Summer Weekend Living

There’s nothing like an ocean views and the sound of the waves to wake up to every day.

Another Summer, Another Trip To PEI

I spent last weekend on Prince Edward Island and, boy, was it hard leaving!

Everything about PEI is so familiar, so homey to me, because I was born and raised there and I still have family ties there.  I always feel homesick the first couple of days after I leave.

Michael and I spent Canada Day weekend there.  I really think Michael could care less about the beach and the ocean and the scenery.  I think he enjoys the getting away part the most.  Give him a book and an iPad in his own apartment and he’s restless and bored.  Give him a book and an iPad in a different setting and he’ll amuse himself for hours.

I certainly enjoy the getting away part myself.  Just taking myself out of my normal routine and unplugging from the internet is so refreshing!  Throw in ocean views, rolling green hills, and sandy beaches with red cliffs and I’m in heaven!  And the peace and quiet!  I never realized how nice it is to be able to hear nature or the sound of the breeze through an open window.

I also especially enjoyed spending some time with my mom and dad.  Even though I don’t live super far from home, it’s still far enough that I can’t just pop over for supper or a visit whenever the mood strikes.  I don’t get to see my family as much as I would like to, and I think that’s part of the reason why I always find it so hard leaving.

I was worried the weather was going to be awful the entire weekend, but Mother Nature co-operated and while it was cold and rainy on our drive over on Friday, it was warm and the rain held off the rest of the weekend, and the sun even came out on Sunday!

I spent my weekend drinking Baileys in my coffee, walking and doing yoga on the beach, reading, and BBQ-ing.  I also had time for a trip to the Anne of Green Gables house, Cows ice cream, lunch at Frosty’s, and I even started my Christmas shopping.  There’s something about poking around craft stores that I find especially appealing while visiting PEI.

So, if you’ve got some vacation time this summer and you’re not sure what to do with it, I highly suggest renting a cottage along the North Shore of Prince Edward Island.  It’s the perfect place to relax and unwind.

Basque Country – Biarritz And St-Jean-de-Luz

Where do I start?  How about with a beach, since I love them so much?

Biarritz and St-Jean-de-Luz are on the Atlantic coast of France, in French Basque Country.  Basque Country also extends into Spain.  The Basque people still speak their own Basque language, which looks nothing like French, and they have a very distinctive architecture style.  Traditional Basque houses are white with red or green trim, but you can find some less traditional ones in other colors.

St-Jean-de-Luz

Biarritz was made famous when Empress Eugénie, Napolean III’s wife, built a huge palace, Hôtel du Palais, right on the beach.  The palace has since been turned into a hotel.

The European nobility used to come here to vacation, so the whole waterfront is lined with huge beautiful buildings.

Biarritz is also a popular surfing destination.  We saw lots of surfers out in the water when we were there.

There’s a great lookout spot on top of the cliff by the lighthouse which gives you a great view of the whole bay.

Thanks to our tour guide Cindy (who was completely awesome, by the way!), who pointed us in the right direction, Michael and I visited plateau de l’Atalaye which offers an even more stunning view.  This rocky islet is also home to a statue called Rocher de la Vierge (Rock of the Virgin).

St-Jean-de-Luz is a fishing village that`s close to Biarritz.  It`s a little less flashy than it`s neighbor, but still completely charming!

It’s claim to fame is that Louis XIV married Marie-Thérèse here in 1660 at Eglise St-Jean-Baptiste.  The entrance where they entered the church has been walled over, because only the king should be able to use it.  The houses where each stayed the night before the wedding are across the square from each other.

I loved both Biarrtiz and St-Jean-de-Luz so much!  Before going on the trip, I was most excited for the French Riviera, and I thought Nice would be my favorite place in France.  I don’t even think I had heard of Biarritz before.  While Nice was beautiful and had palm trees, turquoise sea, and warmer temperatures, it was the Atlantic coast of France that stole my heart… and that’s even with the overcast skies.  I can only imagine how stunning it would be on a bright sunny day!  If you ask me, those European nobles had the right idea.  If I ever go back to France, I’d definitely love to spend some more time in this area, and if you’re planning a trip to France, make sure you include Biarritz and St-Jean-de-Luz in your itinerary!

Battling The Fall Blues

I’m pretty sure this is the last time I will be showing you beach pictures for a while.

