The end of ’24 and the start of ’25 have been Family Time!
December was a whirlwind of activity as we returned to Pennsylvania for the holiday season. We landed in Pittsburgh at 8PM on December 6, got a few hours of sleep, picked up our grandchildren, and went tree shopping. By the evening of the December 7th the tree was up, the house was decorated, and we had a hearty winter stew bubbling on the stove for a dinner with Matt, Maggie and the kiddos. Whew!
Playing with the kiddos, baking and decorating cookies, wrapping gifts, making holiday crafts, hosting dinner parties for our friends, and hanging out at The Tavern (Matt & Maggie’s WONDERFUL restaurant in New Wilmington – (www.thetavernonthesquare.com) consumed us for the last weeks of 2024. (Ed also did a bit of snow shoveling!)
We celebrated Merr’s birthday on December 29 (she’s 6!) with a lovely family dinner at The Tavern.
Arriving back in Valencia on December 31, we were just in time to prepare for Matt, Maggie and the kiddos arrival on January 1st. The rest of the gang (Mark, Shannon, Michael, Charlotte, and Jesse) landed in town the following day and for the next week we did our best to share with our family this wonderful city that we have come to love. Tours, feasts, stories, museums, art, music, and just hanging out together – the plan was to maximize the experience for everyone. It was magical for us, and we will long treasure the memories.
Our first day together in Valencia started with a Tuk-Tuk tour. After winding through the city, we headed to the Mediterranean for a walk on the beach.
Our next stop was Valencia’s Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts & Sciences) where we admired the spectacular, and very modern architecture of Santiago Calatrava. Everyone was impressed!
Our TukTuk drivers dropped us off at Guliver’s Park where a good time was had climbing all over Gulliver lying on the ground, bound by the ropes of the Lilliputians.
The giant slide, Gulliver’s coattails, seemed to be everyone’s favorite.
Saying goodbye to Gulliver, we took a nice walk through the Jardín del Turia (the fabulous 9KM green space in the middle of Valencia) on our way to a lunch of tapas and paella.
That was day one! For the remainder of the week, we walked about the city, climbed to the top of the Serranos Towers, checked the street art, enjoyed the Three Kings Parade, explored Roman ruins, rode the Merry-Go-Round, chased pigeons, danced in with the Christmas elves in the plaza, visited the aquarium (largest in Europe), and listened to some of Grandfather’s and Uncle Mark’s stories about Valencia. So much fun!
Of course, we spent plenty of family time around a table full of food (and cocktails!).
Not to worry, there were plenty of stops for treats, including a Valencia specialty…buñuelos and horchata.
Time hanging out at our place might have been the best of all!
Saying good by wasn’t easy.
We’re busy planning our 2025 travel starting with a birthday trip to Oman. Stay tuned!
About Us
Welcome to our little corner of the world where we invite you to embark on exciting journeys with us!
We’re Ed and Bonnie, a duo passionate about exploring the world and experiencing its wonders. Our love for travel isn’t just about discovering new places; it’s about sharing those moments with cherished family and friends like you.
Our hope is that you will feel like you’re right there with us, sharing in the excitement and wonder of each destination. Better yet, let’s plan a rendezvous somewhere wonderful! Learn more
love all the photos of the family trip in January…most delightful. Your sons are so “grown up”!!! Looks like loads of fun