Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!A Swanky Museum in London
By Linda Tancs
In the heart of central London is a neo-gothic mansion once built to order for American financier-turned-British nobleman William Waldorf Astor. Now owned by The Bulldog Trust, the property at 2 Temple Place is an exhibition space, London’s first venue to specifically showcase publicly-owned art from around the UK. The inaugural exhibition explored the artistry of William Morris. Stay tuned for the next show, due to open in January 2013. Until then, why not view the magnificent exterior of this newly renovated mansion on a walking tour of Victoria Embankment. Summer sees a number of lunch-time concerts in the bandstand area of the gardens there.
Share this:
Purple in Pennsy
By Linda Tancs
Just 90 minutes from New York City or 45 miles outside Philadelphia is a little bit of Provence. First established in 1748, the Carousel Farm in Mechanicsville, Pennsylvania is awash in lavender. In fact, eight of its 35 acres are dedicated to lavender production, harvested by hand. Group tours are available through 30 September.
Share this:
Nature’s Baths in BVI
By Linda Tancs
If you’re not necessarily the beach going type, there’s still good reason to visit Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands. A top attraction are The Baths, a series of boulders forming pools and grottos that attract as many shutterbugs as sun bathers. At the entrance to The Baths you can shop for clothing and tropical trinkets like shipwreck coins and mahogany and hibiscus wood carvings. You can whet your palate there as well and enjoy the panoramic views from Top of the Baths restaurant. Another earthy delight is Gorda Peak, the highest point on the island. You’ll find hiking trails there, offering magnificent views of North Sound. The area is also home to the world’s smallest lizard, the Virgin Gorda gecko, and one of the Caribbean’s last remaining dry forests.
Share this:
Cowes Still Thrills
By Linda Tancs
Cowes Week is a highlight of the British summer, one of the longest running and most successful sporting events in the country. For the uninitiated, it’s one of the oldest and most prestigious regattas in the world on the Isle of Wight, having officially begun in 1826 with just seven yachts. Today, 1,000 boats in up to 40 different handicap, one-design and multihull classes race every day for eight days. This year’s event takes place between 11 and 18 August. If you’d like a close-up view of the battle in the Solent, consider booking a place on the the official event spectator boat, which will run from Trinity Landing on Cowes Parade. 12 August is Family Day, and the price for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children under 16) will be at a special rate of £20, a savings of £5.
Share this:
90 Million Years in 9 Minutes
By Linda Tancs
90 million years: that’s how many years are represented in the latest animatronic dinosaur park, located in Secaucus, New Jersey. Nine minutes: that’s how long it takes to get there from New York City. The dinosaur park recently unveiled 31 robotic dinosaurs for the exhibit, Field Station: Dinosaurs. Dinosaurs from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods hover over (and under) the tree line, including New Jersey’s own Hadrosaurus foulkii. Sounds like dino might to me.
2016 update: Field Station has relocated to Overpeck Park in Leonia, New Jersey.
Share this:
National Lighthouse Day
By Linda Tancs
On August 7, 1789, Congress passed an act for the establishment and support of lighthouses, beacons, buoys and public piers. In honor of the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the first federal lighthouse, Congress designated 7 August as National Lighthouse Day in 1989. Why not celebrate this national treasure with a stay at a local lighthouse?
Share this:
The Grand Canyon of Europe
By Linda Tancs
If you prefer your deep river canyon to have a hint of that je ne sais quoi, then you’ll find it at Verdon Gorge, France’s version of the Grand Canyon. Straddling the departments of Var and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence for 15 miles, the majestic cliffs are the result of the erosion of the Verdon River. Europe’s biggest canyon, its summertime appeal with the locals is owing in no small part to the wealth of activities that beckon from its cliffs, trails and waterways–like aqua trekking, hiking, biking, climbing, paragliding and horseback riding. Those lavender fields and cheese plates will just have to wait.
Share this:
Top Guns in the UK
By Linda Tancs
Royal Armouries is the United Kingdom’s National Museum of Arms and Armour, including artillery. The artillery–Big Guns, as they say–range from pre-gunpowder siege machines to modern-day super guns. They’re located at Fort Nelson, an historic monument strategically positioned atop Portsdown Hill, with panoramic views across the Meon Valley and Portsmouth Harbour. The Leeds branch has over 8,500 objects on display in five galleries: War; Tournament; Oriental; Self Defense and Hunting. And at the Tower of London’s White Tower is a dazzling display of 500 years of spectacular royal armour, including the imposing steel skirts and military codpiece of Henry VIII. The most surprising thing about the museum is its fourth location: Louisville, Kentucky. Thanks to a collaboration with The Frazier History Museum, Royal Armouries opened an exhibit on the museum’s third floor in 2004 to present a history of the British Isles, from 1066 to the early 1900s, through the use of multimedia displays and artifacts. This marks the first time a UK national museum has opened a branch in the United States.
Share this:
A Natural Wonder in the Philippines
By Linda Tancs
Reputedly the world’s longest underground river, Puerto Princesa on Palawan Island in the Philippines winds its way through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. A clear lagoon meets the cave’s mouth, surrounded by ancient trees dominated by monkeys, monitor lizards and squirrels. The navigable river is one of seven new natural wonders of the world. And to that the locals say Mabuhay!
Share this:
Ohio’s Crooked River
By Linda Tancs
The Cuyahoga River flows north and south, meandering along the way through Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the only national park in Ohio. The river’s trajectory prompted the Native Americans to name it Cuyahoga, or crooked river. The 65-foot Brandywine Falls are a major attraction, but don’t forget about its other charms, like the visitor center at the canal lock, the Everett Road Covered Bridge (evocative of The Bridges of Madison County), the towpath trail, the grist mill, or Beaver Marsh. That’s a lot of ground to cover. If you’re short on time, take the scenic rail ride through the heart of the park. Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad operates regular excursions and special excursions from Rockside Station in Independence to Akron Northside Station and from Canton Lincoln Highway Station to Akron Northside Station. It’s one of the oldest, longest and most scenic train rides in the country. Buy your tickets now for the 40th anniversary celebration on 8 September.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 