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
The Grand Canyon of Europe
By Linda Tancs
If you prefer your deep river canyon to have a hint of that je ne sais quoi, then you’ll find it at Verdon Gorge, France’s version of the Grand Canyon. Straddling the departments of Var and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence for 15 miles, the majestic cliffs are the result of the erosion of the Verdon River. Europe’s biggest canyon, its summertime appeal with the locals is owing in no small part to the wealth of activities that beckon from its cliffs, trails and waterways–like aqua trekking, hiking, biking, climbing, paragliding and horseback riding. Those lavender fields and cheese plates will just have to wait.
Share this:
Top Guns in the UK
By Linda Tancs
Royal Armouries is the United Kingdom’s National Museum of Arms and Armour, including artillery. The artillery–Big Guns, as they say–range from pre-gunpowder siege machines to modern-day super guns. They’re located at Fort Nelson, an historic monument strategically positioned atop Portsdown Hill, with panoramic views across the Meon Valley and Portsmouth Harbour. The Leeds branch has over 8,500 objects on display in five galleries: War; Tournament; Oriental; Self Defense and Hunting. And at the Tower of London’s White Tower is a dazzling display of 500 years of spectacular royal armour, including the imposing steel skirts and military codpiece of Henry VIII. The most surprising thing about the museum is its fourth location: Louisville, Kentucky. Thanks to a collaboration with The Frazier History Museum, Royal Armouries opened an exhibit on the museum’s third floor in 2004 to present a history of the British Isles, from 1066 to the early 1900s, through the use of multimedia displays and artifacts. This marks the first time a UK national museum has opened a branch in the United States.
Share this:
A Natural Wonder in the Philippines
By Linda Tancs
Reputedly the world’s longest underground river, Puerto Princesa on Palawan Island in the Philippines winds its way through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. A clear lagoon meets the cave’s mouth, surrounded by ancient trees dominated by monkeys, monitor lizards and squirrels. The navigable river is one of seven new natural wonders of the world. And to that the locals say Mabuhay!
Share this:
Ohio’s Crooked River
By Linda Tancs
The Cuyahoga River flows north and south, meandering along the way through Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the only national park in Ohio. The river’s trajectory prompted the Native Americans to name it Cuyahoga, or crooked river. The 65-foot Brandywine Falls are a major attraction, but don’t forget about its other charms, like the visitor center at the canal lock, the Everett Road Covered Bridge (evocative of The Bridges of Madison County), the towpath trail, the grist mill, or Beaver Marsh. That’s a lot of ground to cover. If you’re short on time, take the scenic rail ride through the heart of the park. Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad operates regular excursions and special excursions from Rockside Station in Independence to Akron Northside Station and from Canton Lincoln Highway Station to Akron Northside Station. It’s one of the oldest, longest and most scenic train rides in the country. Buy your tickets now for the 40th anniversary celebration on 8 September.
Share this:
Asheboro’s Jurassic Park
By Linda Tancs
Dinosaur aficionados, take note. The North Carolina Zoo is offering a full complement of animatronic dinosaurs as part of a special exhibit running through October 2012. Now is your chance to experience Brachiosaurus, T-Rex, Dilophosaurus, Triceratops, Therizinosaurus and other amazing life-like dinosaurs in a deep forest full of ancient plants. For the best value, get the Combo Pass, which also includes admission to the Dino 4-D Theatre.
Share this:
Home On the Range
By Linda Tancs
This Saturday is National Day of the Cowboy, a day to celebrate pioneer heritage and cowboy culture. What better place to observe the day than Wild West City, a western heritage theme park in Netcong, New Jersey about an hour’s drive from New York City. The park’s faithful reproduction of period buildings circa 1880, along with the stagecoach and gold panning, will have you pining for the days of chuckwagons and the Pony Express. Your American frontier awaits.
Share this:
Linking Greensboro With the World
By Linda Tancs
It’s only been two years since the International Civil Rights Center & Museum opened in Greensboro, North Carolina, but ICRCM has already garnered a stellar reputation for promoting an understanding of the struggles for social justice and equality in the United States and around the world. Visitors experience some of America’s landmark events, including the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Selma to Montgomery March, Freedom Summer, the Poor People’s Campaign and the March on Washington. Even the original Woolworth lunch counter is on display, memorializing the six-month long effort that successfully integrated the lunch counter in Greensboro during 1960. The counter retains its original footprint as the 1929 Woolworth building was preserved from demolition to act as an archival facility, housing the museum complex.
Share this:
A Tour of the Universe
By Linda Tancs
Seventy-five miles east of Rapid City, South Dakota lies Badlands National Park, a treasure in the southwest part of the state consisting of 244,000 mixed acres of badlands formations and prairie. The fossil beds are a big draw, a protected resource and the largest assemblage of known late Eocene and Oligocene mammal fossils. But don’t spend all your time looking down at paleontologic wonders. Now’s the time to look up. During the summer from Friday to Monday nights, the park offers The Night Sky Program at the Cedar Pass Campground Amphitheater. Join a park ranger for a Tour of the Universe, punctuated by telescopic viewings of more than 7,500 stars in the night sky, including the Milky Way, star clusters, nebulae, planets and moons. Visitors are also treated to fly-overs by numerous satellites. Your cosmos awaits.
Share this:
Gateway to the Pines
By Linda Tancs
The small township of Tabernacle, New Jersey, bills itself as the Gateway to the Pines, referring to the Pine Barrens, an expanse of coastal plain in the southern part of the state. That said, there’s more to the Pine Barrens (or Pinelands) than pines (namely, Pitch Pine and Shortleaf Pine). You’ll find Sassafras, Sour Gum, Atlantic White Cedar and Gray Birch, just to name a few. Did you know that wild orchids and carnivorous plants thrive there? The area offers bicycling, kayaking, walking, hiking camping, and ghost towns. Now through July 28 you can celebrate the magic of the Pinelands at the annual Pinelands Festival at Church of the Holy Eucharist. While you’re in the area, be sure to stop by the Pinelands Visitors Center in Southampton for maps and information on the people, life and culture of this ecological gem.
Share this:
Vacation Deal of the Week
By Linda Tancs
Book two 2012 Summertime voyages back-to-back on American Queen Steamboat Co. and receive 50% off the second voyage of equal or lesser value. The offer is good on all voyages now through August 30, 2012 when you book by July 31, 2012. Contact me at Wanderful Cruises for suggestions on excursions!
Travelrific® Travel Journal 