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
Symphony of Stones
By Linda Tancs
The well-preserved basalt columns resembling organ pipes at Garni Gorge in Armenia give rise to the moniker “symphony of stones.” A masterpiece of nature to be sure, but that’s only part of the area’s allure. Another popular feature along the gorge is Garni Temple, Armenia’s only standing Greco-Roman colonnaded building dating from the first century, a masterpiece of man constructed of grey basalt like its natural cousin. Allegedly funded by Roman Emperor Nero, the site was used for worship of Greek gods until the country adopted Christianity in the fourth century.
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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 Dervish Monastery Off a Cliff
By Linda Tancs
Blagaj Tekija is a 15th-century, Dervish monastery outside Mostar in Bosnia & Herzegovina. It’s tucked into a limestone cliff face overlooking the emerald-green source of the Buna River. Both a picturesque tourist attraction and a holy place, services are still regularly held there. The complex includes tombs, prayer rooms, a courtyard and an old Turkish bath. Alongside it is a cave; short boat trips explore the subterranean passageways. Get there via the local bus from Mostar.
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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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Smoky in Bamberg
By Linda Tancs
Bamberg is a quintessential German medieval town in Upper Franconia, Bavaria. It’s famous for its Rauchbier, a beer boasting a smoky flavor from the malt’s exposure to the smoke of burning beech wood. Its most photographed site is the Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus), constructed on a man-made island straddling a bridge over the Regnitz River. The landmark building is renowned for its trompe l’oeil architecture, but the most amusing feature is the leg of a cherub protruding out of a wall as a sculpture. Venture inside for a look at the Ludwig collection of precious porcelain.
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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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Spain’s First National Park
By Linda Tancs
Picos de Europa are a mountain range forming part of the Cantabrian Mountains in northern Spain comprising Picos de Europa National Park, Spain’s first such park. Because the park covers three massive massifs, the mountain views are extraordinary. Golden eagles and chamois are a common sight there, amply viewed along one of the many hiking routes in the park, which are touted as some of the best in the country. Also, the Fuente Dé cable car will have you soaring past the peaks in a matter of minutes. Open year round as weather permits, winter is especially devoid of summertime throngs.
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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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Land of Glistening Waters
By Linda Tancs
New Zealand’s Wairarapa means “land of glistening waters” in the Māori language. They should know; Māori settlement of the region goes back some 800 years. Two hours or so from Wellington, the Wairarapa Coast is where you’ll find spectacular views of Palliser Bay and Lake Onoke. You can view those glistening waters from the lookout above the Putangirua Pinnacles, an otherworldly collection of limestone earth pillars (hoodoos) characteristic of badlands erosion. This distinctive locale was used for filming the “Paths of the Dead” scene in the Return of the King, the third movie in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy.
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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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South Africa’s Garden Route
By Linda Tancs
The Garden Route is one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. It was discovered by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias. A museum devoted to him is located in Mossel Bay, the official starting point of the route. It ends at Storms River. Needless to say, the 124-mile trek is a popular self-drive destination. The region comprises beaches, lagoons, coves, indigenous forest, beautiful flowers (giving the area its name) and quaint towns like George, known as the “Gateway to the Garden Route.” Another town worth a visit is Oudtshoorn, center of the ostrich industry, which rests conveniently along the wine route. You’ll enjoy pleasant temperatures year round.
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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 Zeppelin Museum
By Linda Tancs
The airship Hindenburg was the largest dirigible ever built. The pride of Germany, it burst into flames upon touching its mooring mast in Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 36 passengers and crew members on May 6, 1937. The Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichshafen celebrates the development of airships and features a reconstruction of the Hindenburg. Guided tours are available. The museum is located right on the shore on Lake Constance at Friedrichshafen in the former harbor railway station.
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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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Mountain of the Lychees
By Linda Tancs
Phnom Kulen (translated as “mountain of the lychees”) is a popular tourist destination in Cambodia and a spot favored by locals because it is a holy mountain. The birthplace of the ancient Khmer empire, its historical (and environmental) value led to its protection as a national park. Located in Siem Reap Province, it features two waterfalls that form the basis for most tours of the area. It’s also rich in archaeological sites, one of the most popular being the “river of a thousand lingas,” boasting lingas (representations of the Hindu god Shiva) and other stone carvings. The area comprises one of the few remaining tropical forests in northwest Cambodia.
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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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Capitals of Culture in 2021
By Linda Tancs
In keeping with tradition, we begin the New Year with an announcement on the EU Capitals of Culture for 2021, or at least what would’ve been the capitals. Due to COVID-19, the cultural capitals program has been suspended. Timișoara (in Romania), Elefsina (in Greece) and Novi Sad (Serbia) have been shuffled around a bit. If three sounds like an odd number of capitals, that’s because the original plan was that, from 2021 and every three years thereafter, a third capital would be chosen from cities in countries that are candidates or potential candidates for membership in the European Union or in countries that are part of the European Economic Area. Romania and Greece have had their titles postponed from 2021 to 2023. Novi Sad will now be the European Capital of Culture in 2022, together with Kaunas (Lithuania) and Esch (Luxembourg).
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The Ladies’ Château
By Linda Tancs
As is widely the case, if you like the interior design of a home, then you should thank the lady of the house. That’s the reasoning behind Château de Chenonceau being coined “the ladies’ château.” Arguably the most visited and photographed château in France’s Loire Valley, its female occupants throughout the centuries are credited with its design, embellishment and protection. Furnished throughout with Renaissance-style appointments, the ladies’ bedrooms are especially exquisite, as are the Christmas decorations this time of year.
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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 