Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for tourism
A Roar in China
By Linda Tancs
There’s a roar in China about four hours northeast of Xi’an that can be heard for miles. That’s where you’ll find Hukou Falls , the second largest waterfall in China. The Yellow River roars at a junction where it meets the Hukou Mountain and the range on both sides chokes the river’s width, creating a surge as it plunges over a cliff.
Share this:
Jémez History
By Linda Tancs
Some of the most impressive ruins in the Southwest are outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico. At the Jémez State Monument Heritage Area, a large pueblo in the narrow San Diego Canyon built by the ancestors of the present-day Jémez enchants visitors. The seven-acre site includes the ruins of San José de los Jémez, a large stone church built by missionaries in the 17th century, featuring an unusual octagonal bell tower and frescoes unearthed in the 1920s. Sunday admission is free for all New Mexico residents; senior citizens also enter free on Wednesdays.
Share this:
Chains of Love in Moscow
By Linda Tancs
Moscow, it seems, has a lock on love. Though hardly known as a city of romance, authorities there have taken the tradition of attaching padlocks to public fixtures as a gesture of love one step further. They’ve institutionalized the practice by placing a series of metallic love trees along Luzhkov bridge, adorned with colorful locks. Now, who’ll have the key to your heart?
Share this:
King of the Five Continents
By Linda Tancs
One of the largest carvivals in the world, Nice’s carnival promises fun and frolic for 20 days along the French Riviera. Celebrating universality, this year’s theme is “King of the Five Continents.” The day and night carnival parades along Place Massena feature 18 colorful floats and papier mâché accompanied by street theatre and music groups from all over the world. Couple that with the traditional flower parade along Promenade des Anglais and you have an unforgettable event where the Tournament of Roses meets Mardi Gras. This year’s festival takes place from 15 February to 6 March.
Share this:
The Gem of Downton
By Linda Tancs
Downton Abbey is a massively addictive British period drama television series. This post-Edwardian chronicle follows the life of the aristocratic Crawley family in the fictional Yorkshire enclave known as Downton Abbey. As any fan knows, Highclere Castle is used for exterior and interior filming. Located to the west of London, the castle is not in Yorkshire but rather in Berkshire and is home to the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon. Not surprisingly, the castle has become a hot commodity, but it’s only open to tourists for 70 or so days a year–during Easter, May bank holidays and in summer. Ticket sales are fast and furious. Summer 2013 is on sale now. Better hurry.
Share this:
Home Furnishings Capital of the World
By Linda Tancs
Furniture shoppers are well aware of High Point, North Carolina. The nation’s largest furniture store is there, along with 50 discounters. Not surprisingly, that’s where you’ll also find the World’s Largest Chest of Drawers, a roadside attraction. What you might not know is that you can explore High Point’s furniture heritage even further at the High Point Museum. The exhibit includes interactive elements, video, photographs, memorabilia, machinery and, of course, furniture.
Share this:
100 Years Grand
By Linda Tancs
Arguably the nation’s most famous terminal, New York City’s Grand Central Station turns 100 this year. Completed in 1913, the Beaux-Arts landmark is one of the most shutterbug friendly sites in the city. You can celebrate the grand dame’s heyday with a model train exhibit at the New York Transit Museum Gallery Annex at Grand Central. Better hurry, though, the exhibit ends on 10 February. Did you know that Grand Central boasts 68 shops and 35 dining options? See all the nooks and crannies with an audio tour, available at “GCT Tour” windows on the Main Concourse. You’ll learn little known secrets and discover a few hidden gems like The Campbell Apartment, an upscale cocktail lounge. Formerly the private office and salon of 1920’s tycoon John W. Campbell, the comfy enclave’s “drinks from another era” feature concoctions with names like Prohibition Punch, Flapper’s Delight and Robber Baron.
Share this:
A Norse Afternoon of Fun
By Linda Tancs
Wisconsin winters are pretty harsh. Just days ago a winter storm covered much of the state and wreaked havoc on schools and transportation. That’s enough to give anyone the winter blahs. In Stoughton, they have a cure for the cold weather blues. Put on your dancing shoes! This Sunday marks the annual Norse Afternoon of Fun with the Stoughton Norwegian Dancers, now in their 60th year. Just 25 miles south of Madison, the Stoughton festival celebrates the best of Norwegian culture with colorful Norwegian costumes, folk dancing, and food. Norwegian immigrants settled in Wisconsin and surrounding areas in large numbers, attracted by the prospect of land ownership and farming opportunities. The City of Stoughton is known for its Syttende Mai (May 17) celebration of Norway’s independence. It’s also known as something a bit quirkier: the birthplace of the coffee break. Who knew?
Share this:
Penn’s Woods
By Linda Tancs
The name of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is derived from “sylvania” (Latin for “woods”) and Penn–as in William Penn, who in 1680 requested lands from England’s King Charles II to establish a Quaker colony. Pennsylvania’s founding father loved the wholesomeness of country life and enjoyed an estate along the Delaware River known as Pennsbury Manor. By the early 1800s, the house was in disrepair and ultimately torn down by its owners. On the grounds today is a reproduction of that country estate, a living museum and testament to the Colonial Revival movement. Some artifacts remain from the excavation of the site begun in the 1930s, such as the fireplace tiles, a pewter serving platter, a walnut-caned day bed and a wig and dressing table suite. Guided tours are available Tuesday through Saturday.
Share this:
A Journey Through the Underground Railroad
By Linda Tancs
The Underground Railroad was a series of secret stations that enslaved Africans used to escape to the North and to Canada during the mid-1800s. One of those stations was located at the Bethel A.M.E. Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. At that site they provide reenactments of the journey, a spiritual and creative endeavor called “Living the Experience.” The event runs on select Saturdays from February through December at noon and includes a Southern-style buffet lunch thereafter.
