Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for travel writing
Where Sailors Reign in the Azores
By Linda Tancs
The Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal, are an archipelago in the mid-Atlantic. Each of the nine islands has a charm all its own, like vineyards planted in black lava fields in Pico and the cosmopolitan flair of the largest island, São Miguel. Faial is dominated by beech trees (faias, hence the name) and a huge mass of hydrangeas, but it’s equally known as a gathering place for the world’s sailors. Thanks to the locale’s reputation as a way station for international yachtsmen, Peter Café Sport is a pub and a hub at the marina in Horta. A rite of passage for tourists, it’s likely the best known sailors’ bar in the world.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Three Peaks in Seoul
By Linda Tancs
The only national park in the Seoul metropolitan area, Bukhansan National Park in South Korea is also known as Samgaksan (Triangle Mountain) because of its three peaks: Baegunbong, Insubong and Mangyeongbong. With its many ridges, peaks and valleys, it’s a popular spot for hikers although nature lovers in general will appreciate the 1,300 species of plants and animals occupying this niche amidst the bustling city. Best of all, it’s easily accessible, with various metro stations serving the park entrances in under one hour.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Wild Geese and a Lake
By Linda Tancs
Glacier National Park is a wilderness area in Montana’s Rocky Mountains, crossed by the mountainous Going-to-the-Sun Road. Just off that road is Wild Goose Island, in the middle of St. Mary Lake. Legend has it that a Hatfield and McCoy-type romance bloomed between a couple from two different Indian tribes located on opposite sides of the lake. When the tribal elders tried to break off their engagement, the Great Spirit turned them into geese so they could fly away and be together forever. It’s as good a story for the locale’s name as any other, a place prized as one of the most photographed spots in the park. The best photo op is at sunrise, the first shutterbugs arriving before 5 a.m.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Art and Faith in Kyoto
By Linda Tancs
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji is a Buddhist temple in the Arashiyama neighborhood of Kyoto, Japan. Neglected through the ages due to its exposure to natural disasters, it re-emerged thanks to the artistry of the late Kocho Nishimura and a cadre of amateur stone sculptors. Through their efforts, the temple has become best known for a small army of moss-adorned sculptures that now cover the hillsides. Known as ratan (followers of Buddha), the art represents ordinary people captured in stone by their makers, oftentimes memorializing a loved one. Bus or taxi is the best way to arrive at what may be Kyoto’s most intriguing temple.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Island Lore in Zakynthos
By Linda Tancs
Navagio Beach is an exposed cove on the coast of Zakynthos in the Ionian Islands of Greece. It’s popularly known as Shipwreck Beach because of the rusty wreck adorning its shoreline. The stories surrounding that wreck also give the place the moniker, “Smuggler’s Cove.” That’s because it’s been reported that the ship ran aground following a chase by authorities who determined it was transporting contraband cigarettes; other reports refute this tale. Whatever the case, the shipwreck lends to its charm, as do the towering limestone cliffs and turquoise waters only accessible via boat. Zakynthos Town port offers cruises of varying lengths, many of which only run now in the high season (through October). Try to get there early to avoid the hordes of tourists.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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London’s Only Lighthouse
By Linda Tancs
Built in the 1860s, London’s only remaining lighthouse in the Docklands is of interest not only for its historical use as a testing facility for lighthouse technology but also for its current use as the musical home of a composition destined to last for 1,000 years. Known as Longplayer, the score is a continuous 1,000-year-long piece of music performed with Tibetan singing bowls conceived for the turn of the millenium in 1999. The music will run uninterrupted (and without repetition, thanks to technology) until midnight on December 31, 2999, when the music will start anew. There’s a listening room in the lighthouse itself as well as an installation of 234 Tibetan singing bowls that were part of a live performance of part of the score, which lasted for 1,000 minutes. The lighthouse is located at Trinity Buoy Wharf, just minutes from Canning Town Underground station.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Greece’s Rack Railway
By Linda Tancs
Odontotos rack railway connects the Greek seaside town of Diakopto with the mountain village of Kalavryta in the Peloponnese. The steepness of the ride requires rack rails—toothed racks that the rails lock into using a cog or pinion. The train chugs through tunnels and a gorge, offering spectacular views of mountains and waterfalls. Book a round-trip ticket and enjoy the downhill views.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Golden Rules in Canada
By Linda Tancs
There’s good reason why the town of Golden, British Columbia, rules in western Canada. Sitting squarely in the Canadian Rockies, it’s surrounded by six of Canada’s most stunning national parks: Yoho, Glacier, Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Mount Revelstoke. It’s also a pioneering town, once home to surveyors and explorers seeking lucrative trading routes in the Pacific Northwest. Those adventures led to the creation of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), using Golden as a base camp as the CPR created a cross-country network of rails. Later, the establishment of the Trans-Canada Highway transformed the area from a forest outpost to a vibrant community that now boasts one of the best backcountry skiing regions in Canada. Regardless when you visit, you’ll be wooed by the spectacular scenery, hiking trails, waterfalls, lakes and heritage sites of the national parks in your midst.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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A Pearl in Macedonia
By Linda Tancs
Since ancient Egyptian times, pearls have been one of the most highly coveted gemstones. That’s no less so in Macedonia, where the Lake Ohrid region yields one of the world’s most prized treasures, the Ohrid pearl. Produced from the scales of a fish found in the lake (among other ingredients), it’s a piece of the area’s cultural heritage. In fact, the Lake Ohrid region is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed for both its natural and cultural heritage. Situated on the shores of the lake, the town of Ohrid is one of the oldest human settlements in Europe. And the lake itself (of tectonic origin) has existed continuously for approximately 2 to 3 million years. Ohrid has an airport, but it’s also accessible by car, bus or train service from neighboring Serbia or Greece.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Sleeping With the Fishes in Australia
By Linda Tancs
Reefsuites, Australia’s first underwater hotel, gives new meaning to the phrase “sleeping with the fishes.” Moored offshore at Hardy Reef, each room features floor-to-ceiling views of the spectacular underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef, including 1,500 species of fish along with turtles and rays. What better way to be surrounded by marine life without a wetsuit? There’s also access to the underwater observatory and optional activities like helicopter touring and scuba diving. Located 40 nautical miles from Airlie Beach, the journey begins with a cruise through the Whitsunday Islands to Hardy Reef.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 