Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Corsica Museum Reopens
By Linda Tancs
Like any Mediterranean island, it’s far too tempting on the French island of Corsica to spend your days strolling among the beaches, bays, cliffs, mountains and parks. But there are plenty of museums, too–the best known probably being the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. Don’t stop there, though. Check out the recently reopened Museum of Ethnology, located in the citadel in the former governor’s palace in Bastia. In addition to coats of arms, city maps, paintings and manuscripts, you can trace the history of Bastia and Corsica from its pre-Roman origins to its role in World War II.
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Furry Back Seat Drivers
By Linda Tancs
A disturbing statistic has arisen from the American Automobile Association: about two-thirds of American drivers pet, play or otherwise interact with their pets while driving. Yet another distraction to add to the dangerous list of risky behavior like phoning, texting and snoozing. Fido might enjoy the attention, but an unrestrained animal poses the same risk as an unrestrained child. Get a car seat and protect the life of your pet as well as your upholstery.
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Best Caribbean Island
By Linda Tancs
It might not have the name recognition of neighboring St. Maarten, but the Dutch Caribbean island of Saba won the distinction of Best Caribbean Island this year, thanks to Travel + Leisure magazine. So how does a small (five square miles) and remote island land such a distinction? Maybe it’s the lava tunnels, hot springs and vibrant marine life accessible to divers only by boat. Or perhaps it’s the unspoiled beauty of the rain forest, tidepools and historic ruins beckoning trekkers. Whatever the reason, your first challenge is getting there. Squeamish flyers might want to avoid Winair’s death-defying landings at the 1300-feet-long runway. Take the ferry instead from St. Maarten.
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Sunshine Guaranteed in Cumbria
By Linda Tancs
Rain, rain, go away! The folks at the Samling Hotel in England’s Lake District are so sure that the sun will continue to shine in Windermere that they’re offering a sunshine guarantee. If even a drop of rain falls on their roof through 30 September, guests get a refund of £100 per stay. That may seem like quite a gamble, but a record drought in the area this season puts favorable odds on this bet.
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The Tour Guy in Toronto
By Linda Tancs
Toronto is a city of nearly three million inhabitants. That’s a lot of ground to cover (no pun intended) in a city populated by immigrants. That’s where Tour Guy (Jason Kucherawy) comes in. On Fridays and Saturdays you can take his walking tour of the city’s prime landmarks free of charge. Along the way you’ll learn about the city’s six Chinatowns and multicultural Kensington Market. You’ll walk for a couple of kilometers. Bring your appetite and a comfortable pair of shoes.
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Mystery Celebrated on the English Riviera
By Linda Tancs
England’s Torquay forms part of the English Riviera, on the south coast of Devon. It’s also the birthplace of mystery writer Agatha Christie. Torquay celebrates the life and times of the great Dame each year during Christie Week. Now through 19 September you can help yourself to the festivities. Some highlights include a guided walk along the Christie Mile on 14 September, capturing her life and influences in the coastal town. Trouble walking? No worries; take the vintage bus ride on 15 September. How about a mystery tour and fish and chips supper on 16 September? Top it off on 19 September with 1930s-themed dining and dancing. The Queen of Crime would no doubt approve.
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The People’s Voice on Air Travel
By Linda Tancs
Air travel is rife with passenger complaints and concerns over everything from tarmac delays and status information to transparency in pricing and food allergies. Do you want to have your say in the resolution of the matter? Then be sure to comment on proposed regulations when they’re drafted by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Regulation Room makes it easy to know what the feds are up to; you can easily view at a glance the topics that are currently awaiting public comment. And who better to address the travails of the traveling public than…you? As the late economist Milton Friedman once remarked, “The government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem.”
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New Jersey Film Festival Reels Them In
By Linda Tancs
Over twenty film/video directors, artists, and actors will delight visitors at this year’s New Jersey Film Festival. The event will run through 4 November and feature over 50 film screenings, many of them premieres. Enjoy the cushioned seats, stadium seating and high definition projection and sound systems at the primary screening venue in Voorhees Hall at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. Highlights include experimental film screenings on Thursday nights and the annual Halloween 3D Show (on 28 October), featuring a 3D screening of Creature From the Black Lagoon. Tickets for the festival are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Better hurry!
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The Horses of Borgharen
By Linda Tancs
In the Netherlands, horse riding is a very common sport, with horse farms and manege (riding stables/riding schools) dotting the countryside. So perhaps it should come as no surprise that a burial ground for 51 horses dating to the 17th century was recently unearthed in Borgharen, a few miles shy of Maastricht. The mystery of their demise still remains, however. Was it a result of battle during the Eighty Years’ War over the strategic Maas River? We may never know for sure, but the find lends the area the distinction of hosting Europe’s largest known equine burial ground. However, the area might be better known for Castle Borgharen. Originally built as a defense tower, it was rebuilt in the 18th century as a humble abode for Baron Van Roosen. It could be yours for a cool 5 million or so euro.
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Gastronomy Rules in Budapest
By Linda Tancs
Hungary’s official website boasts “a love for life.” Make that food, too–especially during the September Festival, taking place from 3 to 5 September in Budapest’s Bókay Garden. This year’s eleventh running of the event will bring together internationally recognized master chefs, dance groups, Olympic and world champion athletes, politicians from the European Parliament, famous artists and 80,000 or so visitors who will dance, cook and otherwise enjoy themselves. The emphasis, though, is on cooking, as evidenced by the Strudel Festival, Sausage Festival and Pálinka (strong fruit brandy) Festival. In fact, cooking is so much a part of the event that Guinness records are often made or broken. Sought after records this year include a surprise meal in a 4,251-litres kettle and a Somló sponge cake with a diameter of about 3.4 metres. Good luck to all!
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