I apologise in advance, there will be lots of pics, but then again there are gaps in the photos, as they include my kids and nephew, and we don’t generally put them on the blog!
As you all know, we had our surprise trip to Finland planned for the half term holidays. The main aim of the visit was to surprise my Pops for his 70th birthday!
Things are never smooth sailing, as I mentioned in a previous post to you all, but it started with traffic before we had even arrived!
Then once we checked in, the security check was another obstacle! I had all my liquids in a little bag, and was confidently striding over to take my bag off the conveyor belt when I realised that it was on the other side of the perspex screen… erm… what have I done now?
It ended up not being me, but Hubby Dearest slipping a roll on deodorant in my hand luggage! As the security guy checked everything, he asked me whether I had ever been told I resembled anyone… Nope, not really, apart from my mum!
Apparently I am the spitting image of Shappi Khorsandi, the Iranian Comedienne!
Shappi
You Decide!
Me!
We managed to release ourselves from there relatively quickly after the guy told me that was a great compliment, and Hubby Dearest muttered “Hitting on my wife… in from of me!” under his breath as we walked away!
The flight was as uneventful as it could be, with two kids who can’t be near each other for too long!
The sea of cloud we flew across
Arrival and taxi to the hotel was fine, and we were greeted by the sight of several older folk literally staggering around the front of our hotel, drunk! There had a vow renewal service there, and obviously, it was a very good party afterwards!
My brother was sat inside cringing… What a first impression of Helsinki! But we loved it! Looked like a great place to be!
The room was compact but able to accommodate all 4 of us, but there was no air conditioning, and considering the weather we had there, ranging from 23-25 degree Celsius the whole time, it was pretty hot!
I had my one and only drink there, a traditional Finnish brew called Original, made from grapefruit, that my brother introduced me too. It’s a shame I ended up too tired most evenings, as that would have been a nice end to each of the days!
The next day we were picked up by my brother ready for the main event, the photo shoot. Pops was speechless when we walked in, not expecting to see his whole little family in one room at the same time! I think we truly made his year! Many photos were taken, of the family and various combinations of this person and that!
This is what love is!
I snuck in and took some candid shots of the shoot taking place, and this is one of my wonderful parents!
It was so amazing to all be together, seeing my brother, sister-in-law, and my gorgeous nephew! Seeing our children bonding was priceless. They don’t get that chance much, but I was so happy to see it all!
After the photo shoot, we were whisked back to their flat for lunch. We experienced the Metro and walked through parts of the city too.
This was when we saw Pii Poo… Sorry, I had to giggle at that name… toilet humour… runs in the family! It was a toy and Lego shop that Lil Man was desperate to go to, but it was always closed when we went there!
After lunch, my brother took the boys to Team Helsinki’s cricket ground, which was like a dream come true for Lil Man, who got to play in their nets! He surprised a few there too with his skills!
We spent at least an hour a day, if not more, at various parks during our stay there, as there are these amazing parks for children all around the city. Children are given the opportunity to learn through play so much, and learn independence, and social skills through learning to share!
The next day we walked LOTS! From the hotel, we went down the Boulevardii.
One of the main roads in Helsinki city, it has a mix of amazing buildings and eclectic shops down it, cafes and restaurants spring up all over the place!
There are so many wonderful buildings to see, like the Cathedral, and various theatres, and the main station with its iconic 4 figures at the front.
We walked up the steps to the Cathedral, and my brother took an arty shot from the bottom, but I haven’t got that yet! It’s kind of ‘spot the Indians’! But I do have Pops and me helping each other down the stairs!
We went to a park named The Plague… beautiful park, gruesome history! Basically, when the Bubonic plague hit Helsinki it lost two-thirds of its population, and this was where many were buried.
A memorial to those that died of the Plague
We saw the Wooden Church, (surprisingly all made of wood), that was in the middle of the City.
We crossed numerous bridges too, over the canal…
There is also this great installation near my brother’s flat, on the dockside. Basically, a charity drive was set up called Horizons, to raise funds to clean the waterways around the city. Those that donated had their names on little metal plaques. They are all attached onto this wall, and when the wind blows they look like the waves in the sea!
