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
The Pit of Bones
By Linda Tancs
Considered one of the most important archaeological sites in Europe, Atapuerca comprises several limestone caves near the medieval city of Burgos in northern Spain. It contains a rich fossil record of the earliest human beings in Europe from a million years ago. With colorful names such as Pit of the Elephant and Pit of Bones, the findings there include the earliest evidence of humans in western Europe and a stunning array of over 1,600 human fossils and intact skulls. The locale was designed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.
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Stour Valley Path Celebrates 25 Years
By Linda Tancs
The Stour Valley Path is a 60-mile route following the valley sides of the River Stour through the beautiful Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire countryside. The path was established 25 years ago, and the local tourism authority is celebrating that milestone with its own passport, stamped by local businesses along the route. A popular stretch is from Newmarket to Cattawade, involving a series of bus and train transfers along with moderate walks. Not far from Cattawade you’ll have the opportunity to view the site inspiring John Constable’s Hay Wain painting, based on a locale in Suffolk near Flatford. It’s arguably one of Constable’s most famous paintings and one of England’s most popular.
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Creature Comforts in a Park
By Linda Tancs
Like any national park, Glenveagh in County Donegal, Ireland, has its share of extraordinary vistas, like bogland, woodland, freshwater and rocky precipices. And in the center of it all is the stately elegance of Glenveagh Castle. Built by a wealthy land speculator in the 1800s, the castellated mansion was subsequently occupied by army forces during the country’s civil war and later owned by an Irish-American until it was conveyed to the nation. Enjoy the surrounding courtyards, walled garden, pleasure grounds and woodland gardens. A shuttle bus runs there daily from the park’s Visitor Centre.
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Bali’s Iconic Bird
By Linda Tancs
As if Bali weren’t fabled enough, West Bali National Park is a lush oasis of forests, mountains, clear blue water and long stretches of protected beach and offshore coral reefs. But the reason for the park’s creation in 1941 is to protect the island’s iconic and endemic bird, the snow-white and critically endangered Bali Starling. It’s one of about 160 species recorded in the park. In addition to flora and fauna watching, the park’s offshore island Menjangan is a popular diving spot for coral reef and other marine exploration. The journey there from Denpasar, Bali’s capital, is about four or five hours.
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Seaside Splendor in Spain
By Linda Tancs
Widely regarded as one of Spain’s most beautiful villages, Cudillero is a picturesque fishing port on the Atlantic Coast, far from the madding crowd. One of its most distinctive features is its brightly colored houses nestled in horseshoe fashion among the cliffs. Take in the views from the lighthouse or the lookout point at Mirador de la Garita.
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The Island of Wine
By Linda Tancs
The ancient Greeks planted vines on the Croatian island Hvar in 384 B.C. So it’s fair to say that they’ve been in the winemaking business there a good while, the quality of their wine a testament to their proud heritage. It’s equally prized as a summer resort, touted as the sunniest spot in the country. That suits beachgoers just fine, who can enjoy pebble beaches like Dubovica, surrounded by pine trees and olive groves. To get there, hop on the high-speed ferry from Dubrovnik.
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Caledonian Splendor
By Linda Tancs
Once upon a time, a vast woodland known as the Caledonian Forest covered much of Scotland. Formed at the end of the last ice age, its remnants are still visible in places like Glen Affric, considered one of the most beautiful places in Scotland. Thick with trees, its mix of Scots pine, birch, oak and Douglas fir is a big reason why the glen is protected as a National Nature Reserve. Several animals call these ancient woods home, like its iconic red deer (most visible in winter and autumn), pine martens and red squirrels. The protected environment is also invaluable for rare species like golden eagles and black grouse. A short distance from Loch Ness, the River Affric runs the length of the reserve, where trails offer stunning views of the mountains, towering trees and waterfalls.
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The Underground Down Under
By Linda Tancs
About 500 miles north of Adelaide in the Australian Outback is the subterranean town of Coober Pedy, where most of the town’s 1,800 or so residents live in underground shelters carved from the sandstone walls, giving new meaning to the phrase “a hole in the wall.” The place is worth a visit to explore the unique lifestyle enjoyed there, which also happens to be the opal capital of the world. Together with the surrounding region, it supplies around 85% of the world’s opal supply.
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Purple Majesty in Brihuega
By Linda Tancs
Move over, Provence. There’s a majestic cloak of lavender in the unassuming town of Brihuega, Spain. About an hour’s drive from Madrid, the hamlet celebrates its purple prize every July (harvest season) with a two-day event featuring sunset concerts amidst the lavender fields. Festival de la Lavanda takes place this year on the 19th and 20th.
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The Fish-Eye View in Dubai
By Linda Tancs
One of the largest suspended aquariums in the world, Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo is for many the centerpiece of the Dubai Mall, the second-largest mall in the world by land area. Home to 140 species of sea life, the tank contains over 2 million gallons of water spread over a tunnel some 157 feet long. Your fish-eye view includes more than 33,000 aquatic animals and the largest collection of sand tiger sharks anywhere. You can also take a glass-bottom boat tour, snorkel in a cage and even don an oxygen tank to go swimming with the sharks.
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