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 Bird’s-Eye View of Oslo
By Linda Tancs
The newest attraction in Oslo, Norway, takes you to the treetops at Stovner. Located just behind Stovner Shopping Center in northeastern Oslo, the Stovner Tower is an 853-foot path about 50 feet high. It’s shaped like a roller coaster, but the experience is far from dizzying. The closest metro station is Stovner, located approximately 25 minutes from the city center.
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Canoe Racing in Polynesia
By Linda Tancs
Hawaiki nui va’a is a major event in the cultural life of French Polynesia, an international festival of outrigger canoe racing, the national sport. Reputedly the toughest canoe race in the world, the three-day, 80-mile race begins in Huahine Bay towards Raiatea, Taha’a and Bora Bora. This year’s event takes place from October 31 to November 2.
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A Distinguished Cretan
By Linda Tancs
Born Domenikos Theotokopoulos in Crete (the largest and most populous of the Greek islands), the painter popularly known as El Greco was in a class by himself, marrying Byzantine and Western traditions in a way that exposed his personal faith and vision. One of his early works, “Mount Sinai,” is exhibited in a specially designed hall of Heraklion’s Historical Museum. Elsewhere, Crete’s distinguished son is memorialized in a bust at El Greco Park. Although his fame was firmly established in Toledo, Spain, he never ceased to mention his Cretan roots by signing all his works “Made by Domenikos Theotokopoulos the Cretan.”
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The House of Houdini
By Linda Tancs
Hungarian-born Harry Houdini is arguably the greatest magician and escape artist of all time. Born as Erik Weisz in Budapest, the House of Houdini there boasts one of the largest collections of the magician’s artifacts. The display includes handcuffs, straitjackets, movie posters and a replica of the cell he escaped from in his final show. The museum, which includes a theater for magic acts, is located at the foot of Buda Castle.
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Holland’s Highest Tower
By Linda Tancs
The Dutch city of Utrecht was built around the Dom Tower, the tallest church tower in Holland at 367 feet. Undoubtedly an iconic symbol for this centuries-old university town, the tower has survived violent storms, occupations by foreign powers and fires. Its 14 bells are still rung by hand in the “ringing attic.” No doubt you’ll hear them along the city’s beautiful canals with wharf cellars housing cafés and terraces by the water.
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A Christmas Treat Down Under
By Linda Tancs
Christmas doesn’t normally conjure thoughts of tropical equatorial climates unless, of course, you’re visiting Christmas Island. Just a tiny dot in the Indian Ocean, the Australian territory northwest of Perth is largely a national park. It’s perhaps best known for its native wildlife, particularly the imposing bright red crab. At the beginning of the wet season (usually between October and November), most adult red crabs suddenly begin a spectacular migration by the millions from the forest to the coast to breed and release eggs into the sea, a process that can last up to 18 days. Movement peaks during cooler hours, early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Talk about a red carpet!
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Medieval Splendor in France
By Linda Tancs
Château d’Angers, a medieval fortress in Angers, France, is a massive fortification in schist and limestone. Punctuated by 17 towers, it extends over 1,600 feet, surrounded by gardens large enough to complement its size. The gardens include the usual box trees and yews, as well as a vineyard, vegetable garden, rose garden, hydrangea garden at the royal dwelling, the hanging garden with medicinal and tincture plants and a number of species depicted on the Apocalypse Tapestry. A magnificent work of art, the tapestry is based on the New Testament’s Book of Revelation. Like every other part of the castle, its scope is grand, measuring 338 feet in length and nearly 15 feet in width. Once the property of René of Anjou (of the ducal line who occupied the fortress in the 14th and 15th centuries), the tapestry is situated in a specially-lit room to preserve it.
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Ireland’s Medieval Mile
By Linda Tancs
The colorful hues and commercial comforts along High Street in Kilkenny belie the city’s storied past as the medieval capital of Ireland. You’ll learn all about that on the Medieval Mile, a discovery trail running through the heart of the city linking St. Canice’s Cathedral (the second longest in the country) and a stunning Anglo-Norman castle. South of Dublin, Kilkenny is named after St. Canice (Cill Chainnigh – Canice’s Church), who founded a sixth century monastic settlement. The Round Tower beside the cathedral offers fantastic views over the city. At the center of it all is the new Medieval Mile Museum, located in a converted 13th century church featuring medieval sculpture and Renaissance-era tombs.
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Belgrade’s Central Park
By Linda Tancs
Kalemegdan is Belgrade’s central park and fortress complex in Serbia. Lying on a hill overlooking the Sava and Danube confluence, its pleasant grounds contain a treasure trove of history and archaeology. It boasts the Belgrade Fortress, a citadel first built by the Romans in the first century and then razed and restructured by its conquerors, reaching its present form in the 18th century. The fortress contains the Roman Well, built during the baroque reconstruction of the ramparts during the 18th century. The fortress area also hosts the Statue of Victory, erected in 1928 to commemorate the Kingdom of Serbia’s war victories over the Ottoman Empire and Austria-Hungary. Other highlights include the medieval Nebojša tower (a four-level cannon tower built around 1460 to protect the entrance to the Danube port) and the Military Museum in the middle of the park.
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Sweden’s First City
By Linda Tancs
Hailed as Sweden’s first city, Birka is an ancient city located on the island of Björkö in Lake Mälaren. It was an important Viking Age trading center which handled goods from Scandinavia and Finland as well as Europe and the Orient. In addition to the museum, a guided tour will take you back in time to the Vikings by strolling through the ancient fields that have been excavated. Past the museum is another interesting site: the Monument of Ansgar. Known as the Nordic apostle, Ansgar was a missionary who brought Christianity to Sweden. Boats to Birka depart from Stockholm (Stadshusbron), Hovgården, Härjarö and Mariefred.
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