I am not one of those people who loves fall.

I live for summer, in case you hadn’t noticed.

I need oceans and beaches and greenery and flip flops and bikinis and skirts and sun dresses.

I need to feel the warmth of the sun shining on my face.

I sort of like spring because it is full of promise and optimism and hope.  Good things are coming and the days start to get longer.

But I have a hard time with fall.

Days start to get shorter.  The air gets cooler.  And you’re the farthest from beach season you can be.

And it used to be better when fall meant going back to school and reuniting with friends and a fresh supply of highlighters, pens, and binders.  I could get on board with that.

But this year, my fall blues are in full swing, and I feel like Mother Nature is going to have to drag me, kicking and screaming, into fall.

And I’m trying really hard to be optimistic and look on the bright side of things.

Fall means I can turn on my oven again, without melting, and make lasagna and it will be cool enough to eat chilli and soup.  Yoga teacher training is starting.  Fall is butternut and spaghetti squash season.  And my best buds, The Big Bang Theory gang, will return soon.  And it means that it’s almost time for Breaking Dawn Part 2 to come out.  And the third book in the Matched trilogy, Reached, comes out in November.  And I’m going to France soon.

So you see, fall isn’t so bad.  It’s just a mental struggle for me.  Maybe I should go out and buy some new pens and see if that helps me shake the fall blues.

In The Words Of My Old Navy T-Shirt…. Take Me To The Beach!

Last weekend I was lucky enough to spend another fabulous weekend at my parents’ cottage.

Sunsets were seen.  Coffees were drank on the deck.  Beach sitting was done.  Insurgent was read.  Ocean was swam in.  No sharks were seen.  Cupcakes were eaten.  Mini family reunion was held.  Frosty’s was visited.  Ice cream was consumed.

It was a very good weekend!

I just had to share a few more beach pics!  I hope you don’t mind.

My view while doing yoga (above).

Nothing brings a smile to my face like the sight of the ocean.

That’s a direct quote from me.  Feel free to reference it.

Melmerby Beach

Wanna see some more beach pics?

These were taken at Melmerby Beach in Nova Scotia.

My beach days are becoming numbered!  Here’s to hoping for a few more good ones!

Crystal Crescent Beach

No, that’s not that Caribbean.

It’s Nova Scotia, baby!

The white sand and turquoise waters remind me of the tropics.

The water certainly doesn’t feel like the tropics.  It’s quite possibly the coldest water I have ever swam in.

But it’s so pretty!

There’s No Place Like Home…

I spent a glorious four day weekend at my parents’ cottage on the North Shore of PEI in Sea View.  I’ve been going to that beach forever, and it holds a special place in my heart.  It really is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever been to.

And I like to go to beaches a lot.

The beach is my antidepressant of choice.  There is just something about the sand, the sun, and the sound of the waves crashing gently on the shore that soothes my soul.

I could sit and stare at the ocean forever I think.

One of my favorite parts of my visit were my morning walks on the beach.  I like the calm and stillness that is there before everybody else shows up on the beach.  I loved watching the morning sun sparkling on the water.

I even did some yoga on the beach!  Crossed #13 off the summer to-do list.  Then my dad told me I was turning into a Chinese ninja.

My other favorite part was drinking coffee and reading while sitting on the deck with a view of the ocean, the pond, and rolling hills.  The fields looked like a patchwork quilt of different crops.  Why did I never fully appreciate the view before?  Talk about finding beauty close to home.

And on Saturday, we walked up the beach and the tide was low enough that we waded out to the flower pot rock.  The only other time I’d been out and touched the rock was probably about twenty years ago when my parents took my sister and me out there.  Maybe in another twenty years I’ll go out and touch it again.

Other awesome events that took place: supper and three ice cream cones (not on the same day) from Frosty’s, a game of Settler’s of Catan, the dinner theater at the Brother’s Two in Summerside, a bonfire on the beach (#12) that my cousin started with a blow torch, fireworks, brunch at the Red Shores, and three fabulous beach days!

It was SO hard to leave.  I wish I could spend more time over there.  I’m hoping to get over at least once more this summer.  Hopefully Mother Nature will co-operate and give me perfect weather again.

Weekend in PEI

The prettiest beaches in Canada are on the north shore of Prince Edward Island.

