Best Yet!

Cycling the Corniche!!

We promised the kids bikes for Christmas. Well, let's just say I did. But Santa couldn't quite come through in the end.
So as part of Prophet Mohammed's Birthday national holiday, we treated the kids to some bicycles.
We found a great little shop downtown run by a nice Iranian that had about 30 different styles of bikes. The store was literally 10 feet long x 10 feet wide. The brands? Who knows. We were told "they are made in Japan. Very good, too good quality". The shop owner was very nice and very patient with our questions and bargaining.

On Saturday we loaded the Cruiser with the kid's new bikes and headed for the board walk. If you get downtown by 11:00 on a Saturday morning you are pretty much guaranteed a beach front parking space. After that, forget about it. We unloaded bikes, kids, bottled water and the fun began.

I was skeptical of Hazel - first time on a two wheeler with training wheels - but she was a trooper! She rode her bike as far and long as the three older kids. She kept up a pretty good pace too. Everyone did amazingly well. The weather was perfect. I bet it was about 80 degrees with a slight cool breeze. A perfect day.

Yes, that is a Cold Stone in the background! Pricey but we can get our Peanut Butter Perfection fix...

You can rent one of these little sit down scooters downtown.

One of the parks along the Corniche boardwalk. The flowers and landscaping are pretty amazing. Who knew that petunias, nicotina and vinca were winter flowers?

A pedestrian tunnel underneath the Corniche connecting the city to the beach. We crossed over for an ice cream at Baskin Robbins. Check out the finish work in this tunnel - mosaics and recessed ceilings.

Audrey is only 6 inches shorter than me! What? She's 10! Watch out Grandma Quatrale- I think Audrey just passed you up on height!

Quin said "This has been our funnest day yet!" I had to agree. Funny how the simplest things always end up being the best days spent. With all the crazy, blitzy stuff this city and country has to offer a simple bike ride ends up on the top of our "Fun List".

We've become a little soft. The 115 F summer heat has warped our minds. Audrey and Quin have been known to swim in any water in any weather. Today? Just a touch 'cool'.