accidental tourists

The other day my family and I were graciously invited to to visit a local attraction for a small event they were hosting. It had been some time since we had visited The Aquarium of the Pacific and we were eager to get back there, looking forward to spending one of our last days of summer taking in the sights and sounds a nearby coastal city.

Who knew that a lovely morning at the Aquarium would put us in such a touristy frame of mind? After spending time experiencing all of the wonders from down under the sea, we wandered around the surrounding area as if we had never been there before. Shops, restaurants, and lots of photo ops, we we acted just like vacationers.

Looking at all the images from the day, I realized, I captured us perfectly; the accidental tourists.

I can only imagine how many photos you took this summer; of all your adventures near and far. So today, for the sake of boardwalks and salt water taffy, roller coasters and postcards, sunburns and snapshots share your quintessential tourist pictures. Everyone's got some! We want to see yours today.

a ticket to ride

Summer brings with it fairs, amusement parks, playlands, and fairgrounds.  Growing up we had the traveling country fairs. Summer weekends were marked by different festivals pulling into the small rural towns and setting up for a few days of fun. Each had its own unique name, and some its very own queen. My favorite was the apple dumpling festival, of course with its newly crowned "little miss apple dumpling" and her grand counterpart the apple dumpling queen. Summer fun and pageantry, full of food, rides, games and even the occasional livestock. Now as an adult I live near a summer playland complete with whirring rides, bags of pink cotton candy and one very loud arcade. We know summer has officially begun here when the playland is open for business. Going always makes me nostalgic for the fairs of my youth, the rides are the same rides I rode as a kid, the junk food the same, even the photos I take now of my own kids on the rides look no different from the photos of me as a kid that line the old family photo albums. I remember being little and handed that coveted book of ride tickets. The excitement that paper book of tickets evoked. Adventure in my little hand; what to ride? how many rides would I get?! would I be tall enough for the bigger rides???!!!! Oh the anticipation.

Adventure does not have to be GRAND, it can be as simple as a hand full of paper tickets. Have you had any little adventures in your life lately?

In spirit of August's One Word , adventure, share yours with us today.