BY JANET STEINBERG
PART
ONE
You
have probably never heard of these places, but trust me, once you’ve been there
you will not forget these far away places with strange sounding names that
hover below the average traveler’s radar.
Now
let’s have some fun and test your knowledge of geography. Before you read
beyond the name of each place, see if you can name what country it is in.
The country’s name is included in the text that follows each name!
LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYRNDROBWLLLLANTYSILIOGOGOGOCH: Absolutely no place on
earth can top this one for being a far away place with a strange sounding name.
Every place after this will be downhill.
Yes, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
is truly the name of a town in Anglesy, Wales. With a name made up of 58
letters, it is indisputably the longest
valid domain name in the world. The English translation of the name is Saint
Mary's Church In The Hollow Of The White Hazel Near A Rapid Whirlpool And The
Church Of St. Tysilio Of The Red Cave.
It Is worth going to this town just to
say you have been there…that is if you know how to say it. In case you
don’t, I’ll give you a pronunciation lesson: Clan
vire pulth gwinn gith gor gerrick win drob uth clan tay see lee oh go go gogch.
The town’s historic railway station is the most popular
destination because of the photo opportunities at the inevitably long station
name sign. Wherever you go in Wales, I can guarantee you that, at some
point in time, you will end up having your picture taken in front of the railroad
station-house sign.
 |
| THE HISTORIC RAILWAY STATION IN LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYRNDROBWLLLLANTYSILIOGOGOGOCH, WALES |
HVAR:
The town of Hvar, on the island of Hvar is one of the
best-loved tourist resorts on the Dalmatian coast. Croatia, the “island
of lavender” that exudes the charm of Dubrovnik without the wall, is a unique
blend of luxurious Mediterranean nature, and a rich, multi-faceted cultural
heritage. Its name is derived from the Greek Pharos, the name
given to both the town and the island by the Romans. Facing the southern,
sunny side of the world, which has endowed it with Mediterranean lure, and
facing the sea that has favored it with an illustrious history. Hvar has been
touted as the Mediterranean’s next St. Tropez. Historic old hotels
have been gutted and replaced with world-class accommodations on the island
that calls itself “the sunniest island in the Adriatic”
 |
| ANCIENT CITY STREET IN HVAR, CROATIA |
Hotel
Riva on the harbor front is the place to lunch and Darovni Ducan Gift Shop is
the place to find handcrafted creations from the best designers in all of
Croatia. In LUSH, you can buy any flavored soap you desire. Priced
by the kilo, they all have intrigueing names like Parsley Porridge, Layer Cake
and Honey I Washed The Kids Soap.
 |
| WATERFRONT HOTEL IN HVAR |
SINTRA:
Sintra, the picturesque town where Portuguese royalty spent their summers lies
between Lisbon and the Atlantic on a promontory of land between two
gorges. Because of its 19th century Romantic architecture,
Sintra has been named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Be sure to stop by
Seteais Palace, a deluxe five-star hotel that was built in the last quarter of
the 18th century. Offering some of the best accommodations in Portugal,
the walls of the public rooms are hand-painted with motifs of the 18th
century. You can indulge in an elegant feast at the Seteais Palace
or have a typical Portuguese meal at the Restaurante Regional de Sintra.
 |
| TOURISTS ARE DISCOVERING SINTRA |
Of particular interest in Sintra are the Moorish Castle, the
Municipal Museum, the Palacio Nacional da Pena (or Castelo da Pena), and the
extensive Parque da Pena (Pena Park) surrounding the castle. Pena
Palace, King Ferdinand II’s Romanesque Revival dream house, sits atop a hill
overlooking the town of Sintra. Considered one of the Seven wonders
of Portugal, this national monument constitutes one
of the major expressions of 19th-century Romanticism in the world.
 |
PENA
PALACE
|
TALLINN: Just a few hours
south of Helsinki, Estonia is enjoying the fruits of capitalism. Cash registers
are ringing as Estonia's medieval capital of Tallinn shakes off its Soviet
past. On August 20, 1991, Estonia declared its independence from the
Soviet Union. Tallinn's outer ring is a conglomeration of grim Soviet
high-rises. The inner ring is composed of 19th-century wood
buildings. The center, one of the great medieval walled cities of Europe,
is stone. This medieval quarter, called Toompea Hill, houses the domed
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Hanging within the stone tower of the Church
of the Holy Spirit, Tallinn's oldest bell is engraved with this democratic
inscription: "I toll alike for master and mistress, for manservant and
maidservant, and no one can reproach me for that.”
 |
| ANCIENT TOMBSTONES FROM ST. CATHERINE’S DOMINICAN MONASTERY |
Tallinn's Old
Town is now a bustling center, with shop windows displaying everything from
American jeans, to Italian shoes, to Estonian furs. A plethora of small
shops in Old Town are brimming with local handicrafts. Katariina Guild has been operating in a unique medieval
complex in the Old Town of Tallinn since 1995. Experienced designers work
and create their unique masterpieces in the eight workshops of the Guild where
you can observe how leather, textile and glass items, jewelry, hats and ceramics
are made.
 |
HAT
MAKER IN KATARIINA
GUILD OPEN WORKSHOP
|
OPORTO: A
30-minute drive from the port at Leixoes, Portugal, will bring you to Oporto,
Portugal's second largest city. As you drive along the Avenida dos
Aliado you will view some of the city's most impressive buildings such
as the 1915 train station, the 18th century Church of Clerigos, and the austere
Se Cathedral, a 12th-century Romanesque building. In front of the
Cathedral is the Pelourinho do Porto
a stone column where criminals were punished and exposed.
 |
| PELOURINHO DO PORTO |
If you head
down to the Ribeira quarter you can enjoy a boat ride on the Douro River (River
of Gold). The water affords a totally different panorama of Oporto's
skyline. On the opposite bank from where you board the boat, is the Vila
Nova de Gaia, home to the port trade and numerous wine lodges. Most of them
were established in the 18th century; their brand-name port wines are known
worldwide. Most Duoro River cruises will give you the opportunity to
visit W & J Graham's Port House with an "OPORTOnity" to learn the
process of wine making, and a tasting of their fine Port wines.
 |
| VIEW FROM THE DUORO RIVER |
PORTMEIRION: A bizarre, amusing, unique Welsh fantasy
village, Portmeirion, Wales was designed and
constructed by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1975.
The village has attracted the likes of Paul McCartney, Ingrid Bergman, Gregory
Peck, Frank Lloyd Wright, George Bernard Shaw and Noel Coward (who wrote
“Blithe Spirit” there in 1941.
 |
|
PORTMEIRION,
WALES
|
This
architectural fantasyland of arches, turrets, fountains, and sculpture, was the
location of “The Village” in the television classic “The Prisoner”.
Architecture critic Lewis Mumford
called the village a ” fantastic collection of architectural relics and impish
modern fantasies”. He stated that the village was a "happy
relief" from the "rigid irrationalities and the calculated
follies" of the modern world.
 |
AN
ARCHITECTURAL FANTASYLAND
|
TEXT
AND PHOTOS by JANET STEINBERG
STEINBERG
is the winner of 43 national Travel Writer Awards. She is also a Travel
Consultant with The Travel Authority in Cincinnati, Ohio
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