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
Mexico’s Independence
By Linda Tancs
You might think that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day. Actually, it isn’t. That stellar occasion on the Mexican calendar comes on 16 September. So what’s the distinction? Cinco de Mayo represents the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla, whereas, 16 September marks the revolt against Spanish colonial government and the road to independence. It’s a day for flags, balloons, sombreros, food and mariachi bands across the country. Here’s a nice synopsis of Mexican Independence Day.
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Lincoln’s Logs
By Linda Tancs
The 42nd Annual Abraham Lincoln National Railsplitting Festival will take place in Lincoln, Illionois from 14 to 16 September. The event kicks off on Friday with a Civil War Ball from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Lincoln Park District Rec Center. For those who want to see how logs are split into beautiful rails, don’t miss the fierce competition on Saturday and Sunday at the Logan County Fairgrounds. Log splitting for rail fences was a way of life on the American frontier, and President Abraham Lincoln was a rail splitter in his youth. That activity led to his nickname, Rail Splitter, coined by the Republican Party to enhance his candidacy for President in 1860.
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The Remotest Part of Great Britain
By Linda Tancs
Forty-one miles west of Benbecula in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides is the archipelago of Saint Kilda, the remotest part of the British Isles. Of its four islands, Hirta boasts the highest sea cliffs in the country. Its natural beauty earned it a World Heritage Site designation, an appellation enjoyed these days by its permanent residents consisting of puffins, gannets and other seabirds and wildlife. The human population long ago moved to the mainland to escape its isolation. If its sounds difficult to visit this place, you’d be right–but perseverance is rewarded. Try a cruise ship, charter or yacht, for starters. You should know that the only accommodation on Saint Kilda for visitors is a small camp site, with room for a maximum of six people. Visitors may stay for up to five nights.
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The Kokoda Trail
By Linda Tancs
The formidable trek known as the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea has a storied past, being the site of the battle between Japanese and Australian forces during World War II. The physically demanding journey takes you 60 miles overland through the Owen Stanley range, a slog through mud and hills that’s surely evocative of a war zone. The trail, popular with Australian tourists, is quite the mecca for any adventurous soul or military buff. In Sydney there’s a memorial walkway commemorating the Australian forces –a lot less arduous to navigate but very poignant.
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World’s Largest Lagoon
By Linda Tancs
In the southwest Pacific and east of Australia lies New Caledonia, a country with French roots surrounded by the world’s largest lagoon. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the lagoons provide not only natural beauty but also a safe habitat for threatened marine species such as turtles, whales and dugongs. The warm and sunny climate is perfect for activities like scuba diving, fishing, jet skiing, kite surfing, surfing, windsurfing, horseback riding and canyoning. Catch a quick day trip from Sydney or a host of other locations, and expect the unforgettable.
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A Sky Walk in New Zealand
By Linda Tancs
What’s taller than the Eiffel Tower, has three circular public observation levels and a view of 51 miles (give or take) on a clear day? Why, it’s the Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealand. The twelfth tallest tower in the world, each of its observation decks offers 360-degree views of the city–and beyond. If you’re not content to admire the surroundings from the inside, you can walk or jump as well. The SkyJump lets you feel like Superman as you base jump 192 meters straight down. If that’s not enough of a rush for you, then consider the SkyWalk, a jaunt aruond the edge of Sky Tower’s pergola in a full body harness and overhead safety lines.
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Queen of the Arabian Sea
By Linda Tancs
Hailed as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, the Indian city of Kochi was a 14th century trading center for spices. Over the centuries, it’s been occupied by the Portuguese, Arabs, British, Chinese and Dutch. Those influences abound, like the Chinese fishing nets at Fort Kochi, Vasco House (the house where Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama lived), and the Dutch Palace of Mattancherry. Flanked by the Arabian Sea to the west and Willingdon Island (a man-made island) and its environs to the east, Kochi is easily accessible by air and is a convenient gateway to Kerala, one of National Geographic Traveler’s “50 greatest places of a lifetime.”
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Welcome Back, Cutty
By Linda Tancs
You might recall that Cutty Sark, the last surviving tea clipper, got clipped by a fire during restoration in May 2007 at her home in Greenwich. Only eight miles by train from London Bridge, the grand dame of merchant service is restored and open to visitors once more. Don’t miss your chance to experience a precious bit of maritime history.
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The Blowhole in Baja
By Linda Tancs
Seventeen miles south of Ensenada, Mexico, is the second largest marine geyser in the world, La Bufadora. Spouting 60 feet into the air, the spectacle is caused by the pressure created when ocean waves are forced into a partially submerged sea cavern. Just as wonderful as the overwater view is the underwater view, diving being hailed as a real treat in this area with an abundance of sea life and visibility up to 80 feet. To get there, head south out of Ensenada until you reach Maneadero. There are clearly marked signs for the exit to La Bufadora.
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Paris of the West Indies
By Linda Tancs
Prior to its destruction by an eruption of Mt. Pelée in 1902, Martinique’s then capital, Saint-Pierre, was known as the little Paris of the West Indies. Although the capital has changed, little else has altered the island’s French flair to disturb its status as little Paris. As an overseas department of France, you can imagine that gastronomy figures strong, in this case marrying French and Creole cuisines. Don’t be surprised to see your fried foie gras blended with exotic local fruits and vegetables like guava, sour sop, cassava, christophine, breadfruit, okra or plantain. Even the rum has been awarded the prestigious French label “appellation d’origine contrôlée,” previously reserved only for French cheeses and wines. So have a ti’ punch (derived from the French word petit) and let the culinary magic begin.
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