Travel – Page 32

Zoom In!

June 8, 2015~ Travel

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”
‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭16-18‬

We love to travel and certainly wish that we had more time to do so. We thought it would be fun to briefly visit a few of our favorite places! Hope you will grab a cup of coffee or a glass of iced sweet tea and join us behind the camera lens as we zoom in on some fascinating places around the globe! You can read more on our Travel page! Paris is a favorite city of mine! The architecture, art, culture, and cuisine is legendary. From Montmartre to the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris is a feast for the eyes. The Eiffel Tower is one of the most recognizable structures in the world. We enjoyed a dinner cruise on the Seine with the illuminated Eiffel Tower as the highlight!
Arc de Triomphe in Paris is located at the center of 12 radiating avenues! Traffic scare for me! tra3 The Champs-élysées in Paris is the world’s most famous boulevard! Butch climbed the 280 steps to the top of the Arc de Triomphe to capture the tree-lined Champs-élysées! tra4 Gardens at the Palace of Versailles outside of Paris! I have visited the palace two times and its opulence, especially the Hall of Mirrors does not disappoint! The Tower Bridge crosses the River Thames and has become an iconic symbol of London! We will return to London this summer! tra5 One of our best trips ever was a train trip through the Canadian Rockies…breathtaking scenery! tra6 The Grand Canal in Venice, also a favorite city of mine! After our first visit I was hopeful that we might return and we did in 2013! The famous gondolas of Venice! You can read more here: La Dolce Vita! The Colosseum in Rome was completed in 80 AD. It could hold between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators! What an amazing sight to see! Rome is a must see city for its architecture and history! Cinque Terre is a string of 5 villages on the rugged Italian Riviera! The colorful houses and ancient vineyards cling to steep hillsides! We would like to return and hike all 5 villages…we better hurry, age is creeping up! Tallinn, Estonia is a charming city on the Baltic Sea! The cathedral in the Old Town has five onion domes with gilded iron crosses. Butch and I thoroughly enjoyed the cobblestoned and walled Old Town with its cafes and shops! Ancient ruins in Ephesus, Turkey which was an important center for early Christianity. Paul lived in Ephesus and organized missionary activity into other areas! Ephesus is one of the seven churches cited in the Book of Revelation! The ruins were fascinating and it made the book of Ephesians and Acts come alive! This harbor in Rhodes, Greece is thought to be near where the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, once stood! The ancient ruins in Philippi, Greece where the Apostle Paul preached the Gospel! We spent a day touring these ruins- so much to learn! Sunset over the Mediterranean Sea from the captivating island of Crete! The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture. It was constructed between 532 and 537 as an Eastern Orthodox cathedral! Istanbul was a fascinating city to visit with its location straddling both Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait! The grand and ornate Catherine Palace near St. Petersburg, Russia was completed in 1756 and was the summer residence of the Russian tsars! You can see more here: The Catherine Palace The winding Bay of Kotor in the Adriatic Sea was once called Europe’s southernmost fjord! Kotor is located in Montenegro. Butch and I were surprised at its beauty! Santorini, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, is one of the most photographed spots in the world! After visiting, we understand why! You can read more here: It’s All Greek To Me! Overlooking the tile roofs of the Old Town of Dubrovnik, Croatia! We walked the intact city walls and had incredible views of the Adriatic Sea! You can see more here: Discovering A Pearl A view of Jerusalem at sunset from the Mount of Olives! You can read all about our trip to The Holy Land here: Walking Where He Walked Part One and Part Two.The ruins from ancient Caesarea on the Mediterranean Sea! King Herod built it into one of the largest cities in the Roman world! The iconic Golden Gate Bridge! We have seen this construction wonder several times and it is still amazing!

Linking with Pieced Pastimes , Silver Pennies , Life on Lakeshore Drive , Thoughts From Alice , Mod Vintage Life , Coastal Charm , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia , The Dedicated House , Dwellings-Heart of Your Home , Savvy Southern Style , Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage , From My Front Porch To Yours , Stone Gable , Confessions of a Plate Addict , Worthing Court , Between Naps on the Porch , Cedar Hill Farmhouse , A Stroll Thru Life , The Style Sisters , The Charm of Home , Cornerstone Confessions , A Delightsome Life , Imparting Grace , Posed Perfection , Katherines Corner , My Romantic Home , Chic On A Shoestring Decorating , Rooted In Thyme , Share Your Cup, The Enchanting Rose, Alabama Women Bloggers, 21 Rosemary Lane, Northern Nesting, Oh My Heartsie Girl, Cozy Little House, Rattlebridge Farm, The Turquoise Home

The Colors of Seaside

May 25, 2015~ Travel

“When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
Genesis 9:16

Memorial Day weekend usually initiates summer. We are drawn to the beach, the lake, and grilling is practically a requirement! Ice cream freezers are also placed in service. As we traveled north Friday afternoon from northwest Florida, southbound traffic was obviously well above normal. It may seem the reason for this holiday is overshadowed by our need to kick summer into high gear. But, there is significant evidence that folks here in the south do remember the real purpose for setting aside a special day. There are hundreds of events scheduled to honor all who have stood in the gap to protect freedom and also to pay tribute to many who stand today. Then there’s all those flags! The red, white, and blue is proudly on display. May we all take time to remember that freedom is very costly, and it is always under attack. We pray that all of you have a wonderful and colorful Memorial Day.

