius Severus in A.D. 206 and completed by his son, the emperor Caracalla in A.D. 216. Its rectangular shape is typical of imperial baths, which also included spaces for walking, studying and sports. They were once covered with marble and decorated with valued works of art unparalleled in ancient times. Take Line B, Circo Massimo stop, to get there.
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Equestrian Splendor in Lincolnshire
By Linda Tancs
A hallmark of England’s social season, Burghley Horse Trials in Stamford ranks within the U.K.’s top 10 national sporting occasions by attendance. An average of 80 of the world’s top competitors gather at the annual event held at Burghley House, a grand Elizabethan mansion. It’s one of only seven CCI 5* events worldwide, the star rating denoting the highest standard of event (technically and administratively) and the most challenging test of horse and rider. This year’s event runs from September 4 to 7.
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Rural Tenerife
By Linda Tancs
The largest of the Canary Islands, Tenerife is home to Anaga Rural Park, a protected park and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve featuring wildlife and over 20 rural settlements. It covers a significant part of the island and occupies a large part of the mountain range located in the northeast corner, boasting sharp, jagged peaks and deep ravines. Hiking through the cloud forests is a popular activity as is sunbathing on one of the black-sand beaches surrounding the towns of Taganana, Almáciga and Benijo. Located just above the town of Taganana, Mirador Risco Amogoje offers a sweeping view of the coastline including all of its stunning beaches. You can reach the area by car or bus or take a guided tour to learn more about the area.
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Rio’s Famous Steps
By Linda Tancs
One of the most iconic landmarks in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is the Escadaria Selarón, a 250-step staircase decorated with more than 2,000 colorful, hand-painted tiles from around the world. Created by Chilean-born artist Jorge Selarón, the formerly run-down outdoor staircase in Rio’s downtown is now one of the city’s most photographed masterpieces. The nearest metro station is Cinelândia, from which you can walk or take a taxi to the steps.
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A Light for Padstow
By Linda Tancs
Trevose Head Lighthouse is a lighthouse on Trevose Head on England’s north Cornish coast. Just west of the town of Padstow, it was built to bridge the gap in lighting between Land’s End and Lundy. The headland lies in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and about 79 acres are part of the Constantine Bay Site of Special Scientific Interest for its sea cliffs, maritime grassland, heath and wet habitats. You’ll find a variety of plants, marine wildlife and wildflowers along trails like Booby’s Bay walk.
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Galway’s Prehistoric Fort
By Linda Tancs
The Aran Islands comprise three rocky isles guarding the mouth of Galway Bay in western Ireland. The largest island, Inishmore, is home to the prehistoric fort Dún Aonghasa. Perched on top of a high cliff facing the Atlantic Ocean, it’s lauded as one of western Europe’s most magnificent stone forts. Over 3,000 years old, it has three massive defense walls ringed by a chevaux-de-frise – that is, a dense band of jagged, upright stones numbering in the thousands. Come prepared with boots or good walking shoes to conquer rough, natural rock.
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The Three Cities of Malta
By Linda Tancs
The Three Cities is a collective description of three fortified cities of Malta: Vittoriosa (Birgu), Senglea (Isla), and Cospicua (Bormla). They played a pivotal role in defending Malta during the Great Siege, when the Ottoman Empire attempted to conquer Malta in 1565. Birgu is the oldest and most popular of the cities, where you’ll find the Maritime Museum, the Malta at War Museum, the Inquisitor’s Palace and Fort St. Angelo, which was home to the Grand Master of the Order of St John. You can take a ferry there from the capital, Valletta, across the Grand Harbor. Another option is to travel via one of the traditional Maltese boats for an authentic experience.
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Meeting of the Waters
By Linda Tancs
The Meeting of the Waters is the confluence between the dark Rio Negro and the pale, sandy-colored Amazon River, referred to as the Solimões River in Brazil upriver of this confluence. For nearly 4 miles the two Amazon tributaries flow side by side without mixing, forming a boundary that’s visible from space. The phenomenon is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Manaus, Brazil. Several guided tours will take you there; you might also experience it on a cruise ship.
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