Linda A. Tancs's Blog: The Long and Short of It, page 93

Old Vines in New York

By Linda Tancs

Benmarl Winery is America’s oldest vineyard and the owner of the very first New York Farm Winery license. Located in Marlboro (about 70 miles north of New York City), the 37-acre estate overlooks the Hudson River. In 300 years, only four different families have owned the winery property; its first grapes were planted there in the 1700s. In addition to estate wines (including some of the country’s oldest vines of Baco Noir), they source from Seneca Lake and the north fork of Long Island. Enjoy the stunning views of the Hudson River Valley.

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

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.

Top Vines in Canada

By Linda Tancs

In addition to being one of the warmest regions in Canada, the Okanagan Valley region of British Columbia sports wineries seemingly around every corner. One of its many wine trails is The Scenic Sip, so named for the lakes (Okanagan, Wood and Kalamalka) ringing its route that provide a stunning backdrop. Okanagan is particularly impressive, considering that some areas have up to 2,460 feet of glacial and post-glacial sediment fill which were deposited during the Pleistocene Epoch. Consider pairing your wine with a little lakeside relaxation.

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

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.

France’s Opulent Bunker

By Linda Tancs

Arguably, the most interesting aspect of Château de Brézé in France’s Loire Valley is what’s beneath your feet. That’s because the castle boasts an underground fortress opulent enough to function as the main house, which is why it’s referred to as a castle under a castle. The vast, limestone-hollowed tunnels include a kitchen, a stable, a drawbridge and wine-making rooms. Dating from the Middle Ages, the bunker was likely built to protect its owners against marauders. Less than a mile of this labyrinth is accessible to visitors. Of course, the tasteful apartments of the castle proper are not to be missed. Also be sure to check out the dry moats, the deepest in Europe at around 60 feet!

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

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.

Dinosaur Trees in Australia

By Linda Tancs

Just a couple of hours northwest of Sydney is Wollemi National Park, a national park and wilderness area in Australia. Bushwalking is a popular activity thanks to the pristine, rugged wilderness met with pagoda rock formations, sandstone escarpments and deep gorges, among other things. In fact, one of the most fascinating discoveries of all time, the last surviving grove of Wollemi pine, occurred in 1994 during a bushwalking expedition in the deep gorges. Once thought to be extinct, its link to the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods puts it squarely in the backyard of the dinosaurs, who no doubt looked to the trees as a food source. Despite this discovery, the scarcity of the tree makes it highly endangered, and its location in the park is a closely-guarded secret. No worries, though. There’s enough extraordinary landscape to keep you occupied, and the softer light of autumn provides a great backdrop for outstanding photography.

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

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.

Stewards of Mount Rainier

By Linda Tancs

Washington’s Mount Rainier stands sentinel over the landscape at 14,410 feet. It’s not only an active volcano but also the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S., spawning five major rivers. The Cowlitz, Muckleshoot, Nisqually, Puyallup, Squaxin Island and Yakama people are the original stewards of the land, with archaeological evidence tracing Native use of the area back 9,000 years. Now a bustling national park, 97% of its area has been designated as wilderness by Congress. Stretching for 378 square miles, the park has five developed areas, with three visitor centers, a museum and several wilderness and climbing centers and ranger stations. Its features include subalpine meadows, the temperate rainforest environment at Carbon River and Mowich Lake, the largest and deepest lake in the park. Wherever you roam, take advantage of the numerous day hikes offered along 260 miles of maintained trails.

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

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.

Myth and Legend at Kylemore Abbey

By Linda Tancs

Kylemore Abbey is a Benedictine monastery founded in 1920 on the grounds of Kylemore Castle, in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. The abbey was founded for Benedictine nuns who fled Belgium during World War I. Legend has it that a giant living in mountains adjacent to the abbey threw a giant stone at his rival in the valley. The stone landed in an unusual position in the estate, where it remains today. Known as the Giant Ironing Stone (due to its resemblance to an iron used for clothes), it’s a popular wishing stone for visiting children, who also enjoy the pigs and Connemara ponies. The 1,000-acre site also features a six-acre Victorian walled garden as well as a lakeshore walk that will lead you to a neo-Gothic church that is now used for music recitals and poetry readings.

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

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 Figure of Eight in Italy

By Linda Tancs

Castel del Monte in southern Italy strikes a perfect octagonal shape. That’s part of what makes it unique, an octagonal plan with octagonal towers at each angle. Commissioned around 1240 by German Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, this fortress on a hill is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lauded for its harmonious blending of cultural elements from northern Europe, the Muslim world and classical antiquity, its exterior limestone block is remarkably intact. Located in Andria near Bari, you can easily reach it by bus, train or car.

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

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.

199 Steps and a Chair

By Linda Tancs

You’ll just need to climb a mere 199 stone steps to get fetching views of the harbor and town of Whitby in North Yorkshire, England. If that’s too arduous for you, then take the bus tour instead. No matter how you ascend, you’ll also get to visit the ruins of the Benedictine abbey that was founded after the Norman Conquest. A bit more off-the-beaten path is the abbey’s medieval, mile boundary marker. Known as the Whitby wishing chair, the seat-like stone base structure is all that remains of a cross marking the way to the abbey. As the name suggests, you’re supposed to sit in it and make a wish. You’ll find it at the junction of Love Lane and Stakesby Road on the western outskirts of town.

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

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.

Japan’s Wisteria Tunnel

By Linda Tancs

Arguably one of the most beautiful parks in Japan, Kawachi Wisteria Garden is awash this time of year in, you guessed it, wisteria. An overwhelming 22 kinds of wisteria flowers will be in bloom, forming a kaleidoscopic tunnel measuring 262 feet. The park is located in Kitakyushu, six hours outside of Tokyo.

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

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.

Romanticism in Portugal

By Linda Tancs

The Palacio Nacional da Pena (Pena Palace) in Portugal is regarded as the country’s greatest example of Romanticism, an umbrella term that covers many of the European 19th-century “revivalist” and Eastern-influenced styles. In this case, it mimics Romanesque Revival and Neo-Manueline architecture. The imposing, colorful castle is perched on the top of a hill in the Sintra Mountains above the town of Sintra. They say that on a clear day you can see it from Lisbon. Don’t let that stop you from taking a closer look. The gardens are likewise stunning, filled with walking paths, pavilions, lakes, ponds and exotic trees.

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

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.