Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Marine Life Thrives at Atlantis
By Linda Tancs
Atlantis in the Bahamas is a resort of choice for Caribbean travelers seeking fun in the sun. It also happens to be the site of the world’s largest open-air marine habitat. The exhibition encompasses 14 lagoons, eight million gallons of salt water and more than 50,000 aquatic animals representing over 250 marine species, including dolphins, sea lions, sharks, rays, barracuda, piranha, eels and even endangered alligator gar. Admission is free for resort guests; otherwise, you’ll have to settle for a day pass, subject to availability (especially during peak season).
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Always Warm in Fargo
By Linda Tancs
In April, the lowest temperature in Fargo, North Dakota can dip into the 20s or even lower. But the Fargo Moorhead Convention and Visitor’s Bureau will tell you that it’s always warm–friendly, that is. The Children’s Museum at Yunker Farm exudes warmth. The century old, red brick farm house was the first brick house built in the Dakota territory. In this home-like atmosphere learning and exploration is fun for families. And what could be warmer than that! Don’t miss the Easter Eggstravaganza this weekend.
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Hawaiian Memories
By Linda Tancs
Far from a sleepy, island paradise, there’s plenty for both landlubbers and seafarers to do and see in Hawaii, the onetime kingdom. Let’s explore the island charms of Oahu, Maui, the Big Island and Kauai. Learn more at Travelrific® Travel Show.
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Heavenly Bliss in Singapore
By Linda Tancs
Thian Hock Keng (Temple of Heavenly Bliss) is one of the oldest and most important temples in Singapore. A few things make this place of worship unique. First, it stands at the location of Singapore’s waterfront before reclamation. Also, its construction represents an international venture of sorts, with ironwork and tiles from the British Isles and granite from China, among other contributions. A national monument, this amazing structure was built in traditional southern Chinese architectural style, without nails.
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600 Years in the Making
By Linda Tancs
Golf is a 600-year-old sport. Hard to believe that it’s taken that long to get a golf festival going where it all began. The St Andrews Golf Festival is the first-ever celebration of golf at its birthplace in St Andrews, Scotland. Today through 1 April, the free calendar of events includes the Seve exhibition at The Scores Hotel, an exclusive talk by Mungo Park (grandson of the first winner of the Open Championship in 1860), the Bobby Jones exhibition and golf correspondent Lewine Mair’s talk on the history of women’s golf.
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Charlottesville Hits the Big 2-5-0
By Linda Tancs
The City of Charlottesville, Virginia, one of the oldest municipalities in the country, is celebrating its 250th birthday this year. The year- long celebration will feature lectures, exhibitions, special packages for visitors, and national and international talent. While you’re there, why not follow the Monticello Artisan Trail, a regional trailway that connects destinations including craft artisan studios, galleries, agri-artisan farms, local restaurants, wineries and microbreweries, lodging, and area points of interest in the counties surrounding Charlottesville.
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100 Years of Blooms
By Linda Tancs
The National Cherry Blossom Festival, the nation’s greatest springtime celebration, is celebrating 100 years of blooms this year. The festivities, having begun on 20 March and continuing to 27 April, mark the centennial of Tokyo’s donation of 3,000 cherry blossom trees to Washington, DC. Based on comparative records of past bud development, the National Park Service forecasts peak blooms until 31 March this year. The average peak bloom date, defined as the day on which 70 percent of the blossoms of the Yoshino cherry trees that surround the Tidal Basin are open, is 4 April. A highlight of the season is the cherry blossom festival parade, a long-standing Washington tradition featuring lavish floats, giant helium balloons, marching bands, and other family entertainment. Admission is free along the parade route, Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th streets, NW.
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A Hot Tin Roof in New Orleans
By Linda Tancs
Tennessee Williams was a master American playwright, known for such works as A Streetcar Named Desire, The Glass Menagerie and Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. Born Thomas Lanier Williams, he began using the moniker Tennessee after college when he moved to New Orleans, a place he reputedly considered to be his spiritual home. It’s fitting, then, that the Big Easy should honor one of its own with an annual festival. The Tennessee Williams New Orleans Literary Festival features literary panel discussions, theatrical performances, master classes with a notable expert in writing or the arts, and literary walking tours. Previous festivals have hosted such luminaries as Dick Cavett, Edward Albee and George Plimpton. This year’s event will run through 25 March.
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The Real Deal in Chelsea
By Linda Tancs
Now the oldest antiques fair in Britain, London’s Chelsea Antiques Fair wants visitors to be assured of high standards. They secure outside experts to check the veracity of labels as well as the quality and authenticity of the pieces on show. So you rest assured that those new 17th century entrants this year are the real deal. Other selections include fine Victorian and 19th Century European oil paintings, British and Continental porcelain, Art Nouveau and Art Deco glass, antique books, prints and maps, and a smattering of the interesting and unusual. If you can’t manage it all from 21 -25 March, then come back in September. The event is at Old Town Hall on Kings Road. Admission is only £5; that leaves room for spending.
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Furniture Shopping in Philly
By Linda Tancs
The exhibitors at the Philadelphia Invitational Furniture Show hope you’ll invest in beauty. Showcasing exceptional artisan quality furniture, the event is the longest running exhibition of its kind. Featured exhibitors include Selvin Glass, Swede McBroom, Michael Brown and G. Keener & Co. Most exciting, though, is the new location for the event this year–the 23rd Street Armory, an imposing castle-like structure built in 1901 that houses the Philadelphia City Cavalry, the oldest cavalry unit in continuous service in the United States. The Troop acted as George Washington’s personal bodyguard during the Revolutionary War. The history lesson alone is good enough reason to go. The preview party and auction is on 23 March, followed by two days of artisanal bliss.
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