Linda A. Tancs's Blog: The Long and Short of It, page 102

Bog Wild in Estonia

By Linda Tancs

The bog system of Endla Nature Reserve (the largest mire expanse in Central Estonia) provides a habitat for the white-tailed eagle, the golden eagle and the osprey. Located in Tooma village in Jõgevamaa, the expanse of over 25,000 acres also preserves the karsts of the southern slope of Pandivere Highlands. The marked trails range from over one to nearly 5 miles in length and provide an opportunity to get to know the forests, wooded meadows and bogs as well as to observe birds and learn about the local plants. Guide service is available in English and Estonian.

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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.

It’s a Small World in Tokyo

By Linda Tancs

Miniature villages are a dime a dozen, but Tokyo’s Small Worlds takes it to another level. For example, many of the miniatures are operational, like a rocket that lifts off and planes flying at Kansai Airport. There’s even an opportunity for visitors to place model figures of themselves in the area of their choice using 3D printers and scan technology. Billed as the world’s largest miniatures theme park, the 86,000-square-foot facility is uniquely immersive. It’s located in the Ariake district of Tokyo, a short walk from Ariake-Tennis-no-mori 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.

Serenity in Schiermonnikoog

By Linda Tancs

Car-free and carefree. Those might be the best attributes to describe Schiermonnikoog, the smallest inhabited island of the Dutch Wadden Sea islands. The entire locale is a national park, a place teeming with beaches, dunes, forests, tidal marshes, lakes and tidal flats along with hundreds of plant and bird species. It boasts the widest sandbar in Europe (the Rif) as well as the oldest house in the North Sea islands and a whale jaw over three feet high. It owes at least part of its tourism to Klozum, a costume festival that takes place on December 5 each year. You get there via ferry from the port of Lauwersoog in the Dutch province of Groningen.

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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.

Mountain of Dragons

By Linda Tancs

Drakensberg translates roughly to “mountain of dragons.” It’s one of South Africa’s most spectacular natural wonders, the highest mountain range in the country, reaching over 11,000 feet above sea level. Its peaks, favored by shutterbugs and trekkers alike, include Giant’s Castle, Cathedral Peak and Mont-Aux-Sources. For those seeking an easy day hike, try the Hlatikulu Forest Trail at the foot of the mountains and near the Mpofana River Valley. It boasts some stunning forested areas in some places as well as carpets of wildflowers (in season) in others.

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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.

Precious Paper

By Linda Tancs

William Morris ceiling paper was the height of fashion in 1881. It’s one of the many treasures at England’s Newark Park in Gloucestershire, near the village of Ozleworth, Wotton-under-Edge. In fact, it’s the same paper that’s used in the banqueting hall at St. James’s Palace in London. The Tudor hunting lodge-turned-private home is set in a spectacular estate at the southern end of the Cotswold escarpment with views looking down into the Ozleworth valley and to the Mendips beyond. Were it not for the restoration efforts of American architect Bob Parsons in the 70s, the house might’ve been lost to history. The fruits of his efforts led to many discoveries, like a giant Tudor fireplace and serving hatch. The basement also reveals three historical kitchens: Tudor, Georgian and Victorian. This “house of many eras” has only recently been opened to public viewing.

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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.

Submarine Art in France

By Linda Tancs

When thinking of a site for a digital art installation, a submarine base may not necessarily come to mind. But thanks to French museum operator Culturespaces, an immersive experience was created in four submarine bays on a former base in Bordeaux dating to World War II. Billed as the largest digital art center in the world, Les Bassins de Lumière puts the facility’s massive surface area to good use, projecting contemporary art onto the walls and into the water of the four enormous basins. Visits are conducted on gangways above the water and along the quays of the basins. The facility is easily accessible via a downtown tram and a short shuttle ride.

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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.

A Mangrove Sanctuary

By Linda Tancs

A mangrove is a tidal swamp ecosystem found in tropical deltas, estuaries, lagoons or islands. Mangroves protect shorelines from damaging storm and hurricane winds, waves and floods and also help prevent erosion by stabilizing sediments with their tangled root systems. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they provide sanctuary for bird and aquatic species. A new attraction in Abu Dhabi is Jubail Mangrove Park in Al Jubail Island. A short drive from the airport, it’s a sanctuary for bird and marine life native to the area. Its highlight is the boardwalk, comprising three routes totaling nearly 3 miles. The routes are posted with educational material and include a viewing tower, a floating platform with a net to view marine life, a beach tower for some toe-dipping (swimming is prohibited) and an area dedicated to the mangrove roots. High tide is the best time to visit.

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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.

Plums in Portugal

By Linda Tancs

A plum job takes on new meaning in Elvas, Portugal, site of a 100-year-old plum-processing factory. Still operating today, the facility is faithful to the age-old recipe for the region’s famous ameixas d’Elvas (preserved plums). There’s a museum on the premises, where visitors can observe the manufacturing process and learn about the city’s long history of plum production. Of course, the factory (formerly Frutas Doces and now known as Sereno & Fonseca) has goodies for sale in the gift shop.

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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.

A Grand Canyon in Argentina

By Linda Tancs

Argentina has many canyons that are grand. One of them is Atuel Canyon, in the heart of Mendoza Province. Formed millions of years ago from the winds and waters of the Atuel River, it’s a popular tourist attraction near San Rafael, offering activities like river rafting, hiking, climbing, horse riding and mountain biking. At the Valle Grande Dam riverside base you’ll find breathtaking views of the canyon as well as along the Atuel River, south of San Rafael and before Valle Grande Dam.

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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.

Rainbow Mountain

By Linda Tancs

If Matisse could’ve applied his color palette to an actual mountain, the result would likely resemble Peru’s Vinicunca Mountain. Also known as Rainbow Mountain or the Mountain of Seven Colors, these peaks in the Ausangate Mountain region of the Peruvian Andes offer an impressionistic portrait filled with turquoise, lavender, gold and other colors. You can thank the sediment and atmospheric conditions of the region for the rainbow-like appearance of this growing tourist attraction. A day trip from Cusco, there are plenty of bus tours offering treks, which is best done between March and November.

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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.