It’s hard to think that summer may be coming to a close, but we still have memories of those fun trips to play in the sun. 

The end of July, we did a trip to Ross Dam and Lake Diablo for a boat ride on the lake. The day started out a bit rainy, but by the time we reached the North Cascades, the rain had stopped and we were ready to go. The Cascade Institute provided a lunch, and then we were off on the boat around the lake.  We even had the rare pleasure of being able to stop at the dam itself for a tour inside. In today’s society, these things are generally not open to the public, so we felt very special.

August gave us a theater trip to Leavenworth.  It is always great to see “Sound of Music” up on the ski hill. Things were a little different this year with a revamping of the stage, but the music was as wonderful as always. And then there was “Footloose” in the indoor theater and “Joseph” at the fish hatchery theater. The weather was beautiful for outdoor theater, and we weren’t bothered by the fires in the Wenatchee area.

Now we are beginning to think about what to do over those colder winter months.  How do we get away and find a bit of sun? Here are a few suggestions:

• November: Hawaii cruise round-trip from San Francisco, 15 days, from $1,897 per person plus airfare.

• December: Cuba, nine days, from $3,999 per person, including airfare from Seattle.

• March: Eastern Caribbean with Royal Caribbean to Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel, starting at $1,200 for inside, $1,400 for balcony per person, including air from Seattle.

* April: Two weeks on Maui in a private home with sightseeing and most meals, from $2,400 per person

* June: Portugal, Spain and the Duro River Valley. Riverboat cruising with Uniworld, including three days in Lisbon, all inclusive with meals, sightseeing, tips and all beverages. Cost begins at $4,139 per person plus airfare.

* October: Memorial of War, Normandy and Paris, nine days including Paris, Normandy, the beaches of D-Day, Memorial Peace Museum and much, much more. Cost is $3,999, including air from Seattle and many meals

For further information and reservations, call me at 253-927-8207 or e-mail me at linda.finch@gmail.com