Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for travel
Seattle’s Hidden Treasure
By Linda Tancs
There’s a side to Seattle, Washington, that you definitely haven’t seen. That’s because it’s hidden underground, a city entombed when the locale rebuilt on top of itself after the Great Fire of 1889. The result is a series of interconnecting tunnels revealing subterranean storefronts and sidewalks with plenty of stories to tell. You can experience it via a 75-minute underground tour beginning beneath Doc Maynard’s Public House and ending at Rogues Gallery. The easiest way to get there is by bus or light rail.
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The Little White House
By Linda Tancs
Florida’s only presidential museum, the Little White House in Key West was a sanctuary and working office for numerous U.S. presidents. It was foremost the winter White House for President Harry S. Truman and remains an occasional site for government functions. Tours are given daily. This is a great time to enjoy vintage Christmas decor from a bygone era. Merry Christmas!
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World’s Longest Sea Bridge
By Linda Tancs
Dubbed the world’s longest sea bridge, China’s Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge connects the Chinese mainland to Hong Kong and Macau. When it opened last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed it as a showpiece of innovation and integration, spanning 34 miles across the Pearl River estuary. Now you can shave some time off the journey from the mainland to enjoy the Christmas celebrations in Hong Kong and Macau.
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The Spanish Tuscany
By Linda Tancs
Matarranya (Matarraña) is a Spanish gem bordering Catalonia and Valencia. Dubbed the Spanish Tuscany for its natural and cultural highlights, each part of the region boasts its own delights, like vineyards, olive groves, cheese and black truffles. Named after the Matarraña River, its most rugged terrain is the Puertos de Beceite range, a scenic area with a significant forest mass. Historically, the earliest civilization is evidenced by prehistoric rock art of the Iberian Mediterranean Basin (known as Levantine art), a UNESCO World Heritage Site encompassing over 700 locations. If you’ve never heard of this locale, it wouldn’t be surprising given that it is relatively unknown outside the immediate area. It’s reachable from Barcelona or Valencia by bus or train, and Reus airport is an hour or so away.
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Intrigue at the Palace
By Linda Tancs
Who doesn’t love a good story? The walls of Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire, England, are filled with them. At the Great Hall, for example, Edward II was forced to abdicate in 1327 upon rising tensions with his French wife. Centuries later, Robert Dudley (Earl of Leicester) laid out the iconic tower and a formal privy garden in a final attempt to gain the hand of Elizabeth I, who stayed at the castle several times. Those gardens have been reconstructed, along with a staircase leading to Elizabeth’s chambers. One of the best castle ruins in the country, its view across the fields is one of the most famous landscapes painted by English Romantic painter J.M.W. Turner.
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Kale in Macedonia
By Linda Tancs
Kale in Macedonia: no, we’re not talking about today’s trendy vegetable. Turkish for “fortress” (and pronounced “kah-lay”), Kale is a historic fortress located in the old town of Skopje, the capital of the Republic of Macedonia. You can’t miss it, situated on the highest point in the city overlooking the Vardar River, the longest one in the country. Along the river’s eastern bank is the Old Bazaar, another landmark in the country, touted as the largest bazaar in the Balkans outside Istanbul. You can see these and other significant sites on a free walking and sightseeing tour (tips are appreciated).
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The Cajun Food Trail
By Linda Tancs
Cajun cuisine is a staple of Louisiana’s food culture. That’s especially true in the Cajun Bayou. Just 45 minutes south of New Orleans, it flows through wetlands and Cajun communities, the perfect place for a Cajun Bayou Food Trail. Along the route you can sample the Cajun delights of over a dozen restaurants. Stop by the visitor’s center in Raceland for a foodie passport and trail information. You can exchange your passport for a free, commemorative t-shirt once you’ve visited seven restaurants.
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The Southernmost Post Office
By Linda Tancs
Move over, icebergs. The star of the show in Antarctica is…a post office? Well, not just any post office—the most southerly in the world. Located at Port Lockroy, it’s a British outpost run by the United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust. Each letter sent from there (at least 70,000, at last count) will receive a highly-prized local stamp and postmark. The office, which also hosts a gift shop and museum, is manned for five months during high season, when, as luck would have it, a colony of gentoo penguins swarm the area to mate and raise their young.
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A Christmas Village in Philadelphia
By Linda Tancs
German Christmas markets are legendary, but if you can’t make the trip, then consider Philadelphia’s Christmas Village. You’ll certainly be feeling the gemütlichkeit with over 80 vendors selling authentic European food as well as arts and crafts and ornaments from around the world. The event is located at LOVE Park through Christmas Eve.
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Shopping in Barcelona
By Linda Tancs
As any traveler knows, a walking tour is a great way to learn about a locale, typically strolling through unique neighborhoods offering a glimpse into its architecture and past and present residents. In Barcelona, Spain, you can shop your way through one such tour with the Barcelona Genuine Shops guided walking tour. The three-hour expedition introduces visitors to the city’s culture through its shop windows. That means you’ll get behind-the-scenes access to some shops and a discount card together with the usual historical and architectural commentary. The meeting point is at Plaça Sant Jaume in front of the Tourist Office.
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