Of course, I may be biased.

I was going to PEI’s beaches before I was even born.  My due date was August 18, but I wasn’t born until September 12, so my mom kept going to the beach.  My grandmother said I’d be born at the beach.

And my love for the ocean and the sand was born.

I am only beginning to realize just how lucky I am that growing up, I had a stay-at-home mom who was able to take me and my brother and sister to the beach every sunny day (and even some not so sunny ones) in the summer.  I wish I could still do that.  Unfortunately, work prevents me from doing that.

I need to fit in my beach days when I can.

That’s why Michael and I went to PEI last weekend.  We stayed in Cavendish, land of Anne of Green Gables, right in the National Park, so we had easy access to the beach.

Now, the weather on PEI can be unpredictable.  Oftentimes, it’s much cooler on the coast.

Not this weekend.

In an unusual twist, Mother Nature co-operated and provided me with the best weather I’ve experienced when I’ve been on PEI in years!  It was like the stars aligned and I was provided with perfect beach weather.

They were perfect beach days which, according to me, consist of warmth, a light breeze (instead of gale force winds), calm seas, and crystal clear water.

So I took my lounger and umbrella and book and did some good beach sitting.

I also went swimming!  In June!  The first time that’s happened in years!

And I will say it wasn’t even bad!  My toes weren’t even numb!

And I got to accomplish one of my summer goals, which was to watch the sunset over the water.  Remember how much I love sunsets?

It was so hard leaving on Monday.  And even harder going back to work on Tuesday when the weather was jsut as beautiful.

My heart belongs to the red sandy shores of PEI.

Maui, Paradise Found!

I heart Maui!

Hands down my most favorite part of the trip!  Ka’anapali beach is by far my favorite beach that we went to in Hawaii.  The water was so pretty!  I have never seen water so clear.  I loved the colors of the ocean here.  The water transitions from a deep blue out far to turquoise, and then to light blue closer in, paired next to the beautiful sand.  I could have stared at that ocean forever!  The camera doesn’t do it justice

To top off the view, you can see the islands of Molokai and Lanai in the distance.

We stayed at the Royal Lahaina (owned by the same people who own the Royal Kona, which we stayed at in Hawaii) in West Maui.  It was about a forty-five minute drive from the airport, but it was a very pretty drive.  Much of it was along the coastline so I could do more ocean staring.  We passed by so many beach parks with surfers and paddle boarders out in the water.

Our days in Maui were spent sitting on the beach.  The perfect way to end the trip!  If we’d had more time, there’s so much touring I’d like to have done in Maui, like hike to the Iao Needle or drive the road to Hana.  But after two weeks of touring around, I just wanted to relax and enjoy the fabulous beach!

And wanna know the best thing about the beach??  WE SAW HUMPBACK WHALES RIGHT FROM SHORE!!  In all the time I’ve spent at the beach over the years, I’ve never seen that before.  It was so special!  I saw a whale jump right out of the water!  At one point there were probably about three whales out there, playing around.  They hung around pretty much all afternoon.  It was awesome!

Michael and I broke up the beach sitting by going to a luau and on a sunset sail.

The luau made me want to learn how to hula dance!  Although I’m pretty sure my butt and hips can’t move like that.  The fire dancing finale was pretty awesome!

And those whales I saw from the shore?  They were probably the same whales we saw later that day on the sunset sail!  That was an AWESOME bonus.  It wasn’t even a whale watching tour, but we followed the group of about three whales up the Maui coastline.  And the little baby (little being a relative word) kept jumping out of the water.  I’ve been whale watching in the Bay of Fundy, but this was way better!  I’ve never seen anything like it before.  And then to top off the cruise, we got to watch the gorgeous sunset while one of the crew played the ukulele and played the Over the Rainbow song.  The whole experience was so special!  I felt so happy and at peace.  Now if only I could feel like that everyday…

The hotel was awesome and I highly recommend it!  I loved their coconut-lime scented bath products.  I loved that they offer yoga classes some mornings with a natural ocean soundtrack and beautiful views.  I loved the little coffee and ice cream shop that was on the property that made the best strawberry papaya smoothies and macadamia nut coffee.  I loved having breakfast on the lanai of our hotel room and staring at the stunning view (which included humpbacks one morning).

Hmm… I wonder if they need pharmacists in Maui??