Travelrific®
A blog for travel enthusiasts. Listen to our podcast at Travelrific® Radio, and visit our Wanderful Places® Travel Shop!Summer on the Coromandel
By Linda Tancs
They’re getting ready for summer in the Southern Hemisphere. From 20 November to 6 December comes the Pohutukawa Festival in New Zealand, timed to coincide with the flowering of the Pohutukawa trees. Taking place all around the Coromandel Peninsula (a mecca for vacationing New Zealanders), highlights include the Whangamata Jazz, Art and Blues Festival, celebrating the country’s jazz and blues musicians as well as contemporary artwork. Also occurring throughout the festival calendar on weekends are dive-related activities for everyone from the novice to the experienced. Better book now for the best accommodation. If hotels are sold out, don’t despair. You can always rent a camper.
New Hampshire
By Linda Tancs
New Hampshire’s tourism website says you’re going to love it there. Well, what’s not to love? It’s a place for all seasons, and the shopping is tax free. Learn more about the Granite State at Travelrific® Radio.
Past the Duchy
By Linda Tancs
Quiz: Which of the following is associated with Luxembourg? Tax-free banking or Villeroy & Boch? Both, actually. But there are other items of interest in this tiny country bordered by Belgium, France and Germany–the world’s only Grand Duchy (meaning its ruler is a Grand Duke). In fact, the tourism board lists six great reasons to visit, to wit: panoramic views at Chemin de la Corniche, a walk through the old quarters, wine tasting in the Moselle Valley, military history, Michelin dining and biking in the Ardennes region. Worried about getting around? Take the hop on, hop off bus. There’s also a miniature train from May to October. In short, something for everyone.
Celebrate Model Railroads in Chattanooga
By Linda Tancs
Did you know that November is National Model Railroad Month? What better place to celebrate than the Howell Day Museum of Model Railroading in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Dedicated in 2000, the museum is named for Howell Day, who proposed creating a museum entirely devoted to the history and technology of scale model railroading in 1995. There you’ll find a replica of his Lehigh Valley “Dorothy” inspection engine and the showcasing of various intricately-detailed exhibits.
Food and Fast Cars in Macau
By Linda Tancs
The lure of good food and fast cars isn’t lost on the organizers of November’s events in Macau. Beginning on 13 November, Macau launches its international food festival at Sai Van Lake Square. Highlights include delicacies zones comprising Asian, European and local cuisines. On 19 November, sports enthusiasts will gather for The Windsor Arch 56th Macau Grand Prix, headlined by the official FIA Formula 3 Intercontinental Cup. One of only a few locales authorized to carry the FIA World Championship title, many top drivers annually converge on Macau from around the world. The Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix, now in its 43rd year, is likewise considered one of the most challenging road races in the world.
Trail Mix
By Linda Tancs
Since 1920 the folks at the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference have been developing, protecting and educating the public regarding the myriad of hiking trails in the region–1700 miles of them, to be exact. With all that acreage, aren’t you glad that someone can help you find the trail that best suits you? Their Web site’s search function lets you find a hike based on difficulty (ranging from easy to moderate to strenuous) and the kinds of features you’re after (like good views, swimming or wheelchair accessibility). You can even volunteer to help build or maintain a trail or engage in fundraising. As the song goes, this land is your land. Mother Earth is counting on you.
Asian Art Biennial Celebrates Life and Art
By Linda Tancs
Oscar Wilde believed that the secret of life is in art. The Asian Art Biennial at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts is examining that interrelationship and its effect on shaping today’s Asia during the Viewpoints and Viewing Points exhibition from 24 October until 28 February. Fifty-six artists and teams from 20 Asian-Pacific countries have been invited to give their views on the current situations in Asia. What better place to start than with the diverse host locale of Taiwan, an island of multiple tribes, cuisines and religions. And now with the Neihu line connecting all of Taipei’s 12 administrative districts, you can explore the island’s largest city with ease.
Rugby Rules in Bermuda
By Linda Tancs
Rugby fans are heading for Bermuda for the 22nd World Rugby Classic. Now through the 14th, teams competing for the top spot hail from Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, the United Kingdom & Ireland, South Africa and the USA. While they’re there, they’ll help celebrate Bermuda’s 400th anniversary on 10 November at the National Sports Center. A few short weeks later comes the signature anniversary gala on 5 December at Fairmont Southampton. What you won’t find there during this festive season is Jack Frost–temps remain in the 60s and 70s. So put your dancing shoes on and come join the party.
How Now Brown Cow
By Linda Tancs
Cheese aficionados, take note. If the process of cheesemaking is as interesting to you as the taste, then take a lesson or two at Shelburne Farms, a 123-acre estate in Vermont. Home of the Brown Swiss, a breed known for its high milk fat content, guests can pull an udder or two beside an accomplished milkmaid and immerse themselves in farm life, not to mention history. After all, cheddar’s origins in Cheddar, England date back to the 12th century. West of Bennington and part of the Vermont Cheese Trail, the inn on the farm offers 24 rooms with luxe accommodations (and a price to match). Are these green acres the place for you? Get moo-ving and find out.
Outback Railway 80 Years On
By Linda Tancs
Named for the Afghan camel drivers who once explored its unchartered territory, Australia’s famed railway, The Ghan, celebrates 80 years of service this year. Led by its fire engine red locomotive, the train traverses the breaktaking landscape framing Australia’s Outback. Originally routed for Adelaide to Alice Springs, the journey now includes a Darwin extension. City slickers need not worry. Connections to the legendary railway are available on Indian Pacific and The Overland for guests travelling to or from Sydney and Melbourne. All aboard!
