Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for tourism
Germany’s Switzerland
By Linda Tancs
A new season of the reality show The Amazing Race began on Sunday. First stop: Switzerland. The verdant hills and valleys, quaint churches and exquisite chalets had me channeling Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music. Then I got to wondering–where would the Swiss need to go to get away from it all when “all” is so idyllic and charming? The answer might be Germany’s northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. In the heart of this province hugging the Baltic coast lies a slice of unspoiled countryside that was once dubbed Mecklenburg’s Switzerland by Georg I in the 1800s. The name apparently caught on, as has Swiss tourism to the area–particularly its Baltic coast–thanks to the City Night Line train to Rügen. All aboard!
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A Family-Friendly Day
By Linda Tancs
Public holidays generally bring families together–at least in theory. So it may seem strange to have a public holiday called Family Day. Yet in certain Canadian provinces, today marks that celebration. On the third Monday of February, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario observe Family Day. Of course, the day would lack meaning if you didn’t spend it like a family. So find some family-fun things to do. How about spending time at the Toronto Zoo or the ice rinks? According to the Calgary Herald, Alberta is celebrating its twentieth anniversary of the statutory holiday. Surely, that’s cause for celebration. Only two years’ strong in Saskatchawan, the province nonetheless has the most public holidays in the country. Hopefully that translates into lots of family time.
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The Best Job Ever
By Linda Tancs
Wanted: island caretaker.
Duties: swim, snorkel and sail; feed fish; collect mail. 12 hours per month.
Salary: AUD $150,000 for six months
Qualifications: none
Sound good? Apparently, 9000 applicants (and counting) thought so. Between now and 22 February, those interested can apply for the position of caretaker on Hamilton Island in Australia, sponsored by Tourism Queensland. Tourism officials will pare down the list in May, and the winner will start on 1 July.
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Celebrating Abe’s Birthday
By Linda Tancs
It was almost 200 years ago today. Kentucky had a new lad, hooray. That would be Abe Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, born two centuries ago tomorrow in Kentucky. Remembered as the Great Emancipator, he issued the famous proclamation abolishing slavery in the U.S. A milestone birthday such as this will not go unnoticed. Among the various celebrations around the country, let’s focus our attention on the festivities in our nation’s capital. Beginning at 8 a.m., there will be a birthday tribute and wreath-laying cremony at the Lincoln Memorial with crooner Michael Feinstein singing the National Anthem, accompanied by the U.S. Marine Corps Band. On the National Mall the party will continue with a concert and entertainment with 19th century popular and patriotic music performed by military bands. Throughout the week, the original Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Lincoln will be on display in the East Rotunda Gallery of the National Archives. Come be a part of history.
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UK Eyes Travelers
By Linda Tancs
Corresponding to yesterday’s report about the ESTA registration process for travelers to the US, the Sunday Times reported that the UK will keep its own database concerning the travel habits of its citizens. Amidst a host of privacy concerns, the Home Office deems the action necessary in its continuing fight against terrorism, illegal immigration and other crimes. In an unrelated move, the country’s environment czar has proposed limits on Brit travel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Pity the wanderer among you!
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Fire and Ice
By Linda Tancs
On Saturday, Minnesotans in Plymouth will celebrate their Fire & Ice Festival. That means Parkers Lake Park will be converted into an outdoor gymnasium with bowlers and basketball players trading hardwood floors for nature’s white carpet. Don’t forget the ice fishing, ice skating, dogsled demos and fireworks. If the frozen tundra proves too much, you could head for the Mall of America, the country’s biggest shopping center, just miles away.
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The Not So Bitter End
By Linda Tancs
Snow. Rain. Sleet. Freezing Rain. Snow again. Ice. Does this sound familiar to you? If so, then you must be thinking, as the old commercial goes, Calgon take me away. Tell your friends you’ll tough it out to the bitter end. The Bitter End Yacht Club, that is. Situated on a mile-long stretch of shore along the protected waters of the North Sound, this Virgin Gorda getaway promises to delight romantics and kids alike. The romance part is undeniable–secluded villas, sunset walks, his and her hammocks. The kid part, on the other hand, may make you skeptical. It might help to know that this Caribbean gem was reviewed, favorably, by the Family Travel Network. Apparently, teens and tweens can vacation without TVs. Maybe you should test that theory yourself. Tell them Blackbeard sent you.
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Chinese New Year Continues
By Linda Tancs
Here’s one New Year’s celebration that doesn’t end the morning after. Chinese New Year is a fifteen-day event (having begun this year on 26 January), culminating with the Lantern Festival, when brilliantly decorated paper lanterns are strung and parades mark the end of the New Year festivities. This year marks the Year of the Ox. Legend has it that Buddha invited all the animals to meet him on New Year’s Day. Of the twelve that arrived, Buddha named a year after each one. The other animals are rat, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and boar. The ox is denoted as hardworking and dependable, marking a characteristic of those born every twelve years under its influence. As an English proverb says, “The old ox plows a straight furrow.” May your path be long and prosperous.
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Germans Ace Driving Survey
By Linda Tancs
Volkswagen called it Fahrvergnügen (driving pleasure). That is, the experience of handling one of its vehicles on the open road. No doubt that sentiment extends to any driver on the miles of connected highway in Germany known as the Autobahn, particularly if light traffic means you can ignore the “recommended” speed limit of 80 mph, as many often do. It should come as no surprise, then, that the German specialty of white-knuckle driving ranks them #1 amongst Europeans as the best drivers in a poll conducted by Ipsos. Best doesn’t mean safest, of course. Another survey bestows that appellation on the British, who perhaps observe the adage, “Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly.” That’s one rule we should all do well to remember.
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Happy 169th Birthday
By Linda Tancs
Those of us in the northern hemisphere can still celebrate the 169th birthday of Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. And how did the locals mark the day? With a regatta, of course. The Auckland Anniversary Regatta takes place each year on the last Monday of January. Holding dual distinction as New Zealand’s oldest sporting event and the biggest day in the city’s sailing calendar, the festive occasion showcases a wide range of vessels from tall ships to dinghies competing for honors in their respective categories. Spectators find best views at Viaduct Harbour, Bastion Point, North Head, East Coast Bays, Tamaki Drive and Orakei Wharf. Take note for next year.
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Travelrific® Travel Journal 