Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for tourism
The Hawk Walk
By Linda Tancs
Established in 1967, the International Centre for Birds of Prey is the world’s oldest and largest center dedicated to birds of prey–owls, hawks, eagles, kites and vultures. Now shared across two locations in the U.K. (Newent and Duncombe), this epicenter for raptor breeding and conservation offers three different flying displays daily. Most of the trained birds are located at the Hawk Walk. Head for the flying fields at the end of the walk. Awash in daffodils this time of year, the flying demonstrations and natural surroundings are a photographer’s delight.
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The Crown Jewel of Jump Racing
By Linda Tancs
The focus of jumping season in England is The Festival at Cheltenham. Taking place today through 13 March at Prestbury Park, it’s the place where dreams are made, where the best horses, jockeys and trainers forge their reputation for excellence amidst a crowd of 235,000 people. The environment isn’t too shabby, either. Located at the edge of the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, Cheltenham is a Regency spa town with a flair for culture and style.
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America’s Best Kept Secret
By Linda Tancs
It isn’t necessarily the secluded white sand beaches, marine life or water sports rendering the Northern Mariana Islands America’s best kept secret. Sure, you’ll find those assets in lots of places. What you won’t find elsewhere in America are captivating Micronesian sunsets and the busiest airport in the world during World War II. Together with indigenous culture, nightlife and shopping, the islands of Saipan, Tinian and Rota offer visitors irresistible hospitality in a sparsely populated paradise. Sample a local delicacy while you’re there like apigi (young coconut wrapped in banana leaves and roasted).
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Where Java Rules
By Linda Tancs
Surakarta (also called Solo) in Indonesia is where Java rules. And no, that doesn’t mean coffee. This city in Central Java exudes Javanese culture, like the courtly dances evocative of a royal bygone era. It’s also the heartland for traditional batik and the rich yellow hues characteristic of the area. Batik is so prized that there’s an annual batik carnival to celebrate this popular form of Javanese art.
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Spanning the Narrows in Venezuela
By Linda Tancs
Punctuated by the Angostura Bridge connecting it with the rest of Venezuela, Ciudad Bolívar is a historical city featuring houses, buildings and a cathedral dating to the colonial period. Formerly named Angostura because of its location on the narrowest part of the Orinoco River, it enjoys the distinction of being the site where the first Venezuelan newspaper, El Correo del Orinoco, was printed. That newspaper building, housing the original printing press, is now Bolivar Museum. he night views of the cathedral and Paseo Orinoco are spectacular. For another spectacular view, be sure to visit nearby Angel Falls, the highest waterfall in the world. Named for an aviator who flew over the falls, its immense height (15 times higher than Niagara Falls) is enough justification for the heavenly moniker.
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Where America’s Sun Sets
By Linda Tancs
In the heart of Polynesia, America’s sun sets. And no, it isn’t Hawaii (although America’s 50th state does constitute one of three points of the Polynesian triangle). It’s American Samoa, an island territory in the South Pacific comprising five volcanic islands and two atolls. Its national park is one of the most remote in the United States. Covering three of the islands, the predominate land mass of the park is rainforest, promising lush views amid long, unhurried hikes. This is a must-see for the ecotourist seeking an unspoiled, uncrowded destination.
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Historic Mount Holly
By Linda Tancs
Revolutionary War history abounds in New Jersey, even in a small town like Mount Holly in Burlington County. It was there that a diversionary tactic was executed that resulted in a reduction of enemy forces in Trenton, enabling George Washington to capture the state’s capital city. Known as the Battle of Iron Works Hill, it’s just one of several sites in town with ties to the war. Another notable is The Old School House, used by the British army as a temporary stable for their horses during their retreat from Philadelphia in 1778. The Friends Meeting House, used by the British as a commissary in 1778, is where the New Jersey State Legislature met in 1779. A private residence, the Stephen Girard House is where the Girard family resided and operated a business during the war. Girard later became a prominent financier and philanthropist, funding the government’s battle during the War of 1812. In 2006, he was ranked the fourth wealthiest person in United States history.
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One Happy Island
By Linda Tancs
The southern Caribbean island of Aruba considers itself to be one happy place. And why not? With a daily temperature above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, consistently sunny skies, enviable gastronomy, family-friendly fun and some of the world’s top beaches, there’s a lot to smile about. So c’mon, get happy!
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Boonie Stomping
By Linda Tancs
Imagine hiking through the untamed wilderness of the western Pacific, devouring sights like a coral table reef, rocky cliff lines, mangroves, lush jungles and scores of waterfalls. That’s what boonie stomping (better known as hiking to the rest of us) in Guam is all about. Guam Boonie Stompers offers Saturday hikes for a nominal fee to places including beaches, waterfalls, mountains, caves and World War II sites. The island is loaded with sawgrass, so wear reinforced gloves on your trek.
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Free Haven
By Linda Tancs
Black history abounds in the tiny borough of Lawnside in Camden County, New Jersey. Both freedman and escaped slaves settled there when Philadelphia abolitionist Ralph Smith purchased land in the 1800s and sold it in lots to blacks at reduced prices, earning the place the moniker Free Haven. Not surprisingly, the locale was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Later, the hamlet now known as Lawnside became the only black-governed town north of the Mason-Dixon Line. The predominately black community’s heritage is represented on the borough’s seal.
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