Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!The Park of Kings
By Linda Tancs
Doñana National Park in Spain is a significant European nature reserve. Easily accessible from Cádiz, the oldest city in western Europe, it has seen its share of kings over the centuries: Philip IV, Philip V and Alfonso XIII hunted there. These days a host of threatened bird species needn’t worry about the sport of kings. The park’s lagoons, marshlands, dunes, scrub woodland and maquis provide restful cover for five threatened bird species as well as for one of the largest heronries in the Mediterranean region.
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Mexico’s Independence
By Linda Tancs
You might think that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day. Actually, it isn’t. That stellar occasion on the Mexican calendar comes on 16 September. So what’s the distinction? Cinco de Mayo represents the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla, whereas, 16 September marks the revolt against Spanish colonial government and the road to independence. It’s a day for flags, balloons, sombreros, food and mariachi bands across the country. Here’s a nice synopsis of Mexican Independence Day.
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Lincoln’s Logs
By Linda Tancs
The 42nd Annual Abraham Lincoln National Railsplitting Festival will take place in Lincoln, Illionois from 14 to 16 September. The event kicks off on Friday with a Civil War Ball from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Lincoln Park District Rec Center. For those who want to see how logs are split into beautiful rails, don’t miss the fierce competition on Saturday and Sunday at the Logan County Fairgrounds. Log splitting for rail fences was a way of life on the American frontier, and President Abraham Lincoln was a rail splitter in his youth. That activity led to his nickname, Rail Splitter, coined by the Republican Party to enhance his candidacy for President in 1860.
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The Remotest Part of Great Britain
By Linda Tancs
Forty-one miles west of Benbecula in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides is the archipelago of Saint Kilda, the remotest part of the British Isles. Of its four islands, Hirta boasts the highest sea cliffs in the country. Its natural beauty earned it a World Heritage Site designation, an appellation enjoyed these days by its permanent residents consisting of puffins, gannets and other seabirds and wildlife. The human population long ago moved to the mainland to escape its isolation. If its sounds difficult to visit this place, you’d be right–but perseverance is rewarded. Try a cruise ship, charter or yacht, for starters. You should know that the only accommodation on Saint Kilda for visitors is a small camp site, with room for a maximum of six people. Visitors may stay for up to five nights.
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The Kokoda Trail
By Linda Tancs
The formidable trek known as the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea has a storied past, being the site of the battle between Japanese and Australian forces during World War II. The physically demanding journey takes you 60 miles overland through the Owen Stanley range, a slog through mud and hills that’s surely evocative of a war zone. The trail, popular with Australian tourists, is quite the mecca for any adventurous soul or military buff. In Sydney there’s a memorial walkway commemorating the Australian forces –a lot less arduous to navigate but very poignant.
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World’s Largest Lagoon
By Linda Tancs
In the southwest Pacific and east of Australia lies New Caledonia, a country with French roots surrounded by the world’s largest lagoon. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the lagoons provide not only natural beauty but also a safe habitat for threatened marine species such as turtles, whales and dugongs. The warm and sunny climate is perfect for activities like scuba diving, fishing, jet skiing, kite surfing, surfing, windsurfing, horseback riding and canyoning. Catch a quick day trip from Sydney or a host of other locations, and expect the unforgettable.
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A Sky Walk in New Zealand
By Linda Tancs
What’s taller than the Eiffel Tower, has three circular public observation levels and a view of 51 miles (give or take) on a clear day? Why, it’s the Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealand. The twelfth tallest tower in the world, each of its observation decks offers 360-degree views of the city–and beyond. If you’re not content to admire the surroundings from the inside, you can walk or jump as well. The SkyJump lets you feel like Superman as you base jump 192 meters straight down. If that’s not enough of a rush for you, then consider the SkyWalk, a jaunt aruond the edge of Sky Tower’s pergola in a full body harness and overhead safety lines.
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Queen of the Arabian Sea
By Linda Tancs
Hailed as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, the Indian city of Kochi was a 14th century trading center for spices. Over the centuries, it’s been occupied by the Portuguese, Arabs, British, Chinese and Dutch. Those influences abound, like the Chinese fishing nets at Fort Kochi, Vasco House (the house where Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama lived), and the Dutch Palace of Mattancherry. Flanked by the Arabian Sea to the west and Willingdon Island (a man-made island) and its environs to the east, Kochi is easily accessible by air and is a convenient gateway to Kerala, one of National Geographic Traveler’s “50 greatest places of a lifetime.”
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Welcome Back, Cutty
By Linda Tancs
You might recall that Cutty Sark, the last surviving tea clipper, got clipped by a fire during restoration in May 2007 at her home in Greenwich. Only eight miles by train from London Bridge, the grand dame of merchant service is restored and open to visitors once more. Don’t miss your chance to experience a precious bit of maritime history.
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Get Ready for Boomsday
By Linda Tancs
Knoxville, Tennessee, has been voted one of the top 20 vacation destinations in the United States. Located on the banks of the Tennessee River, the charming city is steeped in history, home to seven homes from the Civil War and the First Frontier. And speaking of the Civil War, here you’ll find a collection on Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, first admiral of the U.S. Navy and Civil War hero, at the Farragut Folklife Museum. But arguably the city’s greatest attraction is Boomsday, heralded as the largest Labor Day fireworks celebration in the country. The 25th annual boom fest will take place on 2 September at Volunteer Landing along the Tennessee River in downtown Knoxville from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Fireworks will begin around 9:30. Admission is free, with only a nominal charge for food, drinks and games. Now that’s something to celebrate.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 