Travel
We keep a welcome for everyone – not just NATO leaders…
It was really quite something to feel the buzz around South Wales ahead of the NATO Summit. OK, so in Cardiff and Newport we moaned about road closures, diversions and interruptions to our daily lives, but it was only for a few days and we got over it.
According to news reports ‘Wales is well and truly on the map’, well actually we have been around for quite a long time. Remains have been found in Wales dating from the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic eras. The first copper and bronze tools appeared in Wales about 2500BC and the Romans mined for gold at the Dolaucothi mine in Pumpsaint, Carmarthenshire. Quite a long history wouldn’t you say?
Wales has 641 castles, 11 million sheep and around 3 million people. It has 750 miles of coastline and is beautiful place with mountains and valleys, a bustling capital city, interesting towns and villages, and some very welcoming people.
Come, Visit Wales and see for yourself.
Watch the video welcoming the NATO Leaders to Wales
Sunday in sunny Lucca
After a hectic few weeks, I have escaped to the sun in Tuscany.
The family are here too and are busy finding the mercado asI sit with my feet in the pool, just chilling.
As I haven’t written much lately, I thought perhaps you’d like to know that nothing is wrong and I’m enjoying a weeks rest and relaxation, though my 2 year old granddaughter may have other ideas.
A few photos to share
<
The Train
This week’s photo comes courtesy of Dawn Miller and is taken inside Union Station, Washington D.C. The marble and columns speak of times gone by and thinking of this led me to my story for Friday Fictioneers. I was delighted to have at least come up with something this week, I failed miserably last week as I was so involved with work, I never seemed to find time to myself to write. Thanks as always to Rochelle 🙂
The Train
Genre: Fiction
Word Count: 100
Bathed in silvery moonlight, the train waits in the siding. It is empty, except for the ghosts. Their fingers linger over highly polished mahogany. Fine silks and satins glide over heavily carpeted corridors. Thousands of stories have unfolded in the confines of these sumptuously elegant carriages.
It is morning. Highly trained staff will soon board, the ghosts will vanish and the magic will begin. Windows will gleam, crystal will sparkle, silver will shine and crisp table linen bearing the world-famous cypher will be laid. The Venice Simplon-Orient Express will be made ready to beguile and charm; another adventure will begin
http://www.orient-express.com/web/vsoe/cabins.jsp
PS I have just realised that I ‘liked’ this post – I did think it was alright, but never intended to ‘like’ it publicly. Please excuse my arthritic fingers attempting to get to grips with the new mobile App for WordPress, I promise to take more care in future and only ‘like’ your posts. (02/09/13)
Phoneography Challenge – Black and White
These photographs were all taken with my iPhone5 and then I used Pixlr to try to make them black and white. The results are ‘old photos’ – hope they are acceptable for the challenge.
We went to France for a long weekend earlier in the year, this was the view from our window
In May we went to Spain with friends, this is from the boat on the way back to Puerto Banus – I tried a panoramic scene which hopefully explains the odd angle.
You can see more photographs here
Weekly Photo Challenge – Carefree
This photograph was taken on South Beach Florida. Although you may not guess from this shot, the weather during our stay was beautiful. We came across this family enjoying their lunch, oblivious of the hungry birds.
You can see other entries here
Mistaken Identity
A little later than usual, here is my effort for Friday Fictioneers this week. A big thank you to the lovely Renee Heath for the photograph this week and to Rochelle for all the time and effort she devotes to FF – we are all truly grateful. Bow, curtsey…
Genre: Memoir
Word Count: 100
Mistaken Identity
“Stop, stop. Stop!”
My son tightens his grip, his little nails dig into my hand.
“What’s the matter Sam, whatever’s wrong?”
I pick him up. His face is ashen. Two perfectly shaped teardrops hover in the corners of his brilliant blue eyes, threatening to spill over any moment.
I hold him tight.
“What is it? Tell me what’s wrong. Do you have a pain? Just tell me.”
Removing one arm from around my neck and a wet cheek from mine, he points at the fire hydrant and, in the smallest voice, whispers
“There’s a Dalek and I don’t like him.”
Click on the little blue froggy thing to read more stories
By way of explanation…
We don’t have fire hydrants in the UK like the ones in the photograph.
In the mid-eighties we made our first visit to America. My husband is a film buff and a Western fanatic; the thought that he could see Monument Valley and walk in the steps of John Wayne had a lot to do with planning our vacation. In the event we never got to Monument Valley, but did see some amazing and wonderful places on that first trip.
During the stopover in San Francisco, which was much cooler than the weather we had left behind in Los Angeles, our youngest son complained that his legs were cold. My husband and elder son went off to find a shop where we could get him some trousers instead of the shorts we had with us, and we trailed somewhere behind. I think we were approaching Union Square when the incident I have written about happened.
A new series of Dr Who had just been screened at home and while my eldest loved it, my younger son and I would hide behind the sofa when there was a scene with the Daleks. They could be pretty scary.
Weekly photo challenge – Fleeting
Weekly Photo Challenge – Forward
Some photos that say “Forward” to me.
The path to the beach was so inviting, I just had to walk over it. The road out of Jasper was amazing, we drove for miles and didn’t see another car. We saw a bear and a few elks but nothing else for mile after mile; the scenery was just awesome we rode in silence for most of the journey. Our holiday to the southern region of Sardinia was very enjoyable, we explored ancient ruins which overlooked the sea, and visited the island of Sant’Antioco, where we found the deserted street.
Towards the beach – Miami
The road out of Jasper
Exploring -Sardinia
A quiet street – Sant’Antioco
Travel Theme – Multiples
These are my photos for Ailsa’s Travel Theme this week. They are all “Multiples” of one kind or another
I found the stones outside the lower reception area of the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, they had a lot of very interesting objects set in and around the hotel.
The scallops were part of the very enjoyable lunch we had at the Portxiol Hotel in Majorca. The hotel is set in a stunning location by the harbour, just outside Palma.
The shoes – well, a friend had been telling me of her search for flat black pumps and how she had been unable to find any that she liked. While we were in Cornwall, I saw this display in the front of a shop window.
The narrow street is in Mevagissey a lovely old fishing village, also in Cornwall. The lines of windows caught my eye as the street wound away up the hill.
Hope you like them. You can see other “Multiples” here http://wheresmybackpack.com/2013/01/04/travel-theme-multiples/
40again's Blog 