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We are so glad that you came along on our walk through the beautiful beach town of Seaside, Florida! Linking with Pieced Pastimes , Silver Pennies , Life on Lakeshore Drive , Thoughts From Alice , Mod Vintage Life , Coastal Charm , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia , The Dedicated House , Dwellings-Heart of Your Home , Savvy Southern Style , Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage , From My Front Porch To Yours , Stone Gable , Confessions of a Plate Addict , Worthing Court , Between Naps on the Porch , Cedar Hill Farmhouse , A Stroll Thru Life , The Style Sisters , The Charm of Home , Cornerstone Confessions , A Delightsome Life , Imparting Grace , Posed Perfection , Katherines Corner , My Romantic Home , Chic On A Shoestring Decorating , Rooted In Thyme , Share Your Cup, The Enchanting Rose, Alabama Women Bloggers, 21 Rosemary Lane, Northern Nesting, Oh My Heartsie Girl, Cozy Little House, Rattlebridge Farm, The Turquoise Home

Small Town America: Down By The Bay

May 21, 2015~ Travel

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope”
Romans 15:13

For most of us, when we think of the Gulf Coast, we think: “beach”! Places like Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Destin, and even Panama City may come to mind. We do have some of the whitest sand and most beautiful shorelines imaginable, but let’s come back north a few miles to the bay area. There are two little gems that Katy and I visited this past weekend that some of you may know-Magnolia Springs and Fairhope, AL. It was a weekend full of shopping in cute stores, eating good food, and taking in beautiful scenery! Come along with us on this little get away to true small town America! Magnolia Springs is truly a small town with a population of less than 800 The Magnolia Springs Bed and Breakfast was an enjoyable stay with friendly innkeepers! The home was built in 1897! I love a secret garden and path! Magnolia Springs is nestled within the curves of the Magnolia River! A majestic canopy of giant oak trees line the streets as well as camellias, azaleas, and of course magnolias! The Magnolia River remains the only river route mail delivery in the continental U.S.! Who doesn’t love a garden gate with a basket of flowers! Jesse’s Restaurant with a glassed-in porch and fine dining with a casual atmosphere! An appetizer of fried green tomatoes with goat cheese, gulf shrimp and creole remoulade! Fresh redfish with succotash! Excellent and so fresh! The boats at The Grand Hotel. This photo was taken from inside their covered walking bridge! Love this nautical gate as seen on the drive to Fairhope! Fairhope is such an artsy town! Flowers lined the streets, all color coordinated! Old Glory flying over the bay! A team of Tanzanian dancers were just in front of the Fairhope pier. They were filming for a gospel video and we got a little sneak peak! With the ray of sunshine coming down and their hands raised to the heavens, I am reminded…
“Let them praise his name with dancing…”
Psalm 149:3-4
This salvia was right at the overlook spot for the bay. There were many walkers, runners, and people just out enjoying their day! There were some gorgeous church buildings! This little chapel with its red door sat right off the road, and of course we had to stop for photos! Notice the windows! This was taken walking down the walkway towards the chapel. We had dinner at Pinzone’s, an Italian restaurant in downtown Fairhope-alfresco style! This restaurant “breathes Italian heritage with old world architecture, cobblestone walks, and Italian inspired food!” Fresh pears complemented with gorgonzola cheese on Tuscan flatbread. The hint of cinnamon that you see sprinkled on top added excellent flavor! Everything about this town is cute and quaint-even the Welcome Center! The Fairhope Flower Clock sits at a very busy intersection, so please imagine trying to get photos of it! It was quite the sight! We had to take a break from all of the shopping for a Heath Ice Rage from Page and Pallette Bookstore! Notice the matching baskets hanging in front of the downtown clock! A beautiful gazebo that caught my eye as we drove past! This fountain was next to the gazebo pictured above-the landscaping was beautiful! Ended our day in Fairhope with a beautiful view of the sunset and dinner at Sunset Pointe at Fly Creek Marina! And look at this public library in another small town just north of Fairhope, in Loxley, AL…isn’t it the cutest?!