I can’t forget to mention the Pissing Man! What a funny installation!!
The next day was a trip to the Zoo which is on an island! We walked in through the city to the docks to catch a ferry. Boy, was it hot!
I don’t entirely agree with zoos, and animals in captivity, but it was pretty amazing to be so up close to so many magnificent creatures, like lions, tigers, bears, to name a few!
Can’t forget the beautiful Peacocks and Peahens!
Oh, and I got attacked by a Canadian Goose! I unknowingly went to close to its nest, and it flew at me and pecked at my head! I still have a sore spot there!
This is not the crazy duck, but one with two gorgeous ducklings!
I also caught Pops and Mum strolling romantically through the enclosures!
And we can’t forget the giant mosquito!
That was also the night Lil Princess suffered heatstroke (told her to drink plenty and keep her hat on, but would she listen?!) so we dealt with vomit and all sorts, thanks to a great hotel staff!
The next day meant that I had to stay in with her, as she wasn’t right, but the rest of the Finndian contingency went on a boat ride courtesy of my Sis in Law’s brother. Lil Man got to steer the boat too, he was so excited! And they went to one of the numerous islands on the coast to paddle in the sea!
Lil Man sailing!
My Family
Popped for a coffee with my Pops, Mum and Brother, while Hubby Dearest had the kids at a play centre, and sis in law took my nephew for his nap!
It was a wonderful trip, all in all!
Here are a few other random shots from the trip…
Dog parking anyone?
Breakfast fit for a Queen!
Egg Box Lego! How cool!!
Good indicators!
A boat Lil Man insisted I take a picture of!
Row upon row of Nakki – or Sausage to you and me!
Luggage packed, it was time for home…
Helsinki cried as we left…
And to top it off on the plane, Lil Man had a pocketful of change so wanted to buy something from the Dutyfree… he found Jellybeans for five Euros. Then he promptly spilt half of them on the floor. As he was eating some of the surviving ones, this happened!
Yup, that’s his tooth! Luckily it was already wobbly!
So now we are home, my piles of laundry are done, and it is back to the real world… one more day before school starts back…
I only wish I could share the video of Pops being surprised… I was just sent it today, but it has the children in it… Still this whole holiday has been a time to create priceless memories, and to cement relationships for the kids with their other family.
It was wonderful! I hope you enjoyed a little stroll through Helsinki with me!
But I Smile Anyway... 
Dec 22, 2017 @ 08:23:57
Nice Post…
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Dec 22, 2017 @ 08:29:53
Thanks!
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Nov 26, 2017 @ 04:00:48
Beautiful ❤
Enjoyed it all
Check out my blog
http://Www.mydisruptivelife.com
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Thank u❤
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Nov 26, 2017 @ 09:01:10
Thanks 😊
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Nov 17, 2017 @ 20:21:06
What an ultra-cool place! I loved this post!
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Nov 17, 2017 @ 20:27:33
It is a Wonderful place! Xxx
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Oct 18, 2017 @ 19:59:49
In honor of your trip to Finland:
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Oct 18, 2017 @ 20:04:28
Lol ! Love it Don! I went with Hubby Dearest to see Spamalot many years ago and forgot this!!!
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Oct 13, 2017 @ 06:50:06
Love posts about travel Ritu. Never been to Finland and your lovely photos and comnentary are very enticing! Except for the vomit yes been there experienced that! The pissing man made me laugh!
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Oct 13, 2017 @ 06:54:05
Marje, the Pissing Man was hilarious!!!! The kids loved him! But Finland is a beautiful country and we have only really seen Helsinki!!! Hope to go and explore other areas soon!!! xxx
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 20:17:00
Don’t know how I missed this post Ssis but I loved it. So much to see in Finland, and I love the quirkiness of it with the Pissing man and the bridge with little name plaques! 🙂
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 20:30:15
Glad you enjoyed it sis!!! 😍
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 20:34:12
Yes it was a lovely post xx
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 19:49:08
This looks like a brilliant trip!
But errr…I don’t think you look like Shappi. I mean, your hair is similar, but you don’t look the same. I do love her comedy though. 😀
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 19:53:03
I know lol!! It was the hair and skin colour Lol!!!
