Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Father of Oklahoma City
By Linda Tancs
Henry Overholser was an Oklahoma businessman and such an important contributor to the development of Oklahoma City that he’s often referred to as the “Father of Oklahoma City.” Among the treasures he left for locals to cherish is the Overholser Mansion, regarded as the first mansion built in the city. Constructed in 1903, the house was once eloquently referred to in the local paper as a “sermon on beauty.” It was built in the Queen Anne and Chateauesque architectural styles, a stark departure from the Mission, Craftsman and Prairie styles of the period. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the home is now owned by the Oklahoma Historical Society. Located on the northwest corner of Hudson & NW 15th Street, it’s open for guided tours.
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An Ancient Pueblo in New Mexico
By Linda Tancs
The history of New Mexico’s southwest Indians is centuries old. Acoma Pueblo, in particular, is regarded as the oldest continuously inhabited community in North America, dating to 1150 A.D. Their mesa-top settlement is built atop a sheer-walled, 367-foot sandstone bluff in a valley studded with sacred monoliths. It’s the only Native American site to be designated a Historic Site by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. You can learn more about the tribe at The Sky City Cultural Center and Haak’u Museum. Open year-round, the cultural center offers exhibits, guided tours, sought-after Acoma pottery and Native American crafts for sale by local artisans.
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Best Ice Cream in Britain
By Linda Tancs
Birthplace of poet Dylan Thomas and the second largest city in Wales, Swansea is a vibrant coastal city offering sweeping views of Swansea Bay. On the bay’s west side is the seaside village of Mumbles, the source of seafood that ultimately finds its way to chic dining establishments in London and beyond. It’s also the source of premier ice cream parlors, hailed by some as the best ice cream in Britain. Why not enjoy some atop Oystermouth Castle and its spectacular view over the bay!
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A Shark Tank in Cairns
By Linda Tancs
Opened in September, Australia’s Cairns Aquarium is the only aquarium in the world dedicated exclusively to the habitats and species of tropical North Queensland, connecting visitors with the natural wonders of Great Barrier Reef, Wet Tropics, Gulf Savannah and Cape York regions. It sports an acrylic tube for viewing sharks and rays that leads to the Oceanarium, an enormous walk-through tank teeming with sea life. Well, why walk when you can sleep? Starting next month, the aquarium will offer a group shark sleepover experience in the Oceanarium for a minimum of 15 guests. Dinner, breakfast and sleeping equipment will be provided. The facility is located in the heart of the city, an easy walk from The Esplanade, Lagoon Pool and cruise terminal.
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Opulence in Brescia
By Linda Tancs
Brescia is regarded as one of Italy’s most ancient and beautiful cities. The largest province in Lombardy, it boasts three poet-inspiring lakes and three valleys amidst its Bronze Age archeological finds, cathedrals and squares. One of the most opulent attractions is no doubt Il Vittoriale degli Italiani, a hillside estate in the town of Gardone Riviera overlooking Lake Garda that was occupied by controversial writer and poet Gabriele D’Annunzio. The enviable locale is met with tiered gardens hosting a 1,000-seat Parlaggio amphitheater, the remains of the Puglia battleship cruiser and D’Annunzio’s tomb. Inside the home is a collection of 30,000 books and a dizzying array of paintings, furniture, frescoes and strange objets d’art. Take a guided tour to get the most out of your visit.
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Birmingham’s Frankfurt
By Linda Tancs
You know Christmas is right around the corner when you witness the pilgrimage to Birmingham, England, this time of year. The city’s most sought-after event in the calendar is their annual Frankfurt Christmas Market, described as the largest authentic Christmas market outside Germany or Austria. Enjoy shopping among the 120 stalls, which will no doubt work up your appetite for bratwurst, schnitzel, pretzels and beer. Musical entertainment takes place on Victoria Square. The market runs today through December 24.
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Exploring the Bible in Washington
By Linda Tancs
It’s no secret that America’s Founding Fathers were greatly influenced by the Bible, using it to shape their personal and political views. So it’s perhaps appropriate that the nation’s first museum dedicated to the Bible should be located in Washington, D.C. Opening this Friday, the Museum of the Bible is housed in a 430,000-square-foot building just two blocks from the National Mall and three blocks from the nation’s Capitol. It boasts 40-foot-tall bronze doors at the entrance and a rooftop garden, along with eight floors using modern technology to explain ancient parables. Among its collections are first editions of the King James Bible, fragments of the Dead Sea Scroll, the first Bible to travel to the moon and the largest collection of Torah scrolls.
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Ecotourism in the Exumas
By Linda Tancs
The Exumas are an archipelago of 365 cays and islands, beginning just 35 miles southeast of Nassau, Bahamas. Its sapphire blue waters are home to two national parks. The 176-square-mile Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, created in 1958, was the first land and sea park in the world. An ecological preserve and wildlife refuge, it’s home to rare coral life, limestone reefs, scores of tropical fish, the endangered Bahamian iguana and the elusive hutia (a Caribbean rodent). More ecological wonders await at Moriah Harbour Cay National Park, covering 13,440 acres. In addition to phenomenal sandbars, the park includes sights like Thunderball Grotto, the Blow Hole at Boise Cay with a 10-foot geyser and Dripping Cave at Guana Cay.
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Living History in Rouen
By Linda Tancs
Joan of Arc is a national heroine of France, a peasant girl born in the 1400s who led the French army to a momentous victory over the English during the Hundred Years’ War. Later captured by opposition forces, she was tried for witchcraft and heresy and burned at the stake in 1431 in Rouen, France, at the age of 19. You can immerse yourself in medieval history and her life and times at the Joan of Arc History Museum. Housed in a 15th century archbishop’s palace, visitors can live this historic period by viewing a series of films projected onto the walls of the magnificent palace in holographic style. The state-of-the-art audiovisual experience is an immersive adventure for all ages.
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The Narnia Trail
By Linda Tancs
Acclaimed writer C.S. Lewis is the author of the fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. Although he spent much of his life in England, he never forgot his early life in Northern Ireland, the source of his inspiration for the classic tales thanks to the striking landscapes in the Mourne Mountains (particularly that part of the village of Rostrevor overlooking Carlingford Lough). At Kilbroney Park in Rostrevor you can join the Narnia Trail, entered through—what else—a wardrobe. The Narnia legends are interpreted along a short family loop trail, leading visitors to several stations with themes including The Tree People and The Beavers’ House.
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