Linda A. Tancs's Blog: The Long and Short of It, page 40

Going the Distance in Türkiye

By Linda Tancs

Long-distance trekking opportunities abound in Türkiye. One of them, combining natural and archaeological sites, is the Pisidia Trail, a 217-mile waymarked route using the ancient name of the mountainous region located in the north of Antalya. The journey encompasses many of the ancient cities in the Pisidia region, such as Sagalassos, Termessos, Pisidia Antioch, Kremna, Adada, Selge, Pednelissos, Amblada, Anabura, Tymriada, Ariassos and Pityassus. At some points, the trail intersects the St. Paul Trail, the country’s second-longest trekking route. That trail passes entirely through Turkish countryside, so maybe a detour is in order. Lodging options include campsites and hostels. Now is a good time to go; avoid the hot summer months.

Courtside in London

By Linda Tancs

Close to a statue of Abraham Lincoln on Parliament Square, the Supreme Court is the final court of appeal in the UK for civil cases and for criminal cases from England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Housed in a neo-Gothic building (formerly Middlesex Guildhall), it’s open to guided tours each Friday. Highlights include the beautifully-appointed courtrooms and library. Visitors can also sit in on live hearings during the week.

The Castles of Lloret de Mar

By Linda Tancs

The popular tourist destination Lloret de Mar lies on the most southerly part of Costa Brava (wild coast), a coastal region of Catalonia in northeastern Spain that stretches to the French border. It dates back to the Middle Ages, but only one of its castles does. The medieval hilltop Castell de Sant Joan offers stunning views from the castle keep, the only part of the structure remaining, but the climb is steep. You can walk there from Fenals Beach. The other “castle,” Castell d’en Plaja, was built in 1935 for an industrial magnate and is not open to tourists. The grandiose fortress features in virtually every postcard from the area, though. You can gawk at it from the sandy beach of Sa Caleta.

*************

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 Blackfriar

By Linda Tancs

Built in 1875 on the site of a Dominican friary, The Blackfriar pub is set in a historic, Art Nouveau Grade II wedge-shaped building on Queen Victoria Street owing its survival to a group of conservationists. It features mosaics, ornamental balconies and the famous guardian black friar above the front door. You’ll enjoy the friezes of mottos or little jokes that give a glimpse into late 19th-century England as well.

Nashville of the North

By Linda Tancs

It might be best known as the hometown of pop/rock legends The Beatles, but Liverpool has had a long love affair with country-and-western music. Known by such monikers as “Nashville of the North” and the “Country Music Capital of England,” some credit the genre as the genesis of the Mersey Beat. Even Beatles drummer Ringo Starr reputedly took his stage name from the cowboy character Johnny Ringo. Liverpool’s musical history is so rich that it was designated a UNESCO City of Music in 2015. You can explore the city’s many musical influences (including African, Irish and reggae) year round at one of its music festivals.

The Little Green Huts

By Linda Tancs

A quirky part of London’s history are the little green huts that pop up in various parts of the capital. Known as cabmen’s shelters, they were established in 1875 for London’s cabbies as a place to rest and eat during the workday. Once numbering 61, the 13 remaining shelters are all Grade II-listed (protected) buildings. You’ll find them at locales like Wellington Place, Russell Square and Kensington Park Road. Nowadays even non-cabbies can order takeaway from a service window; hours vary at each shelter.

All About Puppets

By Linda Tancs

A museum for all ages, the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, Georgia, explores the art form from ancient times to the present. It features a global gallery showing how puppetry has been used to communicate across different cultures as well as the Jim Henson Gallery. There you’ll find some of the inventor and puppeteer’s most beloved characters, including Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and Big Bird. Rotating special exhibitions also take place throughout the year.

*************

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 Telephone Pole Farm

By Linda Tancs

A quirky yet iconic tourist attraction in Chester, New Jersey, the “telephone pole farm” on North Road hearkens back to the days when wooden telephone poles would be planted and tested for survival against the elements by comparing the effects of various chemical treatments. In this case, the outdoor laboratory site served one of the most famous research units in the world, Bell Labs. Today, the farm serves as a welcoming ambassador to the township’s Highlands Ridge Park, where you’ll find a portion of the Patriots’ Path, a multi-use trail system in Morris County.

The Red Sea Reef

By Linda Tancs

The Red Sea Reef is the largest coral reef in Africa and features hundreds of endemic species found nowhere else. It boasts over 220 species of corals accompanied by over 1,000 species of fish, 40 species of starfish, 150 species of crustaceans and 25 species of sea urchins. Egypt’s Ras Muhammad National Park protects a small portion of the reef, and it’s the go-to place for scuba divers and snorkelers to explore this amazing underwater resource. The park is located at the southernmost tip of the Sinai Peninsula.

Crossroad of Culture

By Linda Tancs

Designated by UNESCO as an area of Outstanding Universal Value, Samarkand is a city in Uzbekistan known for its mosques and mausoleums. Among the oldest, continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia, it’s along the Silk Road, the ancient trade route linking China to the Mediterranean. Registan Square is the symbol of the city’s history as a trade and cultural center as well as a stunning tourist attraction, boasting three ornately decorated madrassas surrounding the square on three sides. Another must-see site is the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum, a towering spectacle with an azure dome and beautiful tilework. It’s the burial place of the Mongol conqueror Timur (Tamerlane) and some of his descendants. Consider a guided sightseeing tour as English is not widely spoken.