Linda A. Tancs's Blog: The Long and Short of It, page 4

Opera in the Amazon

By Linda Tancs

The Amazon Theatre (Teatro Amazonas) is an opera house located in Manaus in the heart of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Built at the height of the rubber industry, this jewel in the rainforest features a tiled mosaic dome in the colors of the Brazilian flag. It has a capacity of 701 seats and houses the Amazonas Philharmonic Orchestra. Located in front of Plaza San Sebastián, it also hosts the annual Amazonas Opera Festival. Guided tours, in English, are offered throughout the day.

The City of Three Cultures

By Linda Tancs

Toledo, Spain, has been dubbed “the city of the three cultures.” That’s because after the Islamic invasion tolerant overlords allowed the co-existence of Jewish and Christian neighborhoods. In the historic Jewish quarter, visit the well-preserved Synagogue of El Tránsito, where you’ll find one of the most striking examples of Spanish-Jewish art in existence. At Paseo de la Virgen de Gracia, you’ll come to the area of Toledo’s convents. A peaceful stroll yields convents of San Antonio, San Clemente and Agustinas Calzadas, to name a few. Keep walking until you find Bisagra Gate, a monumental stone gate flanked by two circular towers. Of Arab origin, it was rebuilt in the Renaissance style in the 16th century.

Barnard’s Silver Swan

By Linda Tancs

The Bowes Museum is an art gallery in the town of Barnard Castle, County Durham, in northern England. Opened in 1892, it was built to house the art collection of John Bowes and his wife Joséphine Benoîte Coffin-Chevallier. Not your average-looking gallery, it’s housed in a magnificent French-style château, boasting exhibitions of art, fashion and design. Its biggest boast may be the Silver Swan, an automaton dating from the 18th century acquired by John Bowes from a Parisian jeweler in 1872. The swan, which is life size, is a clockwork-driven device that includes a music box. It performs daily at 2 p.m. and additional times during holidays.

In the Footsteps of Mythology

By Linda Tancs

Cited by Homer in his epics, Mycenae is the kingdom of the mythical Agamemnon. About 86 miles from Athens, Greece, archaeological fragments indicate that the site of Mycenae was inhabited since around 7000 B.C. The sole surviving piece of Mycenaean sculpture is the Lion Gate. Near that you’ll find a collection of beehive tombs, referred to as “tholos” tombs in archaeological terms. Another characteristic of the area is the Cyclopean masonry, a type of stonework built with massive limestone boulders, used to build the city walls. Don’t miss this trip back into prehistory to see some of the oldest remains of one of the most complex civilizations in all of Europe.

Utah’s Most Scenic Drive

By Linda Tancs

Pure driving bliss. That’s what they call Scenic Byway 12 in Utah, a federally-designated All-American Road spanning 122 miles. Only one-third of America’s scenic byways get this distinction, granted to those roads that are tourist destinations unto themselves due to their unique features. Highway 12 has plenty of those, like the breathtaking views of Bryce Canyon National Park, the hair-raising ascent and descent of the Hogsback and the overall views at the road’s summit nearing 9,000 feet. The road is open year-round but wintry weather might make for a white-knuckle ride.

The Black Wine of Lot

By Linda Tancs

Cahors is a town on the Lot River in the Occitanie region of southern France. It’s well known for its Malbec wine with dark, inky hues that ancient Romans called “black wine.” You’ll find plenty of it at Cahors market, a Saturday staple at the foot of the magnificent Cathedral of Saint-Etienne where tourists and locals alike gather. In addition to the wine, exhibitors offer local Rocamadour cheese, pastis apple cake, walnuts, truffles, saffron and foie gras, among other things. 

Alberta’s Mountain Playground

By Linda Tancs

Away from the masses that visit Banff National Park, Canada’s Kananaskis Country is a mountain retreat beloved by locals. It includes five provincial parks, four wildland provincial parks, one ecological reserve and several provincial recreation areas. Not just for outdoorsy types, the vast expanse offers a luxury spa experience, cozy lodges and inspiring views requiring no more than a casual walk. The drive from Calgary’s western city limit takes about one hour via the Trans-Canada Highway #1.

Cape Cod’s Oldest Town

By Linda Tancs

Founded in 1637, Sandwich, Massachusetts, is Cape Cod’s oldest town. The historical assets of this coastal haven include the Town Hall Square, 1847 First Church, the 1654 mill (that still grinds corn) and the boardwalk. The town might be better known, though, for the vital role it played in American glass production in the 1800s. You can learn all about that at the Sandwich Glass Museum, which features a wide range of rare glass, including Victorian-era glass manufactured by the now defunct local Boston & Sandwich Glass Factory.

A Baroque Jewel in Austria

By Linda Tancs

Melk Abbey is more than just a monastery; it’s one of the most impressive Baroque ensembles north of the Alps and plays an important role in the history of early Austria. Since 1089, the Benedictine monks have been living and working in Melk Abbey in uninterrupted tradition. Saint Coloman (Austria’s first patron saint) is buried there, along with members of the Babenberg family, the country’s first rulers. The size of a small village, the abbey boasts 1,365 windows, 497 rooms and over 5 acres of roofage. A guided tour takes approximately 50 minutes and includes the museum rooms, the Marble Hall, the balcony and the library, which contains over 100,000 books. From April to October admission includes the abbey park with its Baroque pavilion as well.

Pilsen’s Golden Fountains

By Linda Tancs

Of medieval origin, Republic Square forms the very center of the Czech city of Pilsen. Not so medieval are its three gilded fountains. Fashioned to represent a greyhound, a camel and an angel, they represent motifs from the city’s coat of arms. You’ll find them near St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral, another landmark in the city.