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Girl Gone Travel

Europe, Travel
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February 16, 2018

London: A Kid’s View

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Our trip to London was one of our travel highlights. It was a last-minute trip that we miraculously managed to pull off despite the boys having expired passports that needed renewal! I fell in love with the city and I know my kids loved it too, they talk about it a lot.

Often times that is exactly how I can determine how much my kids loved a trip, or an experience we have together; with how the conversations veer one way or another toward a specific moment or meal or activity. But because they are older I thought it would be a good idea to give them a camera (one of my older ones) so that they could walk around and capture what they felt was the most impressive for them, or what they wanted to remember the most.

Our 11-year-old really took to photography. Our 12-year-old preferred taking photos with his phone. At first, my youngest would follow me around and almost shadow me as I walked to take a shot, or hung back a bit longer to get a perfect moment. I talked to him about F-stops and aperture and we would exchange lens so he could see how each one worked differently to provide a different view or feel of an image. Over time however, he would look for his own shots, captures that were significant to him and which caught his attention.

The photographer at work.

It was only recently that I got a chance to look at his photos from that trip and I have to say I am in awe. I know, I know…I’m his mom, but it’s not just that maternal pride. These photos allowed me to see London as he saw it and it made me teary because it again reinforces so many of the reasons why we do what we do.

Travel is a huge part of our family’s culture. It is a way to show our kids the world, to move their hearts and open their minds. I want them to connect to places, not just pass through them. I want them to travel with responsibility and respect for every person and place. In a time when travel imagery in travel media is represented as an unrealistic, unattainable illusion, I want to teach my kids that it isn’t about the “likes” (they are not on social media), or the bragging, or the airline miles, or the number of countries they have traveled to (which is a lot more than I had traveled to at their age).

It is so much deeper and meaningful and important and special than that. Seeing his photos, I realized that he gets it and I am so moved by that reality.

The following photos were by my 11-year-old son, on a hand-me-down Canon Rebel I gave him. He had no direction from anyone and they are truly his independent view of London. If ever there was a way to show how beautiful the world is through a child’s eyes, this is it. All photos have been shared with the photographer’s permission.

Enjoy.

 

Borough Market

Liberty Shopping Center

Street art in Shoreditch neighborhood of London and other street views

The Making of Harry Potter at Warner Bros. Studio just outside of London

Photographer’s father and older brother.

Butter beer ice cream.

A candid shot of the photographer’s mother in the crowd.

 “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” — Henry Miller

All photos are property of the publisher and may not be used without consent.

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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2 Comments
  • Hannah
    March 27, 2020

    What a beautiful way to see the world! Such a lovely, and warm post. Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
    • caincarol
      Hannah
      April 3, 2020

      Thank you, Hannah! I appreciate everything so much more through their eyes.

      Reply

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

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Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite lazy day pastimes of the season: market shopping for fall goodies - which in the Finger Lakes is especially bountiful. 

📍Joseph’s Wayside Markey, Naples, NY

#fingerlakes #newyork #octobermood #fallday
Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The proce Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The process is busy and noisy but also exciting and fun to watch. 

This cloudy morning seems to have calmed things down a bit, but not for long I am sure. These families work hard!

Bonus: they set up roadside stands so we can purchase and taste them 🍇 I highly recommend picking some up if you see some in your drive. 

#fingerlakes #lifeinthecountry #newyork
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I want to take moment to send out love to my fello I want to take moment to send out love to my fellow Latinx and immigrant community. 

To send strength to my community of glorious misfits who are out in the world making good trouble and emboldening us to not give up hope on our dreams, our livelihoods, our future, our country, our people. 

The country our parents worked so hard to get to so that we could fly. A country they helped build and bring to prosper. A country our communities help to feed and house and care for. 

I am my immigrant parents dream come true, and my children are a continuation of that dream. 

I just want to remind all of us who represent the targeted, of our worth. Of the value of our contributions. In our languages, our culture, our insights, our work ethic and skills and knowledge. Of the things we bring to the table.

I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, or to us. But, as someone whose family lived through a dictatorship, I have an idea of how this story will end. And all I can advise is that we remain on the right side of it, our convictions unaltered, our core values untethered. Our spirits unbroken. In these stories, the monsters might scare us, and even harm some of us, but they never, ever win in the end. 

I am living proof of that. ❤️ And every time you succeed and feel joy, you are too. Pa’lante, mi gente.
Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes. Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes.
A wonderful weekend was had. We worked hard, but t A wonderful weekend was had. We worked hard, but then we rested even harder. We celebrated a successful cafe pop-up and a birthday in the city we love with people we love even more. Feels lucky, and we are grateful. 

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