Linda A. Tancs's Blog: The Long and Short of It, page 60

A Little Zing and Spark

By Linda Tancs

Touted as the largest light show in the country, Amaze Light Festival is an interactive adventure through five holiday-themed worlds guided by storybook characters Zing and Sparky. Guests visit sites like the North Pole, a Land of Sweets and a Whimsical Forest, immersed in a million twinkling lights. The event is returning to Chicago (Odyssey Fun World in Tinley Park) and has expanded to New York City’s Citi Field baseball park. Give yourself at least two hours to enjoy the festivities.

The Jewel of Ormond Beach

By Linda Tancs

Designated a Florida Heritage Site and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Casements was the summer home of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller Sr. Located in Ormond Beach and lauded as its jewel, the property is named for the large, hand-cut casement windows that adorn the mansion. Christmas was a particularly festive time of year for Rockefeller, when he entertained friends like Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone. Holiday festivities continue today with The Casements Guild, whose volunteers guide visitors through the manor as docents.

Capital of Christmas

By Linda Tancs

The magic of Christmas is in full swing in Strasbourg, France. It’s recognized as having one of the best Christmas market destinations in Europe, spread across more than 10 sites within the Grande Île district. Known affectionately as the Capital of Christmas, its market (Christkindelsmärik) was established in 1570 and is one of the oldest in Europe. The whole city is festooned in Christmas cheer, featuring the Great Christmas Tree over Place Kléber, where a sound and light show takes place on the hour in the evening. Lights are everywhere, like the promenade of stars lining the walk from Pont du Corbeau up to Pont Saint-Guillaume. Getting there is easy; there are over 20 daily trains between Paris and Strasbourg alone.

France’s Sea of Ice

By Linda Tancs

One of the biggest attractions in France’s Chamonix Valley, Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) is the country’s largest glacier, measuring over 4 miles long. The best way to get to it is to take the little red train from Chamonix (site of the first Winter Olympic games) to Montenvers. One of only a handful of rack-and-pinion railways in France, the train climbs a steep track to around 7,000 feet, reaching a stunning vantage point above the glacier. From there you take a cable car to a point near the glacier, which leads to over 400 steps and some ramps into a man-made ice grotto. That may sound like a lot of work to see an ice cave, but you’ll be rewarded with ice sculptures lit in a colorful, otherworldly fashion. You can also view an exhibition of beautiful mountain crystals found in the region.

Christmas Underground

By Linda Tancs

You might think that if you’ve seen one Christmas market in Europe, then you’ve seen them all. If so, then you probably haven’t been to Valkenburg in the Netherlands. In addition to its overground festivities, the town offers underground enchantment in its marlstone caves with stalls, lights and almost 100 feet of miniature villages. Wrapped in Christmas spirit from top to bottom (literally), the city styles itself Christmas Town. You can experience the fun from mid-November to early January. If you visit on a weekday, then you’ll experience less crowding.

Brown Bluff

By Linda Tancs

A tuya is a flat-topped, steep-sided volcano formed when lava erupts through a thick glacier or ice sheet. A spectacular example of this rarity is 2,500-foot-high Brown Bluff on the Tabarin Peninsula in Antarctica, named for its brown/black slopes. Conditions permitting, you can venture there via many cruises in the region. The star attraction is the penguin population, particularly Adélie penguins (20,000 or so pairs) and gentoo penguins (around 550 pairs), who converge for breeding this time of year.

White Gold in Fulda

By Linda Tancs

Originating in the town of Fulda, Germany, in 1740, the porcelain factory became known for gilding and low-fired colors in the production of items like figurines and tableware. Popularly referred to as “white gold,” a permanent collection of this prized porcelain is on display on the ground floor of the north wing of Fasanerie Palace, which boasts the kind of treasures you would usually expect to see only in a museum dedicated to porcelain and ceramics. The castle is also renowned for its antiquity collection, considered one of the finest private collections in Germany. Its gems include the marble portrait of Caligula (considered his best surviving image) and an Attic vase over 2,400 years old that is frequently mentioned in archaeological journals and pictured in numerous school textbooks. A guided tour of the porcelain collection is available at appointed times daily; you can also take a more comprehensive tour of the palace throughout the day. The castle, surrounded by baroque gardens, is located about 4 miles outside the city center of Fulda.

Zigzag in Oregon

By Linda Tancs

Named for the switchbacks early settlers used to traverse its river canyon, Zigzag, Oregon, sits right in the middle of Mt. Hood National Forest along the Mt. Hood Scenic Byway. It’s regarded by many as a gateway to this million-acre playground of forested mountains, creeks, alpine lakes and lush wildflower meadows, boasting plenty of campsites and trailheads. And, of course, the icing on the cake is glacier-topped Mt. Hood, the highest point and mountain peak in the state. Visit the U.S. Forest Service office on OR-35 for trail maps, recreation passes and forest product permits.

A Fortress in Oslo

By Linda Tancs

Akershus Castle in Oslo, Norway, was originally a military stronghold built in the late 13th century by King Haakon V. Once a royal palace, it survived many a siege during the Middle Ages and even served as a prison for part of its history. Far from a relic, this medieval gem along the city’s waterfront hosts two museums: the Norwegian Resistance Museum covering German occupation during World War II and the Armed Forces Museum covering military history dating from the Viking Age. Although the museums charge admission, entry to the fortress area is free.

Painting the Sky

By Linda Tancs

Legend has it that the gods dipped their paint brushes into Costa Rica’s Rio Celeste (Blue River) while painting the sky. The river gets its amazing blue hue from sulfur emitted from volcanic activity courtesy of Tenorio Volcano, which lends its name to Tenorio Volcano National Park. Located in northern Costa Rica, it’s one of the country’s youngest national parks, prized not only for the volcano but also for Rio Celeste waterfall. You’ll find an abundance of natural hot springs, along with mud pots and a beautiful cloud forest at the summit of the volcano. A trek through the entire park will take four or five hours.