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 19:30:03
Wow! What a wonderful experience.I can’t help to think back to a trip we went on last year. We visited the Vicksburg Civil War Park, where almost 40,000 people were killed. Much of the war field has been left untouched since the war. Walking on the land where so much blood was spilled was very eerie. I’m sure it felt much the same when you visited The Plague.
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 19:33:21
It was kinda humbling… a busy but wonderful trip!
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 14:49:09
Wonderful photos Sister!! I’m glad you and the family could have that time together!! It looks really nice there!
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 17:17:40
Thank you Brother xx
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 20:47:51
You’re welcome Sister! 🤗🤗
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 14:35:37
That’s a whole lot to happen in one trip! Your parents are adorable, by the way.
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 17:17:29
It was a bit of a whirlwind! It fun! And they really are cute!!!
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 11:54:06
I loved the shots of your family–particularly your mom and dad together. How incredible to see them still so in love! What a great example for all the children (and adults) to see.
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 17:15:41
They are epic examples Angela. We are blessed to have them for our parents!
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 10:27:36
Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 08:53:52
Loved to know about your Finland journey in this lovely write up…..nice clicks……Finland has it’s own charm and beauties in natural surroundings which are hard to match…….:)
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 17:13:43
It is truly a gorgeous place!
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 08:08:18
Looks like you all had a great time. There’s a lot going on there and I’m not surprised you were tired trying to pack it all in.
The Pissing Man is hilarious, I don’t think we’d get away with something like that here lol
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 08:15:01
I loved the Pissing Man!!!!
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 07:41:07
I spent a few weeks in Finland as part of an exchange program in my youth. I really enjoyed it and I hope I get the change to go back some day.
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 08:14:12
It is a beautiful country!
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 07:29:04
That was wonderful. 🙂
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 08:13:55
Thank you Richard!!!
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 09:09:05
My pleasure.
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 07:07:13
Looks like you had a wonderful time with your family….Lovely memories and good times..very happy for you Ritu!!! Sophie
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 08:13:25
Thank you Sophie!
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 13:56:51
😊
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 06:15:29
It looks like a wonderful trip, Ritu 🙂
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 06:53:19
Oh Irene it was! I wish we could get out there again soon!
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 05:25:48
Seems awesome!
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 06:52:55
It is a gorgeous country Kunal!
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 07:25:11
I’m sure! Someday… 🙂
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 05:19:45
looks great
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Oct 12, 2017 @ 06:52:42
It’s a beautiful country!
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Oct 16, 2017 @ 09:34:19
😍
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Aug 08, 2017 @ 02:59:49
Its close but I would say you don’t look like Shappi.. Lol!! Finland seemed really stunning and weird at the same time.. The peeing man and giant mosquito? If your kids were sensitive, they might have had nightmares! Are there a lot of people of colour in Finland? I know Sweden, Denmark and Norway have black and brown people there..
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Aug 08, 2017 @ 07:45:22
Lol thanks! I wasn’t sure if the Shappi thing… but if it woyld get me an upgrade…😉.
Finland is indeed beautiful!
Helsinki us realky cosmopolitan. You see lots of different cultures and colours colours. The villages in land are not so used to multiculturalism though. My brother has had trouble in a village once… racist remarks etc. You get funny looks there too… but otherwise stick to Helsinki and things are fine!
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Sep 08, 2017 @ 16:40:47
Ok. Looks like I’ll have to visit Helsinki!
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Sep 08, 2017 @ 16:48:02
Worth it!
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Sep 08, 2017 @ 16:49:33
How has your back to school week been like? Hectic no doubt.
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Sep 08, 2017 @ 17:20:02
Hectic is one-way to describe!
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Sep 08, 2017 @ 17:37:50
;D
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Sep 08, 2017 @ 17:39:28
You’ll be glad to know I’m blogging now!! I’ll try to have a new post in the next hour. Yiippee!!
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Sep 08, 2017 @ 18:34:50
😁
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Jun 05, 2016 @ 16:02:15
Such a good post this, Ritu.
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Jun 05, 2016 @ 16:45:55
Thank you Chris! Glad you enjoyed!
