It was a dinosaur. There’s no other way to describe the gnashing, crushing jaws, and the swaying neck that toppled the wall into rubble and sent the roof collapsing. In minutes, smiling faces were buried under piles of Lisbon ceramic roof tiles, twisted rebar and mangled air conditioners. We were fascinated, pausing longer than intended… Read More A Demolition, and other forms of unplanned entertainment in Europe
Nestled in a wide valley in south, central Romania, Craiova surprises. One of the pleasures of settling in one place for a year is being able to observe change. One of those changes in Oltenia is the effort to develop Craiova’s downtown pedestrian district. Last year we strolled the downtown and saw ramshackle, historic facades… Read More Elevating the Arts – Craiova, Romania
We came to Romania with only the essentials in toys – Lego and Duplo, a few Barbies, favorite dress-up clothes and a favorite stuffed animal. I wondered how the children would entertain themselves in their new environment. Here’s what we’ve learned so far. 1. The girls, ages 6 and 4, spend inordinate amounts of time… Read More What I learned, and changed, about kid’s entertainment
“This week finds me in Salalah, Oman, where I indulged in a traditional art and got a tatoo. Well, a henna tatoo. In this region of the world, many women are dressed in the black hijab. The only visible parts of the body are the eyes, hands and feet (when wearing sandals). But that’s not… Read More Thank You and the Art of Henna
When we moved to this region of the United States, considered part of “The South,” I discovered the magnolia tree. Magnolia trees are the baobab of the American South. Distinctive and unique to this region, the massive blooms and richly colored foliage can be found in backyards and botanical gardens alike. The colors of the… Read More The Magnificent Magnolia: Baobab of the American South
The Biltmore, Asheville, North Carolina, USA Read more about the stately Biltmore mansion here. ****************************************************************** Do you have a photo you would like to share as part of the Eye-Catching Architectural Detail series? Email it to me at willtravelwithkids @ gmail.com along with a brief explanation of the location. Please only submit personal photos of which… Read More Part III: The Biltmore, Asheville, North Carolina, USA
The last few inches of an elegant stairway bannister. A manhole, covering a storm drain, plastered with floral filigree. The ruffled ridge of a five foot clay pot. These architectural details catch my eye and I can’t help myself. I have to capture it on camera. Some artisan, skilled in his trade, has left his mark. Over the next… Read More Eye-catching architectural detail, Part I: The Winterthur, Delaware
When we travel and stay with friends and family, we have time to do things I would like to do more often at home – like go on walks. Few other house responsibilities call and, without their regular schedule of activities and toys, I have to ensure the children have things to occupy their minds.… Read More “Treasures” to toys
The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, a boat ride on Scotland’s Loch Ness, Mozart’s house in Vienna and Mont Saint Michel. What do they all have in common? A ticket stub. A ticket stub begging to be beautifully arranged in an archival quality, acid free, plastic-page-covered scrapbook the family will cherish for generations. What a great… Read More Cheap* mom art project OR Kid’s travel art in six steps
I’m always so thrilled when children’s literature steps off the page and inserts itself into our reality. I don’t need to tell any parent the importance of reading to their children from the day the child is born. One of the benefits I’ve seen is it exposes children at the earliest possible age to environments… Read More American Road Trip (Part V): The High Wire
