B is for Beautiful Beaches & Broken Beer Bottles

I think beaches is the perfect word for this week! Our weather has been perfect - not too hot and not too cold, not too windy and not too still - just the right temperature for beautiful summer days.

Here is my favourite photo of my local beach called Centennial Beach, taken several years ago when my brave little grandson, wearing his blue t-shirt went toddling off on his own to explore. (Mommy and Gramma were watching closely, mind you.) There is a wonderful new play area at this beach now, so we should go back, this time with his baby sister. Be sure to click on the photos to see the detail better!

The next beach we frequent fairly often is about a 20-minute drive northeast to the village of Steveston. We park at Garry Point and watch the boats - sailboats, whale-watching boats, and tankers - heading out of the fresh water tributary of the Fraser River into the Strait of Georgia.

There are several beaches in the city of Vancouver, notably Spanish Banks (below), Kitsilano, and English Bay where you'll always find singles, adults, and families enjoying themselves. If you go, be sure to get some of our famous fish 'n chips from one of the many stands. From Spanish Banks, you have a brilliant view of downtown Vancouver. It was at this beach when I was 5 years old, that I knelt down in the shallow water to play and ended up right on top of a broken beer bottle. The doctor said he could hear me scream all the way at his office 20 blocks away! Several stitches later, I bear the scar to this day!

I've travelled by ferry to our very famous "Sunshine Coast" and meandered along the many beautiful beaches over there. There are lots of coves there, too, where back in the day you'd find smugglers bringing in rum and other contraband. The water and weather is perfect for sailing in this area, too! Can you see those gorgeous sailboats? I wish I were on one of them right now!

I have had the privilege of dipping my toes in the Pacific Ocean in the west and in the Atlantic Ocean from both sides. The first time was on the beach at Prince Edward Island and the second time was in Biarritz, France. I don't think I could live anywhere in the world unless I was near the ocean.

Now to one of my favourite beautiful beaches of all time - in Lerici, Italy. This was the view from my hotel room the first night out of Rome after driving for about 4 hours north to the Italian Riviera. Lounging on my patio, it was beatific to sip red vino while admiring the view all the way to sunset over the Mediterranean! Hope you all get a chance to spend some time on a beautiful beach in your neighbourhood. You can find them on lakes, rivers, seas, oceans! Just watch out for any broken beer bottles!