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Jun 05, 2016 @ 14:42:19
The Vet is telling me ‘why not Finland this summer?’ so apparently I will need your travel top tips on Saturday.. Bit worried about the easy booze what with her and her mother together though… Looks like a perfect holiday
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Jun 05, 2016 @ 15:41:43
Oh I’d highly recommend it Geoffles and if you decide… and need any tips I can ask my bro and sis in law!
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Jun 06, 2016 @ 14:53:37
That’s very kind – top ten things to see that you don’t normally think of might be a good request!
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Jun 06, 2016 @ 16:33:23
I’ll ask! Anywhere in Finland or specific areas??
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Jun 06, 2016 @ 17:38:01
Helsinki and surounds
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Jun 06, 2016 @ 17:39:44
Ok….. I’m on it!!!
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Jun 05, 2016 @ 02:54:39
What great memories….love all the pictures….looked like so much fun….thanks for taking us with you…..and yes your mum and pop certainly look like love birds to me….kat
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Jun 05, 2016 @ 09:07:41
Thanks Kat. It was a lovely trip. I only hope we can repeat the experience soon! 😊
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Jun 05, 2016 @ 02:01:37
Thanks for the tag-along and the pictures! It looks like you had a really good time, ‘cept when the little one had a heat stroke.
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Jun 05, 2016 @ 09:05:15
Thanks Tim! It was a tiringly terrific time! I’m just glad she wasn’t sick for any longer!!!!
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 23:44:51
That’s awesome! Looks like a fantastic trip! 😃
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 23:46:40
It was wonderful! I could totally live there! !!!!
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 23:53:15
That’s great! Is that where your parents live?
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Jun 05, 2016 @ 00:06:44
No, they are here in thevUKmtoo, but my brother lives there. He’s married to a Finnish girl. 😊
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Jun 05, 2016 @ 01:20:06
Gotcha. Looks pretty great! 😀
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Jun 05, 2016 @ 09:04:20
I was so impressed with the whole place!
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 23:10:08
Beautiful pics Ritu😀👍
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 23:10:30
Thank you Shivangi! Hope you are well! :O)
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Jun 05, 2016 @ 04:55:56
I am good Ritu😀
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 22:40:09
how wonderful, for you and your family!!! Nothing is better than that! Don’t forget the tooth fairy 🙂
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 23:09:08
I almost did forget!! We got away with it the first night, as the tooth fairy wasn;t sure where we were, because it came out in mid air! 😉
Then last night I fell asleep, and ‘she’ turned up in the morning while he was changing his clothes!
Phew! Meltdown averted!!!
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 23:13:33
Nice save, Mom!! 🙂
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 23:18:06
The things we do!!!
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 22:31:56
Never apologize when you take us on a photo tour, Ritu. These were lovely. And much respect for not showing your children. I so agree. Your parents and those couple shots…just priceless. As is the one of your whole family. You are blessed. ❤️
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 23:07:46
Thank you Van! I wanted to give you all, my blogily, a glimpse of our happiness! 🙂
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 21:45:42
What a great post, Sis! I admire you for putting this together in such a short time. To tell from your photos and although your nights were anything but recreative you spent a fantastic time in Finland with your whole family – and I completely understand! So happy for you and your parents!
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 22:12:12
It was such a wonderful time Sis! I will show you the video of Pops when we meet, next week…EEEK!!!!!
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 22:14:38
OMG, yes!!! This is so cool that you can show me… in not even a week… 😄
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 23:05:31
I know!!!!
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Jun 05, 2016 @ 15:47:02
😃😃
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 21:37:38
It looks so beautiful and amazing! All of the first few pictures have such clear skies which looks a lot nicer than typical British weather!
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 22:11:29
We weren’t expecting it to be as beautiful as it was… I guess we got really lucky! Jackets weren’t even needed and we saw very few clouds!
I heard that back home in England, it was miserable…typical half term weather!
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 22:19:54
Pretty much! Ended up eating chips in the wind and cold when it was meant to be a lovely day! Sometimes I feel like they randomly generate the weather forecast as it never predicts the weather correctly!
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Jun 04, 2016 @ 23:07:05
Nope, they never seem to get it right! I have given up looking to be honest!
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