Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Time and Space
By Linda Tancs
It’s been 50 years since former astronaut John Glenn orbited the earth in a historic mission. Such an auspicious anniversary merits a visit to the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Here you’ll find the world’s largest collection of personal memorabilia from our space heroes, along with a G-Force Trainer (simulating the pressure of four times the force of gravity) and a space shuttle landing simulation. Junior astronauts can climb a moon rock wall, crawl through rocket tunnels and slide to the surface of the moon at the Children’s Play Dome. Not to be missed is the Space Mirror Memorial, a 42-1/2-foot-high-by-50-foot-wide black granite surface emblazoned with the names of the 24 U.S. astronauts who gave their lives for space exploration as well as the astronauts from training and commercial airplane accidents.
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Jefferson’s Second Home
By Linda Tancs
Thomas Jefferson was the author of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States. His beloved home Monticello is a fixture in Charlottesville at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains in western Virginia. What most folks might not know is that Jefferson had a hideaway from his glorious 33-room manse, a self-designed, eight-sided country villa outside Lynchburg, Virginia. The octagonal house (the first in America) is known as Poplar Forest, a retreat that many regard as a true masterpiece of architectural and landscape elements. Opening today through 15 December, the home is located off Route 661 south of Lynchburg.
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Art Fair Celebrates Quarter Century
By Linda Tancs
The world’s leading art and antiques fair is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year at the Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Center in the Netherlands. Taking place from 16-25 March this year, the event features elegantly displayed genuine masterpieces offered by more than 260 of the world’s most prestigious art and antiques dealers from 18 countries. To celebrate its silver anniversary, two unique contributions this year are (1) an exhibition of master drawings by some of the greatest artists in history, including da Vinci, Guercino, Rembrandt and Rubens, and (2) the first-ever BMW Art Car. This is one jubilee you won’t want to miss.
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Dubai is Obvious Choice for Boat Show
By Linda Tancs
Named after its home port, the 531-foot mega yacht Dubai is the largest private yacht in the world, owned and presumably enjoyed by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of the Emirate of Dubai. You might catch a glimpse of it at the Dubai International Boat Show, taking place now through 17 March. Now in its 20th year, the event at the Marine Club promises more than 100 new exhibitors from over 24 countries. Austria, Egypt, Hong Kong, Madagascar, Tunisia and Poland will be making debuts along with North Africa’s leading shipyard, Koot Yachts. The show is open from 3 to 9:30 p.m.
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Brazil’s Polynesia
By Linda Tancs
Ilhabela means “beautiful island” in Portuguese. Discovered in 1502 by Américo Vespucio, this archipelago and city situated four miles off the coast of São Paulo state in Brazil is unique for its pristine beaches and untouched rainforest. It also reputedly has the best shrimp in the country. Best of all, with an average annual temperature in the 70s (fahrenheit), it’s the perfect vacation destination year-round. To get there from São Paulo, it’s approximately three hours by car to São Sebastião and then a 15-20 minute ferry ride to Barra Velha on the island.
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Nordic World Cup
By Linda Tancs
Holmenkollen FIS World Cup Nordic is an annual ski event since 1892 in Norway. Taking place in beautiful Holmenkollen, the event attracts tens of thousands of ski enthusiasts eager to cheer on their favorites in ski jumping and cross-country. The event takes place between 9 and 11 March this year, culminating on “Holmenkollen Sunday” with the men’s competitions. The Holmenkollen ski jump is a landmark in the Western Aker borough of Oslo.
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A Land of Golden Arches
By Linda Tancs
There’s a land of golden arches in our midst and, no, it isn’t a world of burgers and value meals. These arches are magnificent sandstone arches revealing millions of years of geologic history. That’s what you’ll find in Arches National Park, five miles north of Moab, Utah. One of the most beloved formations is Delicate Arch. View it against the night sky for an unforgettable experience.
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More Brightness in the City of Light
By Linda Tancs
The Luxor Obelisk in Paris would be hard to miss at 230 tons and 75 feet in height at the center of the Place de la Concorde. With new lighting, though, it’s even more visible at night. The pink granite monolith was given to the French in 1829 by the viceroy of Egypt, Mehemet Ali and is decorated with hieroglyphics portraying the reigns of the pharaohs Ramses II and Ramses III. What’s your favorite landmark in Paris?
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Cornwall Marks Annual Holiday
By Linda Tancs
March 5 of every year is St. Piran’s Day, the patron saint of tin miners. Piran is also the patron saint of Cornwall in southwest England. So what does a typical Cornish celebration look like? That would be an annual processional play acting out Piran’s life from his birth in Ireland to his arrival in Cornwall and discovery of tin. Hundreds of flag-carrying people gather, generally dressed in black, white and gold (the colors of the Cornish flag). The action begins at 2 p.m. at Perran Sands Holiday Park. Don’t be late; have a pasty while you wait.
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Spinning Tales in New Jersey
By Linda Tancs
The Museum of Early Trades and Crafts in Madison, New Jersey provides a glimpse into the trades and crafts practiced in New Jersey from its earliest settlement. The current exhibit, Spinning Tales: The Fabric of New Jersey, tells the story of Early America through the crafts of spinning and weaving, following the process from raw material to finished product. Why not go for a spin and check it out. The museum is located at 9 Main Street (NJ Route 124 at Green Village Road) in the heart of Madison, about 28 miles west of New York City.
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