oh i do like to be beside the seaside

And we're back.

How cute is this almost identical pic to the one I took on our last holiday to Manly. Amazingly, we stayed in the apartment block right next door to the one we stayed in last time so I could replicate the image quite easily. How much the girls have grown! {see my last blog post}.

Manly was gorgeous. We had such a lovely, relaxing holiday - with lots of long strolls along this lovely beach. One of the things that struck me about the Northern Beaches were the fabulously painted surf clubs. They're all in lovely seaside colours that just sing of their heritage and make a fabulous pop of colour in photos. Sadly, all the Newcastle surf clubs have recently been painted - in beige. Blah. Beige doesn't belong at the seaside.

Manly council has also installed filtered water stations so you can sip from a bubbler or fill a water bottle with lovely fresh, cool, filtered water. What a fabulous initiative. Great for tourists and all the locals who walk, run, cycle, skate or scoot along the promenade.

The Sydney Festival is in residence, so we had to peek. We took a ferry to Circular Quay and had a fabulous lunch at Opera Bar. Love this installation of Summer Backyard themes! So cute.

The girls had the best time ever, with loads of twilight walks and cartwheels on the beach. Thanks Manly, you were ace. We'll be coming back.