Linda A. Tancs's Blog: The Long and Short of It, page 37

A Belgian Beach Gem

By Linda Tancs

Close to the French border, De Panne is a Belgian town on the North Sea known for its beach. You won’t be swimming there this time of year, but you’ll have peace and quiet to enjoy the wide and clean sandy beach, arguably one of the best in Europe. The area features the Dumont Quarter, a series of 19-century summer houses built in the dunes that resemble English cottages. The summit of Kykhill Dune Park offers views of the historic quarter as well as the sea.

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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045. 

Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.

The Straw Bear of Whittlesea

By Linda Tancs

In the market town of Whittlesea (or Whittlesey), England, don’t be surprised to see a straw bear paraded through the streets. The custom dates back to the 1880s, when the Tuesday following Plough Monday (the first Monday after Twelfth Night) would be marked by getting one of the members of the plough to dress in straw. Once in decline, the tradition is alive and well thanks to the Whittlesea Society. The procession these days includes over 250 dancers, musicians and performers accompanying the straw bear and a decorated plough, making its way up Market Street. This year’s Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival takes place from January 12 to January 14. The bear appears on Saturday.

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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045. 

Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.

A Cowboy Hall of Fame

By Linda Tancs

Featuring permanent and traveling western cultural exhibits, the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame in Medora preserves and upholds the historic and modern western lifestyle. You’ll learn about the experiences of the state’s Native Americans, homesteaders, ranchers and world-class rodeo cowboys through theater, galleries, interpretive areas, artifacts and memorabilia. A centerpiece of the facility is the Hall of Honorees, paying tribute to the men, women, events and livestock that made extraordinary contributions to North Dakota’s western heritage and culture.

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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045. 

Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.

A Taste of Sweden in Kansas

By Linda Tancs

Dubbed “Little Sweden,” Lindsborg, Kansas, is a small town with a Scandinavian flair abounding in Swedish food, festivals, crafts and traditions. Retaining a strong immigrant population, it was originally settled in the spring of 1869 by a group of Swedish immigrants from the Värmland province led by Pastor Olof Olsson. Highlights include the Välkommen (Welcome) Trail, a 3.25-mile, all-weather bicycle and pedestrian trail created from the abandoned Missouri-Pacific and Union Pacific rail beds. You can also take a self-guided tour of the historic properties in the city, featuring Italianate, Neoclassical and Queen Anne architectural styles. And you can’t help but notice the colorful Dala horses all around town. Emblematic of the city, the Dala horse is a traditional carved, painted wooden statue of a horse originating in the Swedish province of Dalarna.

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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045. 

Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer.

Front Stoops in Baltimore

By Linda Tancs

The Canton Historic District in Baltimore, Maryland, is one of the largest historic districts in Baltimore at over 100 blocks. It’s known for, among other things, its 19th and early 20th-century row houses. In fact, Baltimore has more row houses than any other U.S. city. These narrow dwellings are characterized by their front “stoops” (steps) instead of porches. Many of these steps are composed of marble from a local quarry, which in turn supplied the marble to build structures in Washington, D.C., like the Washington Monument.

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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045. 

Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.

A Chapel of Ease in New York City

By Linda Tancs

Built in 1766, St. Paul’s Chapel, located at Broadway and Fulton Street, is part of the Parish of Trinity Church Wall Street in New York City. It was known as a “chapel-of-ease” for those who did not want to walk a few blocks south along unpaved streets to Trinity Church. Its famous worshippers include George Washington, who made his way there after taking the oath of office to become the first president of the United States. His pew remains in the church.

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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045. 

Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.

A Sporting Attitude in New Jersey

By Linda Tancs

Yogi Berra is an icon in American baseball history. Celebrated as much for his career statistics as for his malapropisms, his dedication to education, sports and community informs the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center. Located on the campus of Montclair State University in New Jersey, the 8,200-square-foot facility features permanent and rotating exhibitions telling the unique story of Yogi and explores history, culture, science and society within the larger context of baseball and sports.

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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045. 

Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.

The Home That a Soft Drink Built

By Linda Tancs

Walter Bellingrath was one of the first Coca-Cola bottlers in the Southeast. He used his vast wealth from that endeavor to build a grand estate in Theodore, Alabama. The result is Bellingrath Gardens & Home, a 65-acre public garden and historic home of Walter and Bessie Bellingrath located on the Fowl River near Mobile. The 15-room home (dubbed by the architect as “English Renaissance”) was built using bricks dating to 1853 and ironwork from the 1870s salvaged from historic structures in Mobile and remains completely furnished with antiques collected by Mrs. Bellingrath. Allow at least two hours to tour the expansive gardens, a centerpiece of which is the Great Lawn. Guided tours of the home are available daily.

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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045. 

Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.

Capitals of Culture in 2024

By Linda Tancs

In keeping with tradition, we begin the New Year with an announcement on the European Capitals of Culture for 2024: Bodø (in Norway), Bad Ischl (in Austria) and Tartu (in Estonia). Bodø has the distinction of being the first city located north of the Arctic Circle to hold the title. In February, a spectacular opening show in Bodø harbor will kick off the year’s events. Bad Ischl is in the Salzkammergut region of Austria, the first time this inner-Alpine area has held the title. “Arts of Survival” is the theme for Tartu’s banner year, the four pillars of which will be uniqueness, sustainability, awareness and co-creation.

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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045. 

Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.

Planting Fields on Long Island

By Linda Tancs

Located in Oyster Bay, New York, Planting Fields is one of only a few surviving estates on Long Island. It includes Coe Hall, a 65-room Tudor Revival mansion purchased in 1913 by English immigrant William Robertson Coe and Mai Rogers Coe, heiress and daughter of Standard Oil partner Henry Huttleston Rogers. Guided tours provide visits to select rooms on the first and second floors; self-guided tours are also available, with docents available for questions throughout the manor. Equally as stunning are the gardens designed by the Olmsted Brothers Firm (sons of the famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of New York’s Central Park). Maintaining its original 409 acres, the garden complex includes an Italian garden, cloister garden and circular pool, rose garden and perennial garden together with two greenhouses.