Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!The Highest Tides
By Linda Tancs
Atlantic Canada’s Bay of Fundy captures the world’s highest tides. Stretching between the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, this ocean bay bests the combined flow of the world’s freshwater rivers in every tide cycle with 160 billion tons of seawater. It takes six hours and 13 minutes for the tide to go from low to high (or vice versa). Needless to say, a tidal coastline like this offers plenty of hiking and kayaking opportunities. And don’t miss the rare northern right whale at the bay’s mouth. Previously in January the tides were exceptionally high, but great viewing is yours year-round. The best airport for arrivals is Halifax Robert L. Stanfield Airport.
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Shetland’s Ancient Capital
By Linda Tancs
On the southern peninsula of Mainland, Shetland, you’ll find its ancient capital, Scalloway. Derived from Old Norse meaning “bay of the huts,” the picturesque village with Viking roots can trace its habitation back to the Bronze Age. Its breathtaking view is punctuated at the Scord, an approach by road that encompasses the harbor, the castle, a bridge and some islets. The four-story castle dominates the village and is probably one of the only fortified structures that a visitor can see by obtaining a key from the local hotel.
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Visiting Nancy
By Linda Tancs
Who would think that a deposed Polish king would contribute much to 18th century European architecture in northeastern France? Well, that’s what you’ll find in Nancy, a historic French city. Thanks to an uprising in the 1700s, Nancy and its environs (formerly the Duchy of Upper Lorraine) were granted to Stanisław Leszczyński, former King of Poland. The new duke built Stanislas Square to honor his son-in-law Louis XV of France. Befitting its royal connection, the square boasts immense classical façades laden with wrought-iron railings embellished with gold. City Hall, the Grand Hotel and the opera house complete the panorama of what is considered to be one of the most beautiful royal squares in Europe. Nancy is 90 minutes by high-speed TGV train direct from Gare de l’Est in Paris.
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An American Story
By Linda Tancs
Memphis, Tennessee, the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll, has another jewel in its crown: the National Civil Rights Museum. Chronicling the history and development of the civil rights movement, it begins with a multi-sensory exhibition concerning the slave trade. And it includes other poignant displays surrounding every historical milestone in the battle for equal rights, featuring in many instances the speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (whose birth is celebrated in the United States on the third Monday of January each year as a national holiday). The museum is housed at The Lorraine Motel, site of Dr. King’s assassination on April 4, 1968. Today marks the museum’s annual King Holiday Celebration.
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The History of Photography
By Linda Tancs
Photojournalist Dorothea Lange once remarked that a camera is a tool for learning. That’s certainly the goal at the Museum of Photography in Charleroi, Belgium. Touted as the largest photography museum in Europe, the facility’s learning tools include a discovery trail, digital laboratory, darkroom and mobile studio. Housed in a former Carmelite monastery, the museum is home to 80,000 prints and three million negatives representing the entire history of photography from the 19th century to the present day. The collection is spread across the renovated monastery and a newer contemporary wing.
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South Pacific’s Only Kingdom
By Linda Tancs
Tonga‘s monarchy is over 1,000 years old and is the only remaining kingdom in the South Pacific. The harborside capital Nuku’alofa is where the Royal Family resides. In Longi you’ll find the tombs of past Tongan kings. Blessed with a year-round tropical climate, there’s no end to princely indulgences for everyone–from beaches and untouched rainforests to mountains and ancient lava tubes.
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Two Heroines
By Linda Tancs
Phuket, Thailand’s largest island, is no stranger to adverse forces. Although most might best remember the damage wrought by the 2004 tsunami, this southern province has battled against adverse influences for centuries. For instance, during the Battle of Thalang in 1785 the Burmese sought control of this island paradise and might have won it were it not for the marshaling of troops led by two sisters. Driving the Burmese to retreat, the two women became local heroines and were bestowed honorary titles by a grateful King Rama I. The Two Heroines Monument is located on Krasattri Road.
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Arizona’s First All-American Road
By Linda Tancs
Short on miles but long on views. That’s what you can expect from Arizona’s Red Rock Scenic Byway, winding its way through the iconic red rock region of Sedona as well as the Village of Oak Creek. The road’s designation as an All-American Road means that it is a destination unto itself. Just a mere 7.5 miles long, the scenes include the juniper and pine-rich environment of Coconino National Forest, rock formations like Castle Rock, Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte, three golf courses and ample terrain for hikers and mountain bikers.
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Raising a Glass in Kansas
By Linda Tancs
Prohibition was a 13-year ban on the sale of alcohol in the United States, beginning in 1920 and ending in 1933. Someone forgot to tell Kansas. Boasting some of the strictest alcohol laws in the nation, the state prohibited the sale of alcohol in open saloons until 1987. The change in law spelled good news for Free State Brewing Company, becoming in 1989 the first legal brewery in Kansas in over 100 years. The brewery is just one signature attraction on Massachusetts Street in downtown Lawrence, voted the cutest downtown street in the state. Commonly known as Mass Street, the 600 through 1200 block is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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Thirty Miles in Every Direction
By Linda Tancs
In St. Louis, Missouri, the Gateway Arch is more than just a great view (30 miles in every direction, in fact): it’s a gateway to the past. Symbolizing the nation’s westward expansion, the steel-clad monument is home to the Museum of Westward Expansion, a Lewis and Clark inspired tribute to the Old West and the explorers who helped forge a nation. Animatronic figures bring the past to life, along with interactive exhibits including a tipi and covered wagon.
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