Linda A. Tancs's Blog: The Long and Short of It, page 98

A Rear View in Samoa

By Linda Tancs

You’ve heard the expression “location, location, location.” Well, imagine a backyard view that includes a spectacular waterfall. That’s the prize for one lucky homeowner in Samoa who gets to boast of stunning views of Sopoaga Falls. As the lookout is on private property, there’s a small admission fee to view one of the island nation’s most prized natural resources. Along the way you’ll be enchanted by a lush garden landscape and a coconut husking demonstration.

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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.

The City With Four Names

By Linda Tancs

You might think that Sucre, Bolivia, suffers from an identity crisis, considering that it’s known as “The City With Four Names.” But the reason for its name changes is rooted in history. The area was originally named Charcas after the indigenous inhabitants. Later, its Spanish conquerors named it La Plata (silver) in recognition of the rich natural resources there. When the Spanish later took control over Buenos Aires using a similar designation, the name was changed again to Chuquisaca, a version of the original indigenous Charcas settlement of Choquechaca. Unrest over economic conditions imposed by the governing forces resulted in an independence movement famously led by Antonio José de Sucre. The city was renamed in his honor. Casa de la Libertad is where, in 1825, the republic was created with the signing of the Bolivian declaration of independence and is one of the most important museums in the city.

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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.

England’s Greatest Snowdrop Garden

By Linda Tancs

Snowdrops, generally appearing in February and March, are one of the first spring flowers to bloom, often while snow is still on the ground in some regions. In the heart of England’s Cotswolds, Colesbourne Park is heralded as the premier garden to see them. Open on select days each February, the gardens comprise approximately 10 acres of formal snowdrop walks. The trails are situated around an estate originally owned in 1789 by John Elwes, son of the celebrated miser John Elwes, reputedly one of the models for the character of Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

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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.

Royalty at Saranac Lake

By Linda Tancs

Some people get treated like royalty at the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival in New York. That’s because every year a town committee chooses a king and queen from among the village’s worthy residents to preside at the Ice Palace. Unlike other royal residences, you don’t need a special invitation to visit. The palace, located on River Street, is open to the public. The carnival, which also features torchlight skiing and fireworks, takes place from February 5-14 this year.

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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.

Winging It on Cres

By Linda Tancs

The Eurasian griffon vulture is one of Europe’s largest birds, sporting a wingspan anywhere from over seven feet to nearly 10 feet. It’s one of the prized features of Cres, a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea. You’ll find them nesting in the cliffs near the village of Beli, one of the oldest places on the island. The main resort is Cres Town, where the Venetian Tower serves as a reminder of Venetian rule in the 16th century. Ferry service to the island is available via Krk or Istria.

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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.

Art in Zimbabwe

By Linda Tancs

The National Gallery of Zimbabwe is a gallery in Harare (and other locations) dedicated to the presentation and conservation of Zimbabwe’s contemporary art and visual heritage. Part of that heritage is Shona sculpture, an ancient, stone-working tradition that has emerged as a contemporary artistic movement. It takes its name from the Shona tribe, a collective of similar groups of people who are the largest in Zimbabwe. Much of the stone is locally sourced and belongs to the Serpentine family. Among other collections, the gallery boasts a permanent exhibition of exquisite stone carvings.

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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.

Qatar’s Desert Sentinel

By Linda Tancs

About 65 miles from the Qatari capital of Doha, Al Zubarah was one of a long line of prosperous trading towns centuries ago in what is present-day Qatar. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it comprises a fort and archaeological area covering the remains of a historic pearl diving and trading center. In fact, the walled town was once ranked as one of the Persian Gulf’s most important pearl diving and trading centers with links extending to the Indian Ocean. The visitor center is located in the fort, where tourists can learn about the area’s mercantile past and the artifacts that have been unearthed.

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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.

Chile’s Oldest Park

By Linda Tancs

Chile’s Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park is the oldest park in the country. Created in 1926, it’s located in Chile’s pristine Lake District, featuring Lago Todos los Santos (All Saints Lake). Its fabulous emerald-green color makes it one of the most popular attractions in the park. Boasting over 600,000 acres, the park also features the turquoise waters of the Petrohué Waterfalls as well as Osorno Volcano. Travel up the volcano to a ski resort for striking views of the Petrohué River Valley.

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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 Cool Celebration in St. Paul

By Linda Tancs

Winter Carnival in the city of St. Paul, Minnesota, has been staged since 1886. Marking its 135th anniversary this year, its two signature  events are the ice carving competition and the snow sculpture contest. Due to COVID limitations, they’ll be combined this year into a drive-through ice and snow sculpture park at the State Fairgrounds. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the oldest winter festival in the country, predating the Tournament of Roses Festival by two years. This year’s event runs from January 28 to February 7.

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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.

Prague’s Kafka

By Linda Tancs

Born in Prague, Franz Kafka was a novelist and short-story writer, widely regarded as one of the major figures of 20th-century literature. It’s fair to say that the Czech city shaped his writing life even though he often did not explicitly identify those locales in his works. For example, St. Vitus Cathedral is generally understood to be the church featured in The Trial, and the path taken by Joseph K. in the last chapter of that book goes from the Old Town, across Charles Bridge to the outer limits of the Lesser Town. Literary sleuths also maintain that the view from Bendemann’s window in The Judgment is that seen from Mikulášská Street (today’s Pařížská Street), where Kafka’s family lived in 1912. These and other details of the writer’s life are illuminated at the Franz Kafka Museum. Located just minutes from Charles Bridge, the facility features a number of first-edition Kafka books as well as original letters, diaries and drawings.

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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.