Category: Travel

Off to the City!

Published on by J. Kelland Perry2 Comments

Now that the long-awaited summer has arrived in earnest in Newfoundland, your typical mortal starts thinking of getting out into the country.  She may be planning a vacation in one of our lovely outports, or getting away from it all in a secluded cabin, or camping out and about in an RV or tent.

But where does a transplanted country mouse like me plan a summer getaway?  Why, back to the capital city, of course.  This Saturday, my husband and I are packing up our kitties, leaving his little hometown, and driving to my much larger hometown of St. John’s for a couple of weeks.

This change of pace also accommodates my mother-in-law and her son, who are switching houses with us for this period.  I’ve been preparing my home for their stay, so that when they arrive everything will be ready for them, including some freshly baked bread and a pot of homemade soup.  We hope they enjoy their holiday as well, in what we like to call our little corner of heaven on earth.

As for me, I know the time will fly by all too quickly.  Between spending time with my mom in her nursing home, playing with our grandchildren, and visiting other family, that will barely leave time for much else.  Somehow I must fit in some shopping, some outdoor fun, a dentist appointment, dining out, and partying too (husband’s birthday is fast approaching).  George Street, maybe?  We even have an out-of-town side trip planned to the Placentia Regatta celebrations with my siblings and their mates.  Good times are in store, for sure.

Despite my temporary city mouse schedule, I will still do my best to post to my blog while I’m away.  Have laptop, will travel!
What special plans have you made to shake things up for the summer?

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Scenes From France – Part Three: More Paris!

Published on by J. Kelland Perry5 Comments

Join me for one last look at our trip to Italy and France, as I share some more of my Paris photos.  Ah, quelle belle ville!

outside Notre Dame Cathedral
impressive French Gothic architecture






Such a friendly congregation of birds outside
the Notre Dame Cathedral!

one of many Seine River cruises

Fountain in the Place de la Concorde


Arc de Triomphe




Beneath the Arc is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
with an Eternal Flame.
Me…and my paparazzo? ;-D
Avenue des Champs-Elysees
Champs-Elysees

Louis Vuitton
Did you know that the Eiffel Tower is nicknamed
La dame de fer (the iron lady)?
Husband and I, just before the Seine Dinner Cruise
Sis and her husband
Au Revoir, Paris!
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Scenes From France – Part Two: Paris

Published on by J. Kelland Perry5 Comments

Over the previous winter, my sister and I and our spouses had planned this Italy/France trip to end on a high note.  Now tell me, how better to end it than with a visit to Paris in June?

I considered it an interesting fact that this beautiful city had been originally nicknamed the “City of Light” because it was a center of education and ideas during the Age of Enlightenment, but later earned the name when Paris began lighting the Champs-Elysees with lamps.

With so much to see and do, my camera had kicked into overdrive, so this section of my travelog will have to be shown in two blog posts.  I hope you enjoy them. For the best viewing experience, click each one for a closer look.

our hotel
view from our hotel room
just outside our hotel
…and at night!
also a view from our window – temptation everywhere
for the sweet tooth


Academie Royale de Musique – the Paris Opera
wrought iron balconies abound





one of my favourite street scenes

One of our larger excursions was an afternoon at the Musee du Louvre. The Louvre is the most visited art museum in the world, and a historic monument because of its beginnings as a fortress.  As it is also one of the biggest art museums worldwide, these pictures as a representation don’t even scratch the surface of what waits inside its walls.

throngs of tourists everywhere
view of the Louvre Pyramid in the main
courtyard from inside one of its wings
another view from inside

one of the spectacular ceilings in the Louvre
Mona was smaller than I expected.





Okay, I know you’re smart, husband,
but stop pretending to read that  ; )

A real mummy – yikes!
Up Next:  More of Paris – the final installment of our Italy-France trip
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Travel Theme: Oceans

Published on by J. Kelland Perry11 Comments

June 8th was World Oceans Day. World Oceans Day has been unofficially celebrated on June 8th since 1992 when Canada proposed the idea at the Earth Summit in Rio, and was officially recognised by the United Nations in 2008. The official website is worldoceansday.org.

Here is my contribution to a weekly travel theme challenge created by wheresmybackpack.wordpress.com.  Because I live by the Atlantic Ocean here in Canada, I thought I would share some pics from last year when my daughter and her family visited, and had fun on our sandy seashores.

