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
Batman Mountain
By Linda Tancs
Sometimes called “Batman Mountain,” Vestrahorn is one of Iceland’s most striking mountains. Located on the Stokksnes peninsula in the southeast near Höfn (a go-to destination for Northern Lights viewing), it peaks at 1,450 feet and meets a black sand beach below. It’s a prized locale for landscape photographers. The vistas demand a wide-angle lens; use a tripod to minimize shake from the often windy conditions.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Australia’s Aurora
By Linda Tancs
So much attention is directed at the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) that it’s easy to forget about the Southern Lights, the Southern Hemisphere’s own light show. Known as aurora australis, this celestial ballet is best viewed from southernmost points like Tasmania. Unlike its northern counterpart, you can see it year round although the longer nights of winter present the best potential. A Tasmanian hotspot is Cape Bruny Lighthouse, the country’s second oldest and longest continually staffed extant lighthouse. Get ready for a colorful show of red, green, yellow, blue and purple.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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A Rear View in Samoa
By Linda Tancs
You’ve heard the expression “location, location, location.” Well, imagine a backyard view that includes a spectacular waterfall. That’s the prize for one lucky homeowner in Samoa who gets to boast of stunning views of Sopoaga Falls. As the lookout is on private property, there’s a small admission fee to view one of the island nation’s most prized natural resources. Along the way you’ll be enchanted by a lush garden landscape and a coconut husking demonstration.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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The City With Four Names
By Linda Tancs
You might think that Sucre, Bolivia, suffers from an identity crisis, considering that it’s known as “The City With Four Names.” But the reason for its name changes is rooted in history. The area was originally named Charcas after the indigenous inhabitants. Later, its Spanish conquerors named it La Plata (silver) in recognition of the rich natural resources there. When the Spanish later took control over Buenos Aires using a similar designation, the name was changed again to Chuquisaca, a version of the original indigenous Charcas settlement of Choquechaca. Unrest over economic conditions imposed by the governing forces resulted in an independence movement famously led by Antonio José de Sucre. The city was renamed in his honor. Casa de la Libertad is where, in 1825, the republic was created with the signing of the Bolivian declaration of independence and is one of the most important museums in the city.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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England’s Greatest Snowdrop Garden
By Linda Tancs
Snowdrops, generally appearing in February and March, are one of the first spring flowers to bloom, often while snow is still on the ground in some regions. In the heart of England’s Cotswolds, Colesbourne Park is heralded as the premier garden to see them. Open on select days each February, the gardens comprise approximately 10 acres of formal snowdrop walks. The trails are situated around an estate originally owned in 1789 by John Elwes, son of the celebrated miser John Elwes, reputedly one of the models for the character of Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Winging It on Cres
By Linda Tancs
The Eurasian griffon vulture is one of Europe’s largest birds, sporting a wingspan anywhere from over seven feet to nearly 10 feet. It’s one of the prized features of Cres, a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea. You’ll find them nesting in the cliffs near the village of Beli, one of the oldest places on the island. The main resort is Cres Town, where the Venetian Tower serves as a reminder of Venetian rule in the 16th century. Ferry service to the island is available via Krk or Istria.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Art in Zimbabwe
By Linda Tancs
The National Gallery of Zimbabwe is a gallery in Harare (and other locations) dedicated to the presentation and conservation of Zimbabwe’s contemporary art and visual heritage. Part of that heritage is Shona sculpture, an ancient, stone-working tradition that has emerged as a contemporary artistic movement. It takes its name from the Shona tribe, a collective of similar groups of people who are the largest in Zimbabwe. Much of the stone is locally sourced and belongs to the Serpentine family. Among other collections, the gallery boasts a permanent exhibition of exquisite stone carvings.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Qatar’s Desert Sentinel
By Linda Tancs
About 65 miles from the Qatari capital of Doha, Al Zubarah was one of a long line of prosperous trading towns centuries ago in what is present-day Qatar. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it comprises a fort and archaeological area covering the remains of a historic pearl diving and trading center. In fact, the walled town was once ranked as one of the Persian Gulf’s most important pearl diving and trading centers with links extending to the Indian Ocean. The visitor center is located in the fort, where tourists can learn about the area’s mercantile past and the artifacts that have been unearthed.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Prague’s Kafka
By Linda Tancs
Born in Prague, Franz Kafka was a novelist and short-story writer, widely regarded as one of the major figures of 20th-century literature. It’s fair to say that the Czech city shaped his writing life even though he often did not explicitly identify those locales in his works. For example, St. Vitus Cathedral is generally understood to be the church featured in The Trial, and the path taken by Joseph K. in the last chapter of that book goes from the Old Town, across Charles Bridge to the outer limits of the Lesser Town. Literary sleuths also maintain that the view from Bendemann’s window in The Judgment is that seen from Mikulášská Street (today’s Pařížská Street), where Kafka’s family lived in 1912. These and other details of the writer’s life are illuminated at the Franz Kafka Museum. Located just minutes from Charles Bridge, the facility features a number of first-edition Kafka books as well as original letters, diaries and drawings.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Made in Italy
By Linda Tancs
Some things are so much a part of the common experience that you forget it’s special. Take Parmesan cheese, for example, a staple of pizza and pasta dishes. The genuine article is made in Italy, embossed Parmigiano-Reggiano. It hails from Parma, a university city in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. Like any well-known product, it has a museum devoted to its history, The Museum of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Located in Soragna in the Province of Parma, the venue showcases the history of the region’s famous cheese. Of course, the gift shop offers genuine Parmesan as well as tasting kits, posters, postcards and themed kitchen objects.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 