Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Gastronomical Artistry in New Jersey
By Linda Tancs
From the Eiffel Tower to towering Chinese pagodas, the world is your oyster (or shall we say, in this case, gingerbread) at the annual Gingerbread Wonderland exhibit at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morris Township, New Jersey. Great event for armchair travelers–and tasty, too! Hundreds of edible structures will be on display from 5 December to 14 December.
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A Gem of a Town
By Linda Tancs
Scenic Norway, Maine, is a gem of a town–literally. The little village in the heart of the Oxford Hills region boasts a gemstone quarry where you can mine for tourmaline, quartz, rose quartz or crystal. No surprise that it’s called a gemstone capital of the state. Another hidden gem (pun intended) is the town’s illustrious history as the center of snowshoe production. Its once thriving industry earned it the moniker, “Snowshoe Capital of the World,” its goods even reaching the North Pole thanks to the Peary expedition of 1909. Ready for a treasure hunt? Then head for the hills.
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All Aboard in St. Kitts
By Linda Tancs
What could be better than a tropical drink-laden narrow gauge train ride through an unspoiled paradise rife with lush vegetation, rainforest canopies, secret beaches, sugar estates and a volcanic cone? That’s what you’ll get when you travel on the St. Kitts Scenic Railway, the last railway in the West Indies, built to transport the island’s sugar cane during boom times. Timed to coincide with cruise ship schedules in-season (December through April), a leisurely three-hour tour features 18 miles of rail travel and another 12 miles of historic sightseeing by bus. From sugar train to scenic train, don’t miss the chance to experience island history amid the warm trade winds.
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World’s Smallest Airport
By Linda Tancs
The world’s smallest airport is in Hamburg, Germany, and no, it isn’t Hamburg Airport (situated in Germany’s second largest city). The airport in question is one of the latest installations at Miniatur Wunderland, a sort of Legoland meets Lionel (as in trains) life-in-replica. The marvels of this small world were reported on previously. What will they think of next? The summer crush long gone, this time of year is great for a visit to the city’s biggest tourist attraction. Take the U-Bahn Baumwall or S-Bahn Stadthausbrücke.
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The Thanksgiving Candle
By Linda Tancs
In the Soroca district of Moldova, a monument is built on the rocks over the Nistru River. Named the Candle of Gratitude (or Thanksgiving Candle), it pays tribute to all of those who made heroic efforts to preserve the country’s culture, language and history through the generations. At night the candle’s light can be seen from Otaci in the North and Camenca in the South.
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Grand, Gloomy and Peculiar
By Linda Tancs
Grand, gloomy and peculiar. That’s what cave guide Stephen Bishop said in the 1800s about south central Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave. Spelunkers might not agree with that assessment, but mammoth is certainly an apt description, considering it’s the world’s longest known cave system, the oldest part of which began forming over 10 million years ago. Over 400 miles of this national park have been explored; the main passageway alone is seven miles long. Short on time? Take the popular two-hour Domes & Dripstones Tour. As for that cave guide? He’s buried at the park’s Old Guide’s Cemetery.
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Idaho’s Sweet Willy
By Linda Tancs
To be in the doghouse is generally not a good thing if you’re the two-legged sort–unless, of course, you’re in Cottonwood, Idaho. That’s where you’ll find the Dog Bark Park Inn, a Beagle-shaped bed & breakfast guesthouse. Affectionately known as Sweet Willy, the 30-foot-tall canine takes the cake (er, biscuit) as the world’s biggest Beagle. Guests enter the unusual hotel through a private second story deck. It was named one of the most fun and exciting places to stay by London’s Times. Maybe you’ll agree.
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Aphrodite’s Cultural Route
By Linda Tancs
The ancient island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean is the birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. To be sure, you’ll find no shortage of sites commemorating her existence, especially along the cultural routes dedicated to her lore. One of the most popular is Petra tou Romiou (Rock of Aphrodite), a series of huge rocks off the southwest coast in the Pafos district from where the goddess is said to have risen amongst the waves. Even today, under the right weather conditions a human-like foam reputedly arises from the waves crashing against the rocks. And what would the tale of Aphrodite be without her lover, Adonis? They fell in love at the Baths of Aphrodite, a grotto towards the tip of the Akamas peninsula where Adonis met her while she bathed. The site lies at the end of a nature trail that offers spectacular views towards Cape Arnaoutis, Polis and Pafos Forest.
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One Big Fish
By Linda Tancs
Imagine a freshwater fish that’s bigger than a school bus. That’s the beluga sturgeon, the largest freshwater fish in the world. Prized for caviar, it’s a critically endangered species that breeds in Russia’s Volga River (the so-called national river). In fact, the largest accepted record is of a female taken in 1827 in the Volga estuary, measuring a whopping 3,463 pounds and 24 feet in length. Now that was something to write home about.
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Boone’s Forest
By Linda Tancs
A legendary huntsman and pioneer, Daniel Boone dared to cross the treacherous Appalachians to explore Kentucky’s great wilderness. A great part of that terrain is commemorated in his name, the Daniel Boone National Forest. Over 700,000 acres of rugged terrain embraced by forested ridges, narrow ravines and thousands of miles of sandstone cliffs attract nearly five million visitors annually. Those guests may not need to trap, hunt and fish like Boone, but they enjoy the foothills nonetheless by backpacking, camping, picnicking, rock climbing and boating. Not sure where to start? Try the 269-mile Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail, which extends across the length of the forest.
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