“looking for treasures”
“I found a starfish, Nanny!”

“Look what I found…a baby crab!”


“dancing with the waves”

Scenes From France – Part One: Cannes

Published on by J. Kelland Perry12 Comments

Our group of four left Italy by train, eager to begin the next leg of our adventure in a new country.  Beautiful France awaited!  Our first destination was Cannes on the French Riviera, and it didn’t disappoint.  Warm, sunny weather, beautiful sandy beaches, exceptional shopping venues, and cuisine par excellence epitomized a delightful tourist experience. The Cannes Film Festival was over for the year, hence we saw no celebrities.   But I hope my photos give you some idea of why I recommend Cannes as a preferred vacation spot.

Almost there!
View of the gorgeous Côte d’Azur from the train..
entrance to our lovely hotel
view from our balcony

This is where I’m staying next time 😉
Let’s have a look around!


cool sculpture
Did I mention this place?
temperatures in the 30’s (celsius) most days we were there





Coming soon:  Paris..

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Scenes From Italy – Part Four: Stresa

Published on by J. Kelland Perry7 Comments

We said goodbye to half of our group whose time had come to fly home, as well as “ciao” to Tuscany, then the four of us rode by train to northern Italy.  Nestled by Lake Maggiore in the foothills of the Italian Alps, the pretty little town of Stresa was a welcome sight.  We checked into a B & B, our home for the next few days.

Bed and Breakfast

Lake Maggiore is the second largest lake in Italy.

We climbed the hill by cable car to see the magnificent view.
the Alps

Pippa, the resident cat at our B & B
Enjoying a refreshment!
Coming soon:  Cannes, France
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Scenes From Italy – Part Three: Siena and Florence, Tuscany

Published on by J. Kelland Perry8 Comments

During our week-long stay at the Tuscan villa, we took a couple of day trips to nearby centres of interest.  I have no words to describe the incredible feelings I experienced visiting Siena and Florence.  It comes as no surprise that these cities were named World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Siena is a must-see if you want to experience a historical throwback to medieval times.  Famous for all of its culture and art, it is particularly known for the Palio, a traditional horse race that takes place in the Piazza del Campo twice a year.
And of course, Florence, the capital city of Tuscany, was unforgettable.  The birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, it is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world due to its artistic and architectural heritage.

Here are some of my favourite shots of the two cities.

Coming soon:  the northern Italian town of Stresa…

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Scenes From Italy – Part Two: Our Tuscan Villa

Published on by J. Kelland Perry4 Comments

After four fun-filled days of sightseeing, food and nightlife, our group of eight said “arrivederci” to Rome, and in our rental cars, headed out into the Italian countryside.  Next destination:  our villa in Tuscany for a full week!

We had some day trips planned for later in the week,  but first we chose to relax for a while in our beautiful surroundings.

 

Coming soon:  Day Trips in Tuscany…
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Scenes From Italy – Part One: Rome

Published on by J. Kelland Perry10 Comments

How quickly the months fly by!  I can hardly believe that it will be a year, at the end of May, since we embarked on our biggest trip yet, to experience for ourselves the lovely countries of Italy and France.  To pay homage to this rapidly approaching anniversary, I though I would share some photos from our amazing trip, beginning with Rome, the first destination on our itinerary.  We flew into the Italian capital on May 30th, a warm sunny day, and an ideal start to our adventure…

Related post:
Roma, a poem by Jennifer Kelland Perry
http://wp.me/s25GJp-roma

Coming soon:  Tuscany…

For the Young, & the Young at Heart: Disney’s Magic Kingdom – a Pictorial

Published on by J. Kelland Perry9 Comments

Here are some scenes from Disney World last week, during our vacation in Florida with my daughter and her family.  I apologize for the less-than-perfect quality of some of the photos, as I was quite caught up in all the fun myself.  Lack of photography skills aside, I hope I managed, in some small way, to capture the essence of  “The Magic Kingdom”.

And this was only what I managed to photograph.  We enjoyed other attractions, depending on the level of courage;  only the men did Splash Mountain and Space Mountain, and Paul and I did the Haunted Mansion.  The Barnstormer was scarier than I thought it would be, and the kids were frightened by Snow White’s Scary Adventure. I thought there should have been a warning for the littler ones.

So long, Disney.  Perhaps we’ll be back if we have any more grandchildren.  😉