Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Island Lore in Zakynthos
By Linda Tancs
Navagio Beach is an exposed cove on the coast of Zakynthos in the Ionian Islands of Greece. It’s popularly known as Shipwreck Beach because of the rusty wreck adorning its shoreline. The stories surrounding that wreck also give the place the moniker, “Smuggler’s Cove.” That’s because it’s been reported that the ship ran aground following a chase by authorities who determined it was transporting contraband cigarettes; other reports refute this tale. Whatever the case, the shipwreck lends to its charm, as do the towering limestone cliffs and turquoise waters only accessible via boat. Zakynthos Town port offers cruises of varying lengths, many of which only run now in the high season (through October). Try to get there early to avoid the hordes of tourists.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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London’s Only Lighthouse
By Linda Tancs
Built in the 1860s, London’s only remaining lighthouse in the Docklands is of interest not only for its historical use as a testing facility for lighthouse technology but also for its current use as the musical home of a composition destined to last for 1,000 years. Known as Longplayer, the score is a continuous 1,000-year-long piece of music performed with Tibetan singing bowls conceived for the turn of the millenium in 1999. The music will run uninterrupted (and without repetition, thanks to technology) until midnight on December 31, 2999, when the music will start anew. There’s a listening room in the lighthouse itself as well as an installation of 234 Tibetan singing bowls that were part of a live performance of part of the score, which lasted for 1,000 minutes. The lighthouse is located at Trinity Buoy Wharf, just minutes from Canning Town Underground station.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Greece’s Rack Railway
By Linda Tancs
Odontotos rack railway connects the Greek seaside town of Diakopto with the mountain village of Kalavryta in the Peloponnese. The steepness of the ride requires rack rails—toothed racks that the rails lock into using a cog or pinion. The train chugs through tunnels and a gorge, offering spectacular views of mountains and waterfalls. Book a round-trip ticket and enjoy the downhill views.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Golden Rules in Canada
By Linda Tancs
There’s good reason why the town of Golden, British Columbia, rules in western Canada. Sitting squarely in the Canadian Rockies, it’s surrounded by six of Canada’s most stunning national parks: Yoho, Glacier, Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Mount Revelstoke. It’s also a pioneering town, once home to surveyors and explorers seeking lucrative trading routes in the Pacific Northwest. Those adventures led to the creation of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), using Golden as a base camp as the CPR created a cross-country network of rails. Later, the establishment of the Trans-Canada Highway transformed the area from a forest outpost to a vibrant community that now boasts one of the best backcountry skiing regions in Canada. Regardless when you visit, you’ll be wooed by the spectacular scenery, hiking trails, waterfalls, lakes and heritage sites of the national parks in your midst.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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A Pearl in Macedonia
By Linda Tancs
Since ancient Egyptian times, pearls have been one of the most highly coveted gemstones. That’s no less so in Macedonia, where the Lake Ohrid region yields one of the world’s most prized treasures, the Ohrid pearl. Produced from the scales of a fish found in the lake (among other ingredients), it’s a piece of the area’s cultural heritage. In fact, the Lake Ohrid region is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed for both its natural and cultural heritage. Situated on the shores of the lake, the town of Ohrid is one of the oldest human settlements in Europe. And the lake itself (of tectonic origin) has existed continuously for approximately 2 to 3 million years. Ohrid has an airport, but it’s also accessible by car, bus or train service from neighboring Serbia or Greece.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Sleeping With the Fishes in Australia
By Linda Tancs
Reefsuites, Australia’s first underwater hotel, gives new meaning to the phrase “sleeping with the fishes.” Moored offshore at Hardy Reef, each room features floor-to-ceiling views of the spectacular underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef, including 1,500 species of fish along with turtles and rays. What better way to be surrounded by marine life without a wetsuit? There’s also access to the underwater observatory and optional activities like helicopter touring and scuba diving. Located 40 nautical miles from Airlie Beach, the journey begins with a cruise through the Whitsunday Islands to Hardy Reef.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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On-Demand Wine in Florence
By Linda Tancs
The concept of “on-demand” has a long history. Really long. And it has nothing to do with media libraries. We’re talking about on-demand wine, a concept dating to the 16th century in Florence, where wealthy winemakers would earn some easy cash selling wine through a hole in the wall, literally. These wine windows (buchette del vino) were embedded in the doors or walls of Florentine palaces, only after a time to be lost to history and boarded over. But, as the saying goes, everything old is new again. The wine window is making a comeback, with Babae being the first restaurant to embrace the old tradition. You’ll find them in the city’s Santo Spirito neighborhood.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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The Baths of Roman Africa
By Linda Tancs
The ancient Phoenician city of Carthage, a seaside suburb of Tunisia’s capital, Tunis, is known for its ancient archaeological sites. One of the most complex and imposing is the Park of the Antonine Baths, considered to be one of the largest of Roman Africa. Construction of the baths began under the reign of Hadrian and was completed under the reign of emperor Antoninus. Once three levels high and topped with cupolas, the vast complex is one of the largest built in the Roman Empire. One of its indoor pools was even as large as an Olympic pool. Ruins of the ground floor service area are all that remain today, amply signposted to guide your visit.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Denmark’s Most Beautiful Festival
By Linda Tancs
What better venue could there be for a giant music festival than among beech trees, some more than 200 years old. That’s the locale for Denmark’s second largest festival, Smukfest. The forest is Dyrehaven in Skanderborg, where more than 55,000 beautiful people (as they’re called) gather during the second week in August for an event that has come to be known as “Denmark’s most beautiful festival.” Like an ongoing Woodstock, it’s all about life, love and togetherness to the sound of music, featuring local and international artists in various genres.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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A House Fit for a Duke
By Linda Tancs
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Duke Mansion is a North Carolina estate in Charlotte named for its most famous occupant, American industrialist James Buchanan Duke. He lived at the Colonial Revival-style dwelling during the last few years of his life. Following his death, the house saw additional owners and expanding uses, from a condominium complex to its current uses as a historic inn, meeting venue and leadership institute. The garden of the mansion is open to the public during daylight hours when the venue is not rented for a private function. However, if the gate on Ardsley Road is open, then feel free to enter for a stroll.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 