Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Traffic Tickets Across Borders
By Linda Tancs
As many international travelers know, vehicular traffic is controlled or limited in many areas. Woe to the international driver who unwittingly enters a restricted zone. In some countries, such as Italy, a traffic citation could appear in your mailbox as much as two years after your journey! That’s because the 360-day notice period there doesn’t run until the car rental company notifies the police of the driver’s identity. And that notification could take some time. You can thank those roadside cameras for giving you up to the authorities. So you better learn to read those signs (like “zona traffico limitato”). Forewarned is forearmed.
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The Cross Toss in Bulgaria
By Linda Tancs
Today marks the Feast of the Epiphany, popularly celebrated as the twelfth day following Christmas when the three kings visited with baby Jesus. In Sofia, Bulgaria, the event is marked with a dive into an icy cold lake to retrieve a cross thrown by an Eastern Orthodox priest. The winning recipient risks a little momentary hypothermia for the promise of a blessing of good health throughout the year. The losers had better take their vitamins.
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Tallest Building in the World
By Linda Tancs
In the UAE’s most populous city, Dubai, a phoenix has risen. That would be Burj, the world’s tallest building. Rising to an astounding 2717 feet, let’s hope that the glass and metal behemoth does not become a white elephant in this tropical climate suffering from a different sort of meltdown–that is to say, financial. Architectural gem or monument to the excesses of a golden era? You decide.
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Culture Capital Marks 25th Year
By Linda Tancs
Happy New Year, readers! 2010 marks the 25th anniversary of Europe’s Capital of Culture program. Sharing the spotlight this year will be Germany’s Essen, Hungary’s Pécs and Turkey’s Istanbul. Emphasizing a spirit of cooperation among this year’s honorees, an opening ceremony in Pécs at Széchenyi Square will take place on 10 January. In Turkey, university theatre groups from Europe and Turkey will convene during the year to showcase Istanbul’s standing in the arts community. And in Essen the cultural kudos kick off with the grand opening of RUHR.2010 and Ruhr Museum on World Heritage Site Zeche Zollverein. Amidst the celebrations the European Commission will likewise commemorate its silver anniversary of cultural diversity recognition with a celebratory event and strategic conference on 23 and 24 March in Brussels to mark the event, to look back at the achievements of the past 25 years, and to reflect strategically on its legacy and impact.
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Dining Guide For New Year’s Revelers
By Linda Tancs
We’ll take a cup of kindness yet for auld lang syne, as the song goes. Would you like a four-course meal with that? How about seven? Barcelona’s Noti restaurant is offering a four-course, fixed-price fiesta for 120 euros per person. For less than 100 euros, you can add 3 more courses along with a midnight snack and fireworks at Hamburg’s Landhaus Dill. Look up more specials like these at The Europe Restaurant Guide. Happy eating, and happy new year!
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Petrol Costs Wallop Travelers
By Linda Tancs
The economy may yield more hotel vacancies in Europe than one would otherwise expect, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the cost of petrol, averaging over seven U.S. dollars per gallon in countries like France and Italy. And if you’d bank on using plastic to settle the bill, consider this: your card must have a computer chip in it, technology increasingly adopted in Europe to combat credit and debit card fraud. The use of the card is effectuated by verifying a PIN (personal identification number). It does not appear that any U.S. credit and debit cards currently possess this “chip and PIN” technology for use in Europe. The solution? Buy your petrol with cash on weekdays when an attendant is usually present, and avoid the chip and PIN conundrum you’ll likely encounter on weekends.
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Cashless Cabins
By Linda Tancs
As of December 1, 2009, travelers flying on Delta and Northwest in North America, Central America and the Caribbean became aware that cash is decidedly not king. In a move geared towards expediting the onboard payment process, customers flying within and among these destinations will have to use credit to pay for their munchies. The rule, however, does not affect trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific and South American flights or duty-free items.
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Going to the North Pole
By Linda Tancs
The North Pole is a lot closer than you think–as in North Pole, New York, in the High Peaks area of New York State’s Adirondack Park. Like its more northern cousins (e.g., Alaska and Lapland’s Santa Claus Village), the New York version celebrates its famous moniker with a Christmas themed family amusement park sporting rides, shows and shops for children and adults of all ages. For those dreaming of a white Christmas, this is the place to be. On any given year, the weather data suggests a 96% chance of any amount of snow for the holiday. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow–and Merry Christmas!
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All Aboard the Polar Express
By Linda Tancs
In that classic essay “Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus” an editorial writer for a now-defunct New York paper tells little Virginia O’ Hanlon that there is a Santa Claus. In some cases, it may take more than a newspaper writer to believe in the jolly old fellow. Indeed, it could take a magic train–like the Polar Express. Across the country, coal-fired, steam-operated vintage trains take a page from Chris Van Allsburg’s popular children’s book, “The Polar Express,” ferrying their young charges (and their parents) on a picture-perfect journey to the “North Pole.” There, Santa and his elves board the train, dishing out goodies and singing Christmas carols. Surely, that makes glad the heart of childhood–or any heart, for that matter.
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Slopes are Recession Proof
By Linda Tancs
According to the National Ski Areas Association, the 2008/2009 season is the fourth best on record despite an agonizing recession. That might not seem all that surprising to enthusiasts in ski-heavy areas like California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Wyoming–well, you get the idea. But look east to New Jersey and you’ll find a welcome uptick, quite an accomplishment for a state facing one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation. And with fresh snow from this weekend’s blizzard-like weather event, things are bound to look rosier. So before you head west for skiing’s traditional mecca, maybe you should try out one of New Jersey’s signature resorts–Hidden Valley, Campgaw Mountain or Mountain Creek. Hidden Valley Club resort is open to the public this season, but thereafter an uncrowded atmosphere will be assured on weekends with private membership. At Campgaw, the whole family can partake in skiing, snowboarding or tubing. Speaking of snowboarding, tomorrow is Go Snowboarding Day at Mountain Creek, which means you get a free lesson, lift ticket and rental. The West may have Big Sky, but New Jersey has the Best Deal.
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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.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 