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
Spinach Capital Hosts Festival
By Linda Tancs
Popeye, the fictional sailor of comic strip and other media fame, certainly made spinach look cool when he sang “I’m strong to the finich cause I eats me spinach.” The folks in Lenexa, Kansas would no doubt agree with that sentiment. Part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the city once dubbed the “spinach capital of the world” pays homage to this super green with a super-sized salad and a recipe contest. This year’s Spinach Festival takes place on 10 September from 9 to 5 at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park. Not into greens, you say? No worries. The annual event is equal parts art, crafts and antiques, from stained glass to puzzle boxes to copper tree art.
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Scotsman Soars from Edinburgh to London
By Linda Tancs
The Flying Scotsman is arguably the world’s best known steam locomotive, having dutifully plied the route between London and Edinburgh for decades. Purchased for the nation, it found a home at the National Railway Museum where it is undergoing restoration to full mainline running condition. In the meanwhile, what’s a busy traveler between Edinburgh and London to do? East Coast has the answer. In May, the train operator introduced a Flying Scotsman express service, a four-hour jaunt calling only at Newcastle in its route between Edinburgh and London’s King’s Cross station. The new service is the cream of the puff, you might say. Other improvements include a new early-morning service from Berwick-upon-Tweed, Alnmouth and Morpeth, which connects into the Flying Scotsman service at Newcastle.
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Palming Off in Spain
By Linda Tancs
Palm trees are typically symbolic of tropical vacations but are also of historical significance, representating victory, peace or fertility in various cultures. What better place to contemplate the ancient origins of this popular plant than at Palmeral of Elche, Europe’s largest palm grove in the Spanish province of Alicante. Just 20 minutes from Alicante’s main rail station, the maze of old (200 to 300 years old) and young palms is easily navigable thanks to circles in the pavement telling visitors which way to walk. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, cultivation of palms in Elche can be traced back to the 5th century B.C.; the grove’s elaborate irrigation system dates back to the 10th century Moorish roots of its host locale.
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Meet the Wing King in Buffalo
By Linda Tancs
At least 33 tons of crispy, delicious buffalo wings will be served this weekend at the National Buffalo Wing Festival in–where else–Buffalo, New York. Each Labor Day weekend, tens of thousands of people travel across the country to downtown Coca Cola Park in celebration of Buffalo’s signature dish. It’s there you might also pay tribute to the Wing King, Drew Cerza, the event’s founder. Do you have a favorite restaurant or sauce? Nominate them for the Hall of Flame, and give them something to cluck about.
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A Golden Nugget in Nevada
By Linda Tancs
There’s more than one golden nugget in Nevada worth a visit. Just eight hours from the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas is the Nugget Rib Cook-Off in Sparks, a family friendly barbeque boasting a rib-eating tournament drawing the world’s most competitive chowhounds. Now through 5 September, this annual event claiming over 500,000 visitors features one of the largest arts and crafts fairs in Northern Nevada. The tournament is tonight at 6 p.m.; don’t worry, there will be plenty of ribs left to feast on at Rib Village, a VIP area offering unlimited ribs and drinks for up to 10 people per party.
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Vacation Rentals Just a Click Away
By Linda Tancs
Wyndham Rentals offers 90,000 vacation properties in 500 destinations through its extensive network of rental agencies. Looking for a detached bungalow in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria or the Czech Republic? How about a beachfront condo, ski-in/ski-out townhome or golf villa in North America? Is camping–or glamping–your passion? Chances are, they’ve got you covered.
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Viking Adds More Luxury for 2012
By Linda Tancs
Next year you can experience even more style on your European river cruise: Viking is adding two new Longships, Embla and Aegir, and with them comes a whole new world of luxury cruising. Like full-size staterooms combined with full-size verandas, large suites with a veranda outside the living room and French balcony in the bedroom, and two Explorer Suites with private wraparound verandas and 270° views. Aquavit, anyone? You can sample that on the terrace by the same name, an indoor/outdoor area at the bow of the ship for viewing, relaxing and casual dining.
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Doll Auction in Seattle
By Linda Tancs
A gorgeous French doll is waiting for you on 28 August in Seattle. Now, don’t get the wrong idea; this doll is of the collectible variety, along with a collection of dolls from Chicago and Germany forming the nucleus of this year’s doll auction at the Westin Bellevue. The collection includes early bisque dolls with sculpted hair, rare porcelain dolls, early wooden and cloth dolls, Kewpie dolls, miniature dolls, life-sized dolls, Teddy bears and a host of curiosities. Just a few blocks away is the Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art, a treasure trove of rare dolls that is shutting down as of 1 March 2012. Here’s your chance to get all dolled up.
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The Ultimate Reading Room
By Linda Tancs
Bibliophiles, take note. Would you like to view the only surviving copy of Benjamin Franklin’s first Poor Richard Almanack? How about the manuscript of James Joyce’s Ulysses or Bram Stoker’s notes for Dracula? These collections and more await you at the Rosenbach Museum and Library. Founded in 1954 through a testamentary gift by renowned book dealers Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach and his brother Philip, the facility is located at their 1865 historic townhouse on Delancey Place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The brothers played a central role in the development of private libraries that later became our nation’s most important public collections of rare books. The collection has since grown to include the papers of poet Marianne Moore and the drawings of Maurice Sendak. A guided tour includes Dr. Rosenbach’s rare book library, Philip Rosenbach’s fine and decorative art collections, and the recreation of modernist poet Marianne Moore’s Greenwich Village living room. As the Rosenbach is a historic house museum and research library, make an appointment with the librarian to view items from their collections.
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Perfection Evolves at Celebrity Cruises
By Linda Tancs
Celebrity Cruises made clear that it doesn’t want you thinking of its ships as a concrete and steel jungle when it inaugurated a real grass lawn aboard Solstice. With the recent unveiling of Silhouette, they’ve taken the concept of the great outdoors a step further. Like outdoor grilling in the new, interactive Lawn Club Grill. You can also rent a cabana on the lawn for a private retreat, or take art lessons from resident experts. Sailing to the Caribbean and Europe in modern luxury, the fourth ship in the Solstice class also offers sweeping veranda views in 85% of her staterooms, or take in the sights from the observation lounge. Now you’ll always have a room with a view.
