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 Pearl in Macedonia
By Linda Tancs
Since ancient Egyptian times, pearls have been one of the most highly coveted gemstones. That’s no less so in Macedonia, where the Lake Ohrid region yields one of the world’s most prized treasures, the Ohrid pearl. Produced from the scales of a fish found in the lake (among other ingredients), it’s a piece of the area’s cultural heritage. In fact, the Lake Ohrid region is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed for both its natural and cultural heritage. Situated on the shores of the lake, the town of Ohrid is one of the oldest human settlements in Europe. And the lake itself (of tectonic origin) has existed continuously for approximately 2 to 3 million years. Ohrid has an airport, but it’s also accessible by car, bus or train service from neighboring Serbia or Greece.
*************
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.
Share this:
Sleeping With the Fishes in Australia
By Linda Tancs
Reefsuites, Australia’s first underwater hotel, gives new meaning to the phrase “sleeping with the fishes.” Moored offshore at Hardy Reef, each room features floor-to-ceiling views of the spectacular underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef, including 1,500 species of fish along with turtles and rays. What better way to be surrounded by marine life without a wetsuit? There’s also access to the underwater observatory and optional activities like helicopter touring and scuba diving. Located 40 nautical miles from Airlie Beach, the journey begins with a cruise through the Whitsunday Islands to Hardy Reef.
*************
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.
Share this:
On-Demand Wine in Florence
By Linda Tancs
The concept of “on-demand” has a long history. Really long. And it has nothing to do with media libraries. We’re talking about on-demand wine, a concept dating to the 16th century in Florence, where wealthy winemakers would earn some easy cash selling wine through a hole in the wall, literally. These wine windows (buchette del vino) were embedded in the doors or walls of Florentine palaces, only after a time to be lost to history and boarded over. But, as the saying goes, everything old is new again. The wine window is making a comeback, with Babae being the first restaurant to embrace the old tradition. You’ll find them in the city’s Santo Spirito neighborhood.
*************
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.
Share this:
The Baths of Roman Africa
By Linda Tancs
The ancient Phoenician city of Carthage, a seaside suburb of Tunisia’s capital, Tunis, is known for its ancient archaeological sites. One of the most complex and imposing is the Park of the Antonine Baths, considered to be one of the largest of Roman Africa. Construction of the baths began under the reign of Hadrian and was completed under the reign of emperor Antoninus. Once three levels high and topped with cupolas, the vast complex is one of the largest built in the Roman Empire. One of its indoor pools was even as large as an Olympic pool. Ruins of the ground floor service area are all that remain today, amply signposted to guide your visit.
*************
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.
Share this:
Denmark’s Most Beautiful Festival
By Linda Tancs
What better venue could there be for a giant music festival than among beech trees, some more than 200 years old. That’s the locale for Denmark’s second largest festival, Smukfest. The forest is Dyrehaven in Skanderborg, where more than 55,000 beautiful people (as they’re called) gather during the second week in August for an event that has come to be known as “Denmark’s most beautiful festival.” Like an ongoing Woodstock, it’s all about life, love and togetherness to the sound of music, featuring local and international artists in various genres.
*************
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.
Share this:
Birthplace of the Dollar
By Linda Tancs
The U.S. dollar is the most widely used currency in the world. Do you know where it originated? The U.S. is obviously far too easy an answer. And wrong. To find its origin you’ll need to go to the unassuming Czech town of Jáchymov near the German border. Over 500 years ago the town minted the first Joachimsthaler coins, the predecessor of the U.S. dollar. Its high-purity silver content (derived from the mines in the region, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site) made it a popular currency that spread across Europe and was renamed locally. The word “dollar” closely resembles the German thaler and the Dutch leeuwendaler. In fact, the Dutch colonists brought their coin to New Amsterdam (the colony at the southern tip of New York City), where it eventually became the nation’s official currency.
*************
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.
Share this:
Spectacular Ruins in Israel
By Linda Tancs
Occupying a strategic location at the junction of the Jezreel and Jordan River valleys, the ancient city of Bet She’an was a leading city of the Decapolis in Roman times and a prosperous Christian city during the Byzantine era. Historically, the city was destroyed following the Earthquake of 749, and its ruins—some of the most spectacular Roman and Byzantine artifacts in the country—are now part of Bet She’an National Park.
*************
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.
Share this:
Goa’s Favorite Market
By Linda Tancs
The Indian state of Goa is famous for its beaches. Many of them are easily accessible from Mapusa, which hosts a Friday market that’s a favorite among both tourists and locals. Pottery is a star attraction, along with other handiworks. But don’t miss the fresh bread, aromatic spices and fish. It may be monsoon season, but don’t let that stop you. You’ll experience lots of greenery—both in the landscape and in your wallet thanks to the monsoon discounts from hotels and resorts.
*************
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.
Share this:
The Big Cheese in Austria
By Linda Tancs
Vorarlberg may be one of Austria’s smallest regions, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in cheese. That’s quite evident along the Bregenzerwald Cheese Road, an area linking 17 valley dairies and 90 alpine farmsteads. You can experience the cheese producers’ work in all its stages and have a hand in it yourself at the Metzler dairy school in the delightful town of Egg, site of the smallest private brewery in Vorarlberg. If you plan on tasting your way through the cheesemongers’ handiwork, then pace yourself. There are over 60 varieties in Bregenzerwald. Go now and experience the Bregenz Festival in the capital city, an annual event from mid-July to mid-August featuring opera, theater performances and orchestra concerts.
*************
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.
Share this:
Bubbling Over in the Indian Ocean
By Linda Tancs
Réunion is a French department in the Indian Ocean, an island known for its active volcano, Piton de la Fournaise. Currently, it’s one of the most active volcanoes in the world, giving Hawaii’s Kīlauea a run for its money. This shield volcano standing at over 8,600 feet is a hiker’s dream, with challenging routes linking the coast with the summit. You can also reach into the bowels of the earth with a lava tunnel tour lasting over three hours or take in the Mars-like landscape from the Plaine des Sables. Then, again, why not do it all? You can rest up at the Volcano Lodge, less than a mile from the crater.
*************
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 