Tag: fun

Photostory: Seagull Attack at Kyrping | LotsaSmiles Photography

Posted on by Brianna Shade in Europe, Norway, Stories

We’re taking a small break this week, as we were crazy busy preparing for and running our home anime convention, Kumoricon (did you know we’re in charge of the convention’s official video and photography?).  That’s one event we’ll both actually miss considerably next year.  I’ve always said I wouldn’t miss Kumoricon for the world… but that’s precisely what we’ll be doing!

Anyway, we’ll be back next week with some more Florida stories, but in the meantime, enjoy this fun photostory from one of our campgrounds in Norway, Kyrping!

We saw plenty of fauna in Norway (though certainly not as much as in Costa Rica).  And while the species didn’t really surprise us, their behaviors did.  We passed lounging yaks, curious goats, and baying sheep (were we in Norway or Scotland?).  And I was attacked by a seagull.

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Read the full article: Photostory: Seagull Attack at Kyrping | LotsaSmiles Photography

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We Learned How to Drink Like a Russian

Posted on by Brianna Shade in Stories

Life is full of all sorts of fun experiences, most of which, you never plan for.  In fact, it is the unexpected moments that make the best memories – the ones that stick with you throughout the years and make you smile when everything else dissolves into nostalgia.

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We had one such evening, quite by happenstance.  We had the pleasant fortune to learn what it really means to drink like a Russian.

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Continue reading “We Learned How to Drink Like a Russian” →

Portland: Summertime Festivals

Posted on by Brianna Shade in North America, Oregon, Portland

Portland gets a lot of winter rain and even more cloud cover.  Between October and May (and often well into June), the sun seldom makes an appearance.  The moisture certainly makes for beautifully lush landscapes, dreamscape waterfalls, and mystic moss-draped forests, but it can get a bit dreary after so long.

However, our summers are simply to die for.  And suffering the rain only makes them that much more special.

The beauty about living in a temperate climate is we have wonderfully mild summers.  And this is when visitors and locals alike come out in droves to enjoy the many outdoor festivals in our riverside Waterfront Park – a prolific display of our affection for this beloved season.
Continue reading “Portland: Summertime Festivals” →

The 12 Countries of Christmas

Posted on by Brianna Shade in Holidays

Christmas means a lot to me and my family.  It’s the one time of year when we all come together to exchange gifts, eat far too much food, and socialize and laugh over games and drinks.  In America, it’s a family holiday, and offices across the country are closed for multiple days for the celebration.  We decorate trees in our living rooms, and we hang lights all throughout the cities.  It’s a time of giving and joy and coming together.

I love Christmas.

Spending a year abroad, there’s every chance we’ll spend the holiday in a foreign country.  And we know that not everyone celebrates it the same as we do.

© LotsaSmiles Photography 2015
Photo by Brianna Shade, used with permission

Continue reading “The 12 Countries of Christmas” →

Stranded in Costa Rica

Trouble in Paradise

Posted on by Brianna Shade in Costa Rica, North America

I just got back from an amazing backpacking trip in Alaska, so I haven’t had much time to prepare a post this week.  Apologies for the short one.

When you’re left with only a few hours at the resort, what do you do to pass the time?  Stuff yourself with more rice and beans?  Order another fruity, morning cocktail?  Seek out the beach cat?

We decided to have a little impromptu photo shoot. Continue reading “Trouble in Paradise” →