Sunshine, Surf and Sand

Is there anything that captures the carefree magic of summer more than spending warm days playing at the beach? When the kids came to visit this week, they happily took advantage of the many delights the seaside has to offer. 115 142 143

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Our little girl made a new friend :)
Our little girl makes a new friend 🙂

Building sand castles, catching hermit crabs in their little shells – and releasing them again – jumping over frothy waves and off of sand dunes, letting their dog run free, all this and more made for a memorable summer holiday.

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Jump!
Jump!
Nico loved his newfound freedom
Nico loves his newfound freedom
One, two, three, go!
One, two, three, go!
My beautiful girl
My beautiful girl

Nico probably had the best vacation a dog ever had. The freedom to explore the coastline, running after beach birds that couldn’t be caught, he was a joy to watch as he galloped across the sand in wide circles around us.

Playing fetch!
Playing fetch!

Our little girl played with her new friend from Ontario every chance she got, as if they had always known each other. When the time came to say goodbye, she cried, but they exchanged addresses and made plans to become pen pals until they could see each other again. 🙂
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The day they left, our little boy said he wished he lived here because he didn’t have a “backyard beach” at home.

Come back for more fun any time you want, precious boy.
Come back for more fun any time you want, precious children.

Travel Theme: Play
Weekly Photo Challenge: Focus

Travel Theme: Architecture

Ailsa’s travel-themed photo challenge this week is Architecture.

While I was out and about in the older section of St. John’s last month, I stopped to admire some of the colourful Victorian rowhouses near the downtown. Tourists come every year looking for the street called Jelly Bean Row, but there is no one street. It is the nickname given to all the vibrantly painted row houses in the downtown area.

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At Wit’s Inn 🙂

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For fellow Canadians familiar with the CBC television show Republic of Doyle, this is the outside shot of the "Doyle household"
For fellow Canadians familiar with the CBC television show Republic of Doyle, this is the outside shot used for the “Doyle household”.

 

Photo Challenge: Up

This week’s photo challenge at the Daily Post inspired me to have a look back on our memorable trip to Italy and France. It didn’t take long to come “up” with some photos that fit nicely with the theme.

(Not sure if it’s against the rules to share more than one. ;))  I hope you enjoy them.

Italian Alps
View of the Italian Alps – Stresa, Italy
Staircase at our B & B - Stresa, Italy
Staircase at our B & B – Stresa, Italy
View from our Hotel Room In Rome
View from our Hotel Room – Rome, Italy
View at Night - Rome
x2 at Night
marble staircase in hotel - Rome
marble staircase in hotel – Rome
x2
x2
Palazzo Vecchio - Siena, Italy
Palazzo Vecchio – Siena, Italy
Duomo of Florence - Italy
Duomo of Florence – Italy
x2
x2
x3
x3
Notre Dame Cathedral - Paris
Notre Dame Cathedral – Paris
x2
x2
Inside Cathedral - Paris
Inside Cathedral – Paris
Louis Vuitton - Paris
Louis Vuitton – Paris
Eiffel Tower - Paris
Eiffel Tower – Paris
x2 - at night
x2 – at night
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In front of the Arc de Triomphe – Paris
Arc de Triomphe - Paris
Arc de Triomphe x2
France 013
x3
France 022
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Ceilings in the Louvre Museum - Paris
Ceilings in the Louvre Museum – Paris
x2
x2