Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for travel
The Rain Shadow
By Linda Tancs
The Olympic Rain Shadow is a small region northwest of the city of Seattle, Washington, which experiences significantly dryer and brighter weather than surrounding locations. That region includes the San Juan Islands, the gateway to which is the charming town of Friday Harbor. If you’re eager to avoid winter’s chill, then you won’t be disappointed in the off-season, especially at Christmastime. The shops and galleries are open late for holiday shopping. Other festive activities are Santa’s boat parade, the festival of lights and an old-fashioned Christmas celebration at the San Juan Historical Museum. Best of all, everything is within walking distance from the ferry landing, so you won’t need a car. The direct ferry ride from Anacortes to Friday Harbor is just over an hour long.
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Experiencing Bob Dylan
By Linda Tancs
Hailed as one of America’s most influential artists, the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is dedicated to the study and appreciation of renowned singer/songwriter Boy Dylan and his cultural significance. The archival collection boasts over 100,000 items spanning his career, including handwritten lyrics and documents, video, film, memorabilia, personal effects, artwork, photos and unreleased recordings. Many of these items anchor the public exhibits; other parts of the collection are viewable by professional researchers by appointment. Located in Tulsa’s Arts District, the facility’s aim is to educate as well as inspire creativity by experiencing Dylan’s works in an immersive, multimedia environment.
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The Grove of Titans
By Linda Tancs
Deep in the heart of Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park in northern California you’ll find the Grove of Titans, a collection of old-growth coast redwood trees named for their remarkable size. The trees may be ancient but their storied locale isn’t, having first been shared with the world in 1998. Notables there include the coast redwood with the widest branch (El Viejo del Norte) and three of the 10 largest coast redwoods at over 30,000 cubic feet. You’ll find the grove along Mill Creek Trail.
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The Mountain Goat Trail
By Linda Tancs
Historically, the Mountain Goat Trail (one of the steepest railroad ascents in the world) carried coal and passengers between towns in Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau. Now it serves as a path for walkers, hikers and cyclists, currently running between Monteagle and Sewanee (with more connections to come). It’s a highlight of a visit to Sewanee, home of the University of the South and some of the best dining in Middle Tennessee. The campus is renowned for its architecture, particularly the vaulted ceiling and stained glass windows at All Saints Chapel. You’ll also find a World War I memorial on the edge of a bluff on campus, a 60-foot-tall cross erected in 1922 to honor the residents who served their country during the war. Fifty miles from Chattanooga, it’s a great day trip.
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Swiss Bliss in Pennsylvania
By Linda Tancs
Nestled in the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania’s Jim Thorpe is affectionately called “the Switzerland of America” thanks to the picturesque views of its mountainous location and its Victorian architecture. Originally founded as Mauch Chunk in 1818, the borough was renamed Jim Thorpe in 1953 in honor of Olympic medal winner, James Francis Thorpe. The town is popular for its outdoor activities, including nature hiking, biking, whitewater rafting and skiing. And, since it’s nestled in the breathtaking Lehigh Gorge, take a ride on the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway in a vintage coach, which runs from downtown and parallels the Lehigh River north into Lehigh Gorge State Park.
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The World’s Oldest Tortoise
By Linda Tancs
St. Helena and Ascension, together with the Tristan da Cunha islands group, are among the world’s most isolated islands and comprise a British overseas territory in the South Atlantic. It’s the perfect spot for, say, a giant tortoise to live a peaceful life. That’s what Jonathan, a giant tortoise, is doing on St. Helena. He’s at least 190 years old, earning him the title of “oldest tortoise ever” in Guinness World Records. Given his advanced age, he also holds the record as “world’s oldest animal on land.” He’s lived through two world wars, the rise and fall of the British Empire, changes in the monarchy as well as the passing of dozens of governors of his island home.
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A Little Zing and Spark
By Linda Tancs
Touted as the largest light show in the country, Amaze Light Festival is an interactive adventure through five holiday-themed worlds guided by storybook characters Zing and Sparky. Guests visit sites like the North Pole, a Land of Sweets and a Whimsical Forest, immersed in a million twinkling lights. The event is returning to Chicago (Odyssey Fun World in Tinley Park) and has expanded to New York City’s Citi Field baseball park. Give yourself at least two hours to enjoy the festivities.
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The Jewel of Ormond Beach
By Linda Tancs
Designated a Florida Heritage Site and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Casements was the summer home of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller Sr. Located in Ormond Beach and lauded as its jewel, the property is named for the large, hand-cut casement windows that adorn the mansion. Christmas was a particularly festive time of year for Rockefeller, when he entertained friends like Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone. Holiday festivities continue today with The Casements Guild, whose volunteers guide visitors through the manor as docents.
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Capital of Christmas
By Linda Tancs
The magic of Christmas is in full swing in Strasbourg, France. It’s recognized as having one of the best Christmas market destinations in Europe, spread across more than 10 sites within the Grande Île district. Known affectionately as the Capital of Christmas, its market (Christkindelsmärik) was established in 1570 and is one of the oldest in Europe. The whole city is festooned in Christmas cheer, featuring the Great Christmas Tree over Place Kléber, where a sound and light show takes place on the hour in the evening. Lights are everywhere, like the promenade of stars lining the walk from Pont du Corbeau up to Pont Saint-Guillaume. Getting there is easy; there are over 20 daily trains between Paris and Strasbourg alone.
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France’s Sea of Ice
By Linda Tancs
One of the biggest attractions in France’s Chamonix Valley, Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) is the country’s largest glacier, measuring over 4 miles long. The best way to get to it is to take the little red train from Chamonix (site of the first Winter Olympic games) to Montenvers. One of only a handful of rack-and-pinion railways in France, the train climbs a steep track to around 7,000 feet, reaching a stunning vantage point above the glacier. From there you take a cable car to a point near the glacier, which leads to over 400 steps and some ramps into a man-made ice grotto. That may sound like a lot of work to see an ice cave, but you’ll be rewarded with ice sculptures lit in a colorful, otherworldly fashion. You can also view an exhibition of beautiful mountain crystals found in the region.
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