Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for tourism
England’s Famous Fen
By Linda Tancs
Wicken Fen in Cambridgeshire is the oldest nature reserve in England and also its most famous fen. One of Europe’s most important wetlands, it’s home to over 9,000 recorded species of plants, birds and dragonflies as well as amazing wildlife. As the colder months approach, the reserve is populated with wigeon, hen harriers, short-eared owls, starlings and winter thrushes. The ancient part of the region, Sedge Fen, is explorable year-round thanks to the Boardwalk Trail. To enhance your wildlife viewing experience, check out the Sightings Book in the visitor center.
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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 Great House in Hampshire
By Linda Tancs
Chawton House is a center for early women’s writing. Owned by Jane Austen’s brother Edward, the Elizabethan manor house in Hampshire, England, was referred to by Austen in her letters as the “Great House.” The venue has many first editions and original manuscripts; not surprisingly, one of those assets is “Sir Charles Grandison,” written in Jane’s own hand. Although she may have dined frequently at the home, Jane did not live there. Instead, her brother offered another residence minutes away, which many might consider the real “great house” because she penned her major works there: “Sense and Sensibility,” “Pride and Prejudice,” “Mansfield Park,” “Emma,” “Northanger Abbey” and “Persuasion.” That residence, Jane Austen’s House Museum, may be the most treasured fan site in the world. Both sites are accessible via hourly trains to nearby Alton from London’s Waterloo 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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France’s Surf City
By Linda Tancs
Located in the Bay of Biscay in the heart of French Basque Country, Biarritz is a popular seaside resort. Generally regarded as the surfing capital of Europe, its surf culture cannot be understated, with 18 surfing schools catering to beginners and pros alike. Its beaches, the La Grande Plage and Côte des Basques, both offer great surf spots. Now is the best time to ply the waters because it’s less crowded and the swells are more reliable.
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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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Pleasant Island
By Linda Tancs
You can count Queen Elizabeth II among the cohort who have ever visited Nauru. Larger than just Vatican City and Monaco, it’s the world’s smallest island nation, counting only some 200 visitors each year. Once coined Pleasant Island by British whaler John Fearn, this Micronesian island once ruled by Australia (among others) totals eight square miles and is easily walkable, in a single day if you like. Its phosphate reserves once made it the richest country on Earth but also contributed to the demise of marine life. Nowadays it caters to deep-sea fishermen and war history buffs seeking a rusty Japanese outpost from World War II. Nauru Airlines offers flights from Brisbane, Australia.
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2026 update: The country has officially changed its name to Republic of Naoero to match the spelling and pronunciation in the national language.
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The Art of Trash in Sonoma
By Linda Tancs
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as the saying goes. You might invoke that thought when you visit the trash art in Sebastopol, California. Made from recycled trash like old cars, cookware, discarded pipes and aluminum trash cans, it’s an outdoor exhibit of outsized and outlandish figures adorning a three-block radius along Florence Avenue in this small Sonoma County town. Conceived by Patrick Amiot and Brigitte Laurent, the works include a rat at the wheel of a hot rod, a tea-sipping Mad Hatter, a joy-riding skeleton on a chopper, giant birds and a mermaid.
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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 Bellarine Trails
By Linda Tancs
Australia’s Bellarine Peninsula is a peninsula located southwest of Melbourne in Victoria boasting fabulous trails. First there’s the tasting trail, featuring the best of cool-climate wines that define the region. Along with nationally rated five-star wineries, the trail includes top suppliers of local produce, olive oil, cheeses, pies and seafood. You can walk off your gastronomic experience along the second route, the Bellarine Rail Trail. That’s a 20-mile walking and cycling track following the route of the former South Geelong to Queenscliff branch line. Pace yourself; the hike takes about eight hours to complete.
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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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An African City of Bridges
By Linda Tancs
Constantine is the third-largest city in Algeria, currently named for Emperor Constantine the Great, who restored the city following its destruction during a war before his succession. It’s popularly known as the “city of bridges,” an unsurprising title given the precipitous gorge through which the Rhumel River flows. Of the eight bridges, the most spectacular is arguably Sidi M’Cid, which at one time was the highest suspension bridge in the world. Its eastern side leads to Monument aux Morts, a memorial built to honor the French soldiers from Constantine who died during World War I. From there you can enjoy panoramic views over the plateau (some 2,000 feet above sea level) on which the city sits.
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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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African American History in the Sourlands
By Linda Tancs
Sourland Mountain is a ridge straddling the borders of Somerset, Hunterdon and Mercer counties in New Jersey. Among its charms is one of the most historic buildings, the 120-year-old, one-room Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. Now known as the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum, it recounts the culture and contributions of African Americans who lived in the Sourlands for hundreds of years.
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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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From Castle to Hostel
By Linda Tancs
St. Briavels Castle began in the 12th century as a significant means of defense against the campaigns of the Welsh. Strategically located in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, it reaped the benefits of the area’s renown as a center of the medieval iron industry and the manufacture of crossbow bolts. Under King Edward I, thousands of crossbow bolts were produced at the castle in preparation for the king’s defensive campaigns. Once the conquest of Wales was completed, the castle served as a debtor’s prison. These days, the castle’s gatehouse prison serves as a youth hostel. Due to this use, access to the interior is limited; visitors should call ahead. However, the exterior of the castle and moat can be viewed during daylight hours, and there is seasonal access (April to October) to the inner bailey and courtyard.
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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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Between Pakistan and China
By Linda Tancs
Some might call the Karakoram Highway the ultimate road trip. Or maybe thrill ride is a better term. Connecting China and Pakistan across the Karakoram mountain range, it’s loaded with hairpin turns, pencil-thin roads and steep slopes. It’s also billed as the world’s highest paved international border crossing, reaching over 15,000 feet above sea level. Stretching about 800 miles, part of its path traces the ancient Silk Road, a network of trade routes formally established during the Han Dynasty of China. If you’re keen to test your stamina (as well as your nerves), then this might be the trip for you.
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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 