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 Different Kind of River Walk
By Linda Tancs
Morecambe Bay, just south of England’s Lake District National Park, gives new meaning to the phrase “to walk on water.” Every year from May to September, intrepid travelers brave the shifting sands in a six-mile walk from Arnside Promenade to Kents Bank Station–dependent on the tides, of course. If it sounds dangerous, make no mistake–it is. That’s why this centuries-old jaunt is led by an official guide with an ancient moniker, Guide to the Kent Sands. Best to wear your shorty shorts and plimsoles or sandals. Leave the fancy gear at home.
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Hail, Victoria
By Linda Tancs
Canada celebrates Victoria Day today, initiated in the 1800s to mark the birthday of Britain’s Queen Victoria. What better place to partake in the day’s festivities than in her namesake city, Victoria, B.C. Over 120,000 people are expected at the parade downtown. It’s a bit chilly (12 degrees Celsius) but it better be sunny. Victoria Tourism offers a sunshine guarantee during the months of April and May; you get $500 if it rains more than 1.25cm in one day during your visit.
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The Other Twin City
By Linda Tancs
Between the “twin” cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minneapolis may get top billing, but St. Paul bills itself as the most livable city in America. Why? Maybe it’s their dedication to the arts through the sidewalk poetry program. For the second year, the city will hold a poetry contest throughout the month of May; winners get their musings inscribed on city sidewalks as part of the sidewalk replacement program. Or maybe it’s because they honor those in military and civilian life who keep us safe and healthy by offering them loans for first-time home purchases. The collective public conscience in this twin city would certainly make its founding father, Lucien Galtier, quite proud. The city derives its name from a Catholic chapel built by Galtier, a missionary sent there to minister to the French-Canadian population. Good thing the chapel name caught on; the area was originally known as Pig’s Eye. And that’s no hogwash.
Answers to yesterday’s trivia: Hudson River and East River (New York).
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Going Green in Madagascar
By Linda Tancs
Recent reports indicate that Madagascar, the Indian Ocean island off the coast of southeastern Africa, just got a little greener. As in frogs–200 new species of them. Not all of them green, of course, but if you put them all together it might look like a small treetop. The way things are going, it may well be the only way to get the feel of a canopy in this idyllic island nation. Word has it that the protected forests are being plundered. In fact, rainforest destruction there is among the highest on the planet. And that gives our amphibious friends really something to croak about.
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Live Like a Novelist
By Linda Tancs
Fans of mystery writer Agatha Christie will be pleased to learn that her beloved Devonshire home, Greenway, has been reopened to the public after refurbishments restoring it to its original condition. Deeded to Mrs. Mallowan (her married name) in 1938, she resided there with her husband for over 20 years, transferring the property in 1959 to her daughter. Now owned by the U.K.’s National Trust, a cottage on the grounds can be rented. Timed tickets are available for tours of the main house. Who knows, maybe you’ll find your muse there. As Christie once said, “Everything that has existed, lingers in the Eternity.”
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Celebrating Mexican Heritage
By Linda Tancs
Think Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for the fifth of May) and up pop images of salsa, chips and margaritas. Like so many dates lost in a bit of kitschy commercialism, the sacrifice or courage that underlies the commemoration is long forgotten. So today a little history: after Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1810, it suffered through many wars, leaving the country in economic ruin, unable to pay its debts to other countries. When Mexico failed to pay its debt to France, France invaded. On May 5, 1862 a small regiment of Mexican soldiers bravely faced off against the French at the Battle of Puebla and prevailed–at least for a while. The bravery of that outnumbered and beleaguered militia is celebrated each year on 5 May. The biggest celebration in the world takes place in Los Angeles (though not on 5 May) at the Festival de Fiesta Broadway. Plan ahead for next year.
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Konstanz Blooms
By Linda Tancs
Each spring over a half million bulbs start blooming in Mainau, an island in Lake Constance, Germany. For gardeners, this event is no doubt topped with the orchid show in the Palm House. The springtime bonanza, planned and cultivated by the late Swedish prince Lennart Bernadotte and run by his children, attracts over 1 million visitors a year. Those without a green thumb need not spare themselves a visit. The 111-acre site, open year round, also boasts an arboretum, a children’s playground, a butterfly house and what else–a castle. Get there via the scenic route by boat from Meersberg and Unteruhldingen.
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Stardust in Your Eyes
By Linda Tancs
When the Stardust Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas was imploded in 2007, many saw the end of an era in this desert of dreams. After all, it was to be replaced by the monolithic Echelon Place, a Miami-chic inspired collection of hotels and shops, now halted due to shaky capital markets. But don’t wipe the dust from your eyes just yet. MGM and its partner Dubai World are forging ahead on their own $8 billion megalopolis, CityCenter. With three luxury residences, it’s billed as the address to live it up–or maybe better put, to live up to. Despite the economic woes, the project is set for completion in late 2009. Let’s hope so. With over 12,000 jobs up for grabs, it’s a veritable economic stimulus package.
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The Wisconsin Apostles
By Linda Tancs
At the northern tip of Wisconsin’s Bayfield peninsula sits a string of 21 islands–the Apostles–waiting for exploration. Actually, the Ojibwe tribe beat you to their exploration, by about 600 years. In fact, members of the Ojibwe Nation still call this part of the world, and the rest of the Great Lakes, home. One of the most spectacular features of this area is the mainland sea caves, a heaving jut of sandstone best seen by boat. Sandstone, by the way, was a big export of the islands, ferried around to the largest midwestern cities in the 19th century to build some of their best known landmarks. Native Americans used this earthly treasure to create culturally significant imagery. You can learn more about their artifacts from the Wisconsin Historical Society.
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An Alluring Vessel
By Linda Tancs
Royal Caribbean has announced that it’s now accepting reservations for its newest ship, Allure of the Seas. Set to launch in 2010 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, ports of call include the Bahamas, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Haiti, Jamaica and Mexico. All aboard!
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