Travelrific® Travel Journal

Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!

Racing Through California

By Linda Tancs

If the thrill of the chase like Monte Carlo’s Grand Prix or the memory of Italy’s Mille Miglia gets your adrenaline rushing, then no doubt you’ll enjoy California’s vintage version beginning on 25 April.  Northern California’s Mille, now in its 20th year, follows classic cruisers on a 4-day journey through 1000 miles of northern wine country, open roads and quaint hotels.  Pick your favorite at the Fairmont in San Francisco before the race.  With all the natural beauty lining the route, let’s hope the drivers can keep their eyes on the road.

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The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.

Ireland’s West Celebrates 25 Years of Literature

By Linda Tancs

Dublin has its fair share of authors, poets and playwrights, but Ireland’s literary tradition is equally strong along the western coast.  This year marks the 25th anniversary of Galway’s Cúirt Festival, a celebration of verse that has been previously described as a banquet of writing.  Quite a banquet, indeed, as the event this week welcomes such luminaries as Fread D’Aguair, Naomi Shihab Nye and Dionne Brand.  A highlight will be Colum McCann’s first reading in Ireland since his National Book Award win for Let the Great World Spin.  Budget conscious travelers should look into the sponsoring hotel’s midweek cost cutting offer–that is, if the recent volcanic activity in Iceland doesn’t ruin your plans.

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The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.

Celebrating Poetry

By Linda Tancs

April is National Poetry Month in the United States. What better time to visit The Homestead, the dwelling place of the reclusive poet Emily Dickinson, in Amherst, Massachusetts. Amazingly, only a dozen or so of her 1,800 poems were published during her lifetime. Now you can enjoy a vast collection of poems and letters along with period furnishings and a look into the town’s development that so inspired her.

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The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.

The Treasures of Tivoli

By Linda Tancs

Today marks the 168th opening of Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens.  Although it’s more than just a garden (consider the bone chilling Demon roller coaster or its stately wooden counterpart built in 1914), the hallmark of this respite in the dead center of the city is its 15 gardens.  Among the Chinese and Japanese inspired gardens are 80,000 tulip bulbs to usher in the season.  The tulips border Tivoli Lake, the end of which presents the Parterre, a beloved garden with a view of the town clock.  All the better to remind you of the time you’ve likely spent getting lost in its charms.

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 The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.

Classics Gather in Grand Forks

By Linda Tancs

One of the largest gatherings of classic and modern motorcycles will take place in Grand Forks, North Dakota this weekend at the Alerus Center.  While you’re there, why not tour the historic district?  The city was first settled in 1870, becoming thereafter a hub of commerce with the advent of the railroad in 1880.  Lots of new commerce to choose from in the newly restored downtown, like the specialty shops in Riverwalk Center.  Maybe you’ll want to stay in a charming turn of the century home.   511 Reeves is a Victorian beauty, just one block off the Red River of the North.

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 The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.

An Out-of-this-World Tag Sale

By Linda Tancs

The Space History Sale at Bonhams New York gives new meaning to disposing of one’s worldly goods.  Today’s auction features the sale of documents and other wares related to space and rocketry and other items related to trailblazers like Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh.  Watch out for the un-consumed drink packet carried on the flight of Apollo 13 around the moon in April 1970 assigned to lunar module pilot Fred Haise.  Hope the winner doesn’t get  too thirsty.

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 The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.

Teed Off in India

By Linda Tancs

In a supersized nation like India, one might imagine you’d need a lot of everything.  Like golf courses.  Over 200 of them.  From majestic views of the Taj at Agra Golf Club to moonlit play at DLF Golf and Country Club in New Delhi (rated the best course), golf in India is giving the esteemed courses of Great Britain a run for their money.

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 The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.

Will the Spirit Move You?

By Linda Tancs

As many readers may have learned, Spirit Airlines has taken the unprecedented step of charging for carry-on baggage that must be placed in the overhead bin.  Excluded from the baggage fee will be a single personal item that fits underneath the seat.   The new fee system also excludes such sundries as coats, umbrellas, car seats (for children holding a ticket), cameras and assistive devices.  The fee for the airline’s online club members is $20.  Nonmembers pay an online fee of $30, including phone and check-in customers.  The gate fee is $45.  Is this a shameless move for more revenue or an enlightened approach towards thwarting an uptick in checked baggage masquerading as carry-ons?  Take the poll below.

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 The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.

Feeling the Heat in New Mexico

By Linda Tancs

With summertime heat gripping the northeastern U.S. these days, there’s no need to daydream about warm days and cool nights. But, hey, it’s only early spring so the day will come when the weather will match the calendar again. Then you might want to consider a dip in the 100-degree waters of Ojo Caliente, little more than an hour away from Santa Fe. The little town in New Mexico (population: 1000, give or take) lays claim to the country’s first natural spa, discovered in the 1500s by the Spaniards, who gave the place the name Ojo, or hot eye. Accommodations at the site range from garden variety hotel rooms to cliffside suites that won’t leave your wallet in tatters. So you can steep in the springs, not in the prices.

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Design Makeover

By Linda Tancs

For those who like their ultra chic all in one place, Milan’s La Rinascente has answered your prayers.  The flagship stalwart in central Milan has been redesigned to include a Design Supermarket, dropping names like Zaha Hadid and Ettore Sottsass on a melange of worldly goods from tech toys to tableware. With the Duomo cathedral next door, you can shop first and then pray that the billing cycle meets your requirements.

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The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.