Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for tourism
Culture Capital Marks 25th Year
By Linda Tancs
Happy New Year, readers! 2010 marks the 25th anniversary of Europe’s Capital of Culture program. Sharing the spotlight this year will be Germany’s Essen, Hungary’s Pécs and Turkey’s Istanbul. Emphasizing a spirit of cooperation among this year’s honorees, an opening ceremony in Pécs at Széchenyi Square will take place on 10 January. In Turkey, university theatre groups from Europe and Turkey will convene during the year to showcase Istanbul’s standing in the arts community. And in Essen the cultural kudos kick off with the grand opening of RUHR.2010 and Ruhr Museum on World Heritage Site Zeche Zollverein. Amidst the celebrations the European Commission will likewise commemorate its silver anniversary of cultural diversity recognition with a celebratory event and strategic conference on 23 and 24 March in Brussels to mark the event, to look back at the achievements of the past 25 years, and to reflect strategically on its legacy and impact.
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Dining Guide For New Year’s Revelers
By Linda Tancs
We’ll take a cup of kindness yet for auld lang syne, as the song goes. Would you like a four-course meal with that? How about seven? Barcelona’s Noti restaurant is offering a four-course, fixed-price fiesta for 120 euros per person. For less than 100 euros, you can add 3 more courses along with a midnight snack and fireworks at Hamburg’s Landhaus Dill. Look up more specials like these at The Europe Restaurant Guide. Happy eating, and happy new year!
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Going to the North Pole
By Linda Tancs
The North Pole is a lot closer than you think–as in North Pole, New York, in the High Peaks area of New York State’s Adirondack Park. Like its more northern cousins (e.g., Alaska and Lapland’s Santa Claus Village), the New York version celebrates its famous moniker with a Christmas themed family amusement park sporting rides, shows and shops for children and adults of all ages. For those dreaming of a white Christmas, this is the place to be. On any given year, the weather data suggests a 96% chance of any amount of snow for the holiday. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow–and Merry Christmas!
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All Aboard the Polar Express
By Linda Tancs
In that classic essay “Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus” an editorial writer for a now-defunct New York paper tells little Virginia O’ Hanlon that there is a Santa Claus. In some cases, it may take more than a newspaper writer to believe in the jolly old fellow. Indeed, it could take a magic train–like the Polar Express. Across the country, coal-fired, steam-operated vintage trains take a page from Chris Van Allsburg’s popular children’s book, “The Polar Express,” ferrying their young charges (and their parents) on a picture-perfect journey to the “North Pole.” There, Santa and his elves board the train, dishing out goodies and singing Christmas carols. Surely, that makes glad the heart of childhood–or any heart, for that matter.
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Slopes are Recession Proof
By Linda Tancs
According to the National Ski Areas Association, the 2008/2009 season is the fourth best on record despite an agonizing recession. That might not seem all that surprising to enthusiasts in ski-heavy areas like California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Wyoming–well, you get the idea. But look east to New Jersey and you’ll find a welcome uptick, quite an accomplishment for a state facing one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation. And with fresh snow from this weekend’s blizzard-like weather event, things are bound to look rosier. So before you head west for skiing’s traditional mecca, maybe you should try out one of New Jersey’s signature resorts–Hidden Valley, Campgaw Mountain or Mountain Creek. Hidden Valley Club resort is open to the public this season, but thereafter an uncrowded atmosphere will be assured on weekends with private membership. At Campgaw, the whole family can partake in skiing, snowboarding or tubing. Speaking of snowboarding, tomorrow is Go Snowboarding Day at Mountain Creek, which means you get a free lesson, lift ticket and rental. The West may have Big Sky, but New Jersey has the Best Deal.
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The Spectacle of the Everyday
By Linda Tancs
Pablo Picasso famously observed that art washes the dust of everyday life from the soul. Imagine what he’d think of the 10th edition of the Biennale de Lyon, carrying the theme “The Spectacle of the Everyday.” The exhibition, running through 3 January 2010, encourages visitors to contemplate art’s place in a world defined by consumption. Through sculptures, paintings, videos, photographs or installations by around 50 international artists, the complexity and diversity of simple human existence–the dust, as Picasso would see it–is celebrated. While you’re in the city, why not experience the rest of the culture and heritage of this region in east-central France? Get a city card for 1, 2 or 3 days, which includes free access to the Biennale.
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A Millenium of Wine
By Linda Tancs
So what does Hungary’s Tokaj wine region have in common with the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China? Why, each of them is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Such a designation may seem surprising for a quiet, unassuming wine region less than 3 hours from Budapest, but the story goes that they’ve been harvesting the fruits of the vine here since the Magyar conquest over 1000 years ago. The medieval cultivation process has been well-received over the years; Louis XIV, in particular, called the sweet white wine produced here the wine of kings. You might likewise feel like royalty at Gróf Degenfeld Castle Hotel, a former palace set amidst the rolling hills of a 250-acre vineyard. The Degenfeld family offers great food, wine tastings and tours from this four-star hotel in the heart of the Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region. Considering the lush pastoral surroundings of this historic area, you’ll no doubt find a peaceful respite fit for a king.
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A Cape May Christmas
By Linda Tancs
Cape May might not seem all that enticing for a visit in December, but the holiday seasonal offerings make this storied beach haven (the oldest in the U.S.) a must-see in winter. Learn more at Travelrific® Radio.
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Geoparks Celebrate Geological Diversity
By Linda Tancs
Shetland is, as its website says, an area where Scotland meets Scandinavia and the North Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. Given this description, you would imagine there’s a fair degree of diversity in the landscape. Indeed, the region boasts a geological bonanza of newly-birthed mountains, ancient rivers, tropical seas and deserts. No wonder that Shetland has recently been designated a European Geopark. Simply put, a European Geopark is an area with a unique geological heritage that fosters the development of geotourism. There are currently 34 geoparks among 13 European countries. Learn more here.
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Hog Wild in Carmel
By Linda Tancs
Did you know that the Hog’s Breath Inn restaurant in Carmel-by-the-Sea is owned by actor and former mayor Clint Eastwood? I’m sure you’d make his day if you stopped by for a visit, but that’s not the only attraction in this city in California’s Monterey Peninsula. The town is known for its story book-style cottages, characterized by turrets and stone chimneys, like those at Torres Street and Sixth Avenue. Another feature is its mile-long pure sandy beach. And then of course there’s the visual and performing arts centre along with the third oldest art gallery in the country, Weston Art Gallery–not surprising, considering Carmel’s origin as a bohemian art colony. This pet-friendly destination was rated a top ten locale by a leading travel magazine. If you go, consider a scenic walking tour. Then eat, shop and explore some more and find out for yourself why they call it California’s Jewel City.
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The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.
