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
Sleeping Beauty’s Inspiration
By Linda Tancs
Germany’s Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the most visited castles in Germany and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. Many folks probably know that its fairy-tale character served as inspiration for Sleeping Beauty Castle as well as for Cinderella Castle at Disney’s theme parks. Unlike those very well-trekked destinations, their source was intended as a very private retreat for reclusive King Ludwig II. How ironic that over 1 million people visit his refuge each year! Entrance tickets are available only at the ticket center in the village of Hohenschwangau below the castle. Your admission ticket is valid for a guided tour of the castle at a specific time. Go now and avoid the summertime crowds.
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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 Many Heads
By Linda Tancs
The Red Centre is the beating heart of Australia’s Outback. Aptly named for color, it’s an extraordinary landscape of desert plains, mountain ranges, gorges and some of Aboriginal Australia’s most sacred sites. Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) is among its many natural wonders and cultural landmarks. Translated as “many heads,” Kata Tjuta comprises soaring, domed rock formations that glow at sunrise and sunset. The site is sacred to the local Aboriginal Anangu people, who have inhabited the area for more than 22,000 years. The best way to view this area is by walking one of the trails. One of the shortest walks is to the Kata Tjuta dune viewing area, which offers panoramic views of the landscape. If you’re eager to escape the crowds, then maybe the longest walk is for you. Known as the Valley of the Winds Walk, the 4.5-mile trail compensates for its steepness and difficulty with breathtaking views between the domes.
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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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Butting Heads in Poznań
By Linda Tancs
Poznań is a city on the Warta River in western Poland. Halfway between Warsaw and Berlin, its Old Market Square is ablaze in richly-colored townhouses where merchants once traded in fish, candles, torches and salt. The crown jewel of the square is the Town Hall, dubbed long ago as “the most beautiful Renaissance town hall north of the Alps” by an Italian architect. You’ll likely find the biggest crowd there at noon, when two mechanical billy goats glide forth from the clock tower to butt heads 12 times. The midday hour has been marked in this fashion since the 1500s. A trumpet call signals the start of the action.
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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 Fabled Ruins of Parnassus
By Linda Tancs
Mount Parnassus is one of Greece’s mythological mountains. Named after the son of a nymph, Parnassus was the site of several adventures of the god Apollo. Delphi, an important ancient Greek religious sanctuary sacred to Apollo, was located on the mountain. The sanctuary was also home to the famous Oracle of Delphi, whose ruins draw tourists by the thousands. Just 60 miles by car from Athens, this limestone peak offers commanding views of the surrounding olive groves and countryside.
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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 River of Silver
By Linda Tancs
Río de la Plata (river of silver) is an estuary of the Paraná and Uruguay rivers and forms part of the border between Argentina and Uruguay. The major ports and capital cities of Buenos Aires and Montevideo grace its shores, one of the most densely populated areas of both Argentina and Uruguay. One of its many charms is the small island of Isla de Flores. It was once named Seal Island by visiting sailors for its vast number of South American fur seals. It’s perhaps better known for the historic lighthouse. Established in 1828, it’s still an active aid to navigation with two white flashes every 16 seconds, visible for 19 nautical miles.
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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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Green Spain
By Linda Tancs
Cantabria is an autonomous region in northern Spain, a strip of land between the Bay of Biscay and the Cantabrian Mountains. It’s known as Green Spain because of its lush vegetation, aided by a wet climate influenced by the Atlantic Ocean that produces around 47 inches of rain per year. It’s prized for its prehistoric caves, most notably the Sistine Chapel of Paleolithic Art. The region also forms part of the Northern Way of the Way of St. James, a pilgrimage route. Cheese is practically a religion there, too. Be sure to try the pasiega cheesecake, a local favorite.
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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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Bog Wild in Estonia
By Linda Tancs
The bog system of Endla Nature Reserve (the largest mire expanse in Central Estonia) provides a habitat for the white-tailed eagle, the golden eagle and the osprey. Located in Tooma village in Jõgevamaa, the expanse of over 25,000 acres also preserves the karsts of the southern slope of Pandivere Highlands. The marked trails range from over one to nearly 5 miles in length and provide an opportunity to get to know the forests, wooded meadows and bogs as well as to observe birds and learn about the local plants. Guide service is available in English and Estonian.
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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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It’s a Small World in Tokyo
By Linda Tancs
Miniature villages are a dime a dozen, but Tokyo’s Small Worlds takes it to another level. For example, many of the miniatures are operational, like a rocket that lifts off and planes flying at Kansai Airport. There’s even an opportunity for visitors to place model figures of themselves in the area of their choice using 3D printers and scan technology. Billed as the world’s largest miniatures theme park, the 86,000-square-foot facility is uniquely immersive. It’s located in the Ariake district of Tokyo, a short walk from Ariake-Tennis-no-mori 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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Serenity in Schiermonnikoog
By Linda Tancs
Car-free and carefree. Those might be the best attributes to describe Schiermonnikoog, the smallest inhabited island of the Dutch Wadden Sea islands. The entire locale is a national park, a place teeming with beaches, dunes, forests, tidal marshes, lakes and tidal flats along with hundreds of plant and bird species. It boasts the widest sandbar in Europe (the Rif) as well as the oldest house in the North Sea islands and a whale jaw over three feet high. It owes at least part of its tourism to Klozum, a costume festival that takes place on December 5 each year. You get there via ferry from the port of Lauwersoog in the Dutch province of Groningen.
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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 Dragons
By Linda Tancs
Drakensberg translates roughly to “mountain of dragons.” It’s one of South Africa’s most spectacular natural wonders, the highest mountain range in the country, reaching over 11,000 feet above sea level. Its peaks, favored by shutterbugs and trekkers alike, include Giant’s Castle, Cathedral Peak and Mont-Aux-Sources. For those seeking an easy day hike, try the Hlatikulu Forest Trail at the foot of the mountains and near the Mpofana River Valley. It boasts some stunning forested areas in some places as well as carpets of wildflowers (in season) in others.
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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.
