Sunday, June 20, 2010

Vacation Week


Bring a good book, pull up a chair, and relax. It's "Vacation Week" here on "Seasons of Humility!" Time for some relaxation and sharing travel stories. Are your bags all packed? I hope you brought plenty of sunscreen! I'll pour some glasses of ice-cold lemonade for all of you as we get started!

And what better way to start then to share our favorite vacation destinations? I've done a bit of traveling in my life so far. =) Besides traveling within the United States, I've been to Canada and to Israel.

Victoria, Canada is a gorgeous place! I have many fond memories of childhood vacations there. Riding the ferry to Victoria . . . seeing all the baskets of flowers hanging along the sidewalks . . . shopping in all the quaint stores . . . etc. And the Butchart Gardens are fantastic! You can check out the website HERE. The fireworks displays at night are astounding, and there are so many flowers!

Here's a video I found that shows some of the highlights of Victoria:



And as for Israel . . . what can I say? The country is breath-taking! The scenery is so different: from mountains and the Sea of Galilee in the north, to the Mediterranean Sea to the west, to desert to the east and south. It's a trip I don't think I can ever forget. The land is filled with history, and it's amazing to see places mentioned in the Bible! I went with a great group of people, and I'm so blessed to have had such a grand opportunity!

Now, what about you? Where have you traveled to, and/or where are some of your favorite vacation destinations?

Oh, and be sure to check out the new poll! That way you can also share where you would like to travel if you could!

And one more thing: Happy Father's Day! What better way to celebrate than to talk about rest and relaxation? =) To my Daddy and Grandpa: I love you both so much!

Hope your Father's Day is wonderful!

9 comments:

Kav said...

Beautiful video clip, Amber. I live way across on the other side of Canada so I haven't been to Victoria, but I hear it's beautiful and it certainly looks that way.

I've a hankering to go to Ireland again. That has to be my favourite vacation spot. You haven't seen green until you've been in Ireland!

Another place I'd really love to see is New Zealand. I read a couple of books set in New Zealand when I was a kid and I've had a fascination with the place ever since. The landscape looks incredibly lush and rugid and the pace of life seems quieter. I think I could be a happy sheep farmer in NZ. LOL, my dog would love that. He's a sheltie and lives to herd. Alas the squirrels haven't grasped the concept.

Ariel Wilson said...

I've been to Hawaii :) I really really want to go to Paris someday!

Amber Holcomb said...

Anybody need a refill on lemonade? How about some scones? ;)

KAV: I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I found it when I was looking at the "Tourism Victoria" website. It does a great job of showing all that Victoria has to offer! It's a wonderful place to visit. If you live on the other side of Canada, have you by chance been to Prince Edward Island? I would LOVE to go there someday! :D

And you've been to Ireland? Oh my! I would LOVE to go there, too! :) The landscape must be gorgeous...and all those castles...and the music... How fun that you've traveled there!

New Zealand sounds like a fascinating place to visit, as well. That would be neat if you could go there, too!

Your dog seems like quite a fun pet! Oh, but those poor squirrels... ;)

ARIEL: How cool! Hawaii sounds lovely. :) I confess that the fact that the islands are volcanoes are a bit of a deterrent for me...but I'm sure it's safe for the most part. ;) I'm reading "Love Finds You in Lahaina, Hawaii," and the setting sounds beautiful! And the culture sounds great, too!

Paris would be a neat place to visit, too! :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Renee (BlacknGoldGirlsBookSpot) said...

WOW! You've been to some awesome locales! I've never even been to Canada, the farthest West I've ever been is Ohio and the farthest South is Florida! I don't get out much LOL! That said I really enjoy the Outer Banks of North Carolina, if you love beaches and lighthouses I recommend it. My favorite spot is the small island of Ocracoke, the best beaches are there and if you find the right spot you might not see more than 2 or 3 people on the beach all day. AWESOME!

XOXO~ Renee

Renee (BlacknGoldGirlsBookSpot) said...

BTW thank you so much for posting my giveaway!

XOXO~ Renee

Amber Holcomb said...

RENEE: I have been blessed to travel to some great locations--most definitely! :) And there are some amazing places I've traveled to here in the United States, too!

Oooh! Beaches and lighthouses sound great! I wonder if its warmer there than it is here? The Northwest's beaches are rather chilly...

Thanks for sharing! And I'm always happy to post about your giveaways. :)

~Amber

Amanda Stanley said...

WOW Amber, you’re a regular globetrotter :) Your adventures sound so exciting! Gosh, I would LOVE to see where Jesus walked as well as all the other wonderful people in the Bible and the places they lived. How cool it must be to read scriptures about the very ground right under your feet? I would love to visit all the places we read about in history and know that I’m standing in the same place that the events unfolded. But I can’t imagine how much more wonderful it is with Bible history?! You are so blessed to have such amazing memories :)

My family has never really traveled :( The only place I have ever been outside my home state (RI) is Cape Cod, Massachusetts. My parents, little brother and I went there on vacation when I was 11 yrs old and we had a great time! But, my parents just don’t like to travel, and because I didn’t grow up doing it, I find I’m kinda fearful of it now. I mean, I’m all for “day trips” in the “car” but, I’ve never been on a plane or a train or a boat, and just thinking about traveling in any of them scare the stuffing out of me. But, if I could get there by car then I think I could do it- with a lot of prayer and the perfect peace of Jesus Christ! For now though, I’m fine with doing my “traveling” via books ;)

Praying the rest of your day is beautiful!!

Blessings,
Amanda Stanley

Michelle said...

I love that you're so well-traveled Amber!

I've not traveled outside of the eastern US. I've been to Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee.

My favorite vacation destination is Gatlinburg, TN, which is very near the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. It's a very beautiful area.

Someday, I would love to be able to travel to Europe. I have a pen pal in Germany. I would definitely go to visit her and her family.

Amber Holcomb said...

AMANDA: You're so sweet! :D And you're right--I have been really blessed! Up until I was 15, Israel didn't even really seem like an option to me. I'm a picky eater and not the bravest girl on the block. ;) But everything worked out so well, and I'm ever so glad it did! It truly was amazing to see places from the Bible! Offers a different perspective for sure. ;)

And no worries! Besides Israel and Canada, I've only traveled within the United States. Our family loves vacation time, but we do tend to travel to the same places over and over (like Sunriver, Oregon). But I don't mind at all! First of all, I love the places we go. Second, anywhere you are with your loved ones is special. :) Even if it's just right at home!

I do have to say, riding in a plane is thrilling, but it can be a bit nerve-wracking for some people. But if you ever get a chance to ride in a train, I would highly recommend it! I absolutely LOVE trains! And it's usually quite comfortable--many of the Amtrak trains have a dining car and an observation car, which makes it fun. But what I really LOVE are the old-fashioned steam engines. Usually those only offer short trips anyway. :)

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and I hope you have a wonderful day, too!

MICHELLE: Thanks! I don't know if I'm really that well-traveled compared to some people, but I have enjoyed my experiences immensely. :)

The places you've been sound great! The eastern United States must be gorgeous. The only place I've been in the Eastern United States is Atlanta, Georgia, and that doesn't count because I was only in the airport. ;) But if I do get to go to Washington D.C. this summer, then that will change!

And I would love to see the Great Smokey Mountains, especially after watching the "Christy" series. :) They must be beautiful!

That would be great to travel to Europe! I've never been there, but it must be fascinating. And how fun to have a pen pal in Germany! That would be great to get to meet her someday! :D

Thanks for sharing!

~Amber