Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for travel
Lost and Found in Charlottesville
By Linda Tancs
Almost lost to history, extensive archaeological work has revealed the original footprint of Highland, home to U.S. President James Monroe. It burned down in the 1800s, but the guest house remains, filled with family furniture and portraits. A devoted public servant for 50 years, Monroe was the most popular U.S. president of his era, a four-term Virginia governor, Secretary of State and Secretary of War (under James Madison) and an international diplomat, among other things. The grounds include the Highland Rustic Trails, interpretive trails that wind through the pasture and wooded hillside of the estate. In addition to traditional guided tours, the estate offers augmented reality tours featuring a wearable glass device imposing characters of the era (including Monroe) for a more authentic experience. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, Highland is part of William and Mary, Monroe’s alma mater.
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Birthplace of Paella
By Linda Tancs
Just a short drive from Valencia, Spain, is Albufera Natural Park, home to some of the country’s most scenic wetlands and lagoons. The area is also touted as the birthplace of paella. You can enjoy both facets of the area with a traditional boat tour through the lagoon and then partake in some paella prepared with ingredients from the vegetable gardens that surround the wetlands.
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Sweden’s Wild Heart
By Linda Tancs
One of Europe’s oldest national parks, Sarek National Park in the Swedish Lapland is considered the continent’s last true wilderness. That’s probably true. Aside from the fact that there’s no road leading into it, it has an amazing variety of wildlife, including Europe’s largest moose, tons of reindeer, bears, wolverine, lynx and golden eagles. It’s remote, the ancestral land of the Sámi people. It contains six of Sweden’s highest mountains, almost 100 glaciers and dense vegetation in the Rapa Valley, the park’s largest valley. Enjoyable any time of year, it’s nearing on winter season, the longest. That means snow-illuminated tundra and Northern Lights. Hike in, ski in or take a helicopter drop.
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Scotland’s Oldest Museum
By Linda Tancs
Elgin Museum is Scotland’s oldest independent museum. Although there’s a special emphasis on the history of its locale along the Moray Firth, it features everything from fish fossils dating back over 450 million years to a 21st century, energy-saving light bulb. If you need another reason to visit Elgin, then consider that it’s nestled in a world-famous whisky region. A number of local distilleries, including Glen Moray, Gordon & MacPhail and Glen Elgin, have open days for the public and whisky trails.
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Sleep for Bibliophiles
By Linda Tancs
A haven for bibliophiles lies just miles from the English/Welsh border in Hawarden, Wales. In that small, ancient village you’ll find a “residential” library fit for a king. That’s right, a place where you can sleep, eat and drink—and read, of course. Founded by Victorian Prime Minister William Gladstone, Gladstone’s Library is a Grade-I listed building with 26 rooms surrounded by a print collection of 250,000 items accessible well after the general public has left the building. The U.K.’s only residential library, it gives new meaning to the term “bedtime stories.”
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The Fountains of Heraklion
By Linda Tancs
The capital of Crete, Heraklion demonstrates the diversity resulting from Venetian and Ottoman rule. In particular, its Venetian and Turkish fountains are a focal point in this popular cruise port. Morosini Fountain (“the Lions”) is the most popular Venetian-style fountain, located in Lions Square, the nerve center of the city. When the Ottomans conquered Crete, they built several charitable fountains (sebil) for their subjects. Perhaps the best known is the sebil at Kornarou Square, a polygonal building with arched windows once containing a tap and a stone trough. It now houses a coffee shop.
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The Old and New in Southeast Asia
By Linda Tancs
One of the newest countries of the 21st century, the island nation of Timor-Leste (East Timor) owes its diversity to influences of old. Namely, a combination of traditional Timorese, Portuguese, Chinese and Indonesian influences permeates its architecture, cuisine, fashion and art. Perhaps the best-kept secret of Southeast Asia, the current dry season is an opportune time for diving (especially at Jaco Island), trekking, whale watching and fishing. Located at the southern extreme of the Malay Archipelago, access by air is easy with international flights from Bali, Australia and Singapore.
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Urban Arctic
By Linda Tancs
You might not think of the Arctic as urban, yet Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, is an arctic metropolis. Brimming with a diverse dining and shopping scene (and the country’s largest microbrewery), it’s the heart of modern Greenland. A walkable city, Imaneq Street is a go-to destination for traditionally made goods, like knitted musk ox items. If you’d rather eat it than wear it, musk ox steak is a featured delicacy. And you won’t want to miss out on Greenlandic coffee, which gives Irish coffee a run for its money.
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Where the Blues Began
By Linda Tancs
Clarksdale, Mississippi, hails as the birthplace of the blues. That’s where you’ll find the Delta Blues Museum, the state’s oldest music museum. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the facility, which includes photographic exhibitions, musical instruments, recordings, sheet music, posters, costumes, folk art, paintings and other memorabilia. Among its many highlights are displays devoted to Muddy Waters and Big Mama Thornton as well as guitars played by B.B. King, John Lee Hooker and Big Joe Williams.
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Undercover in London
By Linda Tancs
Ever wonder what it was like being a Cold War spy in London? You can catch a glimpse into the world of espionage with a spy and espionage tour conducted by an expert in the subject. A three-hour bus tour visits real-life sites used by British Intelligence as well as sites where secrets were exchanged, even by double agents. The tour ends at St. Ermin’s Hotel, former headquarters of MI6, where a very James Bond-like vodka martini awaits you.
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