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Post by Sandra
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Hiya APJ!
I hope ya’ll are enjoying a summer or winter break and that life is good for you.
Summer vacation started and my son and I left the house at 0400 to get to the airport to catch the first flight on our way to Seattle. It had been 2,5 years since my last trip to the US to see family – to see my sister’s new home in Seattle.
I hope you enjoy my olfactory and visual trip of my travels this summer.
Summer Holiday Smells 2016 + Photo Essay
One of the first smells that I encountered was the airplane petrol that hits me every time I get to the airport and puts me right into vacation mood. I love it.
Summer Holiday Smells: Seattle
Smell of the BBQ at home and the smoke of the fireworks on the 4th of July on Lake Union.
Smell of flowers and raw fish at Pikes Market. Crocosmia with the vibrant red flowers have a very distinctive smell. The hydrangeas so big and colourful..
Smell of tossed Copper River salmon at Pikes Market. Seriously – we picked out the fish we wanted to buy and the fishmongers put on a show of tossing the fish to each other. The Copper River salmon was sublime.
Smell of the wet trees at Mr. Ranier National Park and fresh clean mountain air. I could actually smell the fresh water cascading down the waterfall at Paradise.
Smell of my hand after squeezing a ripe apricot at a roadside farmers market and of the juice from a Rainier cherry after biting into it. The Rainier cherry is incredible in its texture, flavor, sweetness and juiciness.
Smell of the lowest of the low tides at Carkeek Beach and searching for crab under the rocks – seaweed, moss and anemones on my fingertips. We found a largish crab and all sorts of little crabs.
Summer Holiday Smells: Atlanta
Smell of hand disinfectant and medicines at Urgent Care and doctors offices while getting my son’s broken arm in a cast. But we got to see colourful Australian Gouldian finches and their babies.
Heat and humidity creating a wall of comfort for me outside while everyone else ran for the AC. The humidity has a smell in Atlanta. Try to describe it? Sorry.
Smell of sun screen and chlorine every day. Yes – waterproof casts exist and we went swimming every day. That is what I enjoyed as a child and obviously so did my son. Vienna is not warm enough to have warm swimming pools outdoors.
Smell of the steam coming off of the side walks and roads after an afternoon thunderstorm and shower. How I miss the thunderstorms!
Smell of fresh boiled shrimp and cocktail sauce. Reminds me of my summer on Tybee Island where my friend’s parents caught 70 pounds of shrimp and all of us kids had to peel them all.
Sound of the cicadas in the trees. The night comes to life and the sound is magical and takes me back to my childhood in Atlanta.
I had forgotten of how abundant Crepe Myrtle trees are in Atlanta. They were in full bloom and my favourite colours were bright pink and deep red.
Perfumes I wore during the trip – Chanel Beige in Seattle and Neela Vermeire Creations Ashoka and Pichola in Atlanta.
All in all it was a great trip. Next summer vacation perhaps a different destination with sights, smells and sounds that will make memories for a lifetime.
I would love to hear from you. How are you doing and which perfumes are you reaching for?
Sandra
Australian Perfume Junkies 
What a fabulous post, Sandra! I love the vivid photos (you clearly have a knack for photography) and wonderful summer scents.
Sorry to hear S broke his arm but happy that it didn’t stop him swimming.
I now understand why you like it super hot and humid – you grew up in Atlanta! I can imagine Pichola coming into its own there.
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Thanks Tara! S is already healed and ready for school. You are right – I grew up in several hot and humid cities and that played a large role in my cold sensitivity. 😆 Pichola really bloomed in that climate as did Ashoka. Xoxo
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HI Sandra,
Your vacation sounds wonderful (except for the broken arm, of course). Having lived in both the South (Florida) and the Seattle area (alternately) for many years I really resonate with your description of shrimping, cicadas and thunderstorms in the South and the evergreens, mountains and the fruit here in the PNW. The photos were beautifully representative of both areas. Lovely.
Azar xx
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Thank you Azar. How lucky that you could experience living in both areas. I fell in love with the PNW and could see myself living there if I moved back to the US. Sandra xoxo
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I so enjoyed this post, Sandra! You really captured the sensual essences of both places. You’re right about Rainier cherries. I think the original Tree of Life must have been a Rainier cherry tree.
Ciao from Fifi
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Thanks Fifi. You are so right about the original Tree of Life! I will never be able to eat a regular cherry again without dreaming about Rainier cherries. Sandra xo
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I have not been to Seattle but have read so much about its famous fish market
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Hi Fazal. I hope you can visit one day – it really is a city with so much to offer. Sandra xo
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Thanks for the great post Sandra! I could literally feel/smell everything you described. I can relate to the Atlanta part because my daughter was on an internship in SC a whole year and I visited her twice. We visited also Tybee island so I know all about the thunderstorms, shrimps, cicadas…it’s a wonderful part of the US and I fell in love with it.
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Thank you Neva. Tybee brings back so many beautiful memories. I will have to go back one day.
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The humidity the thunderstorms and cicadas remind me of Australia too! I so enjoy your photographs Sandra you are so talented and capture it so well. I also enjoy them instantly on Instagram!! USA is definitely on my go to travel list in future. The copper salmon at the fish markets and cherries oh so craving them! Will have to go try the Chanel Beiges. I still have some samples you gave me in Vienna Sandra of Neela Vermeer xo😘
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Hiya Anna Maria. Thank you for your kind words. You would love seeing parts of the US – do several trips if you can and enjoy the various regions. Australia is on my bucket list and look forward to the warm and sunny climate. Sandra xoxo
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Hey there Sandra,
These photos are glorious. Really enjoyed following your holiday.
Breaking arms in part of growing up, I bet Sean was a complete trouper. I did my left arm twice in a year and it has steel pins holding it together. It’s pretty hard on the parents though. Hopefully you survived it OK.
Portia xx
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Hi Portia! Thanks for letting me share. As for broken arms – he was over extending himself on the monkey bars to keep up with the older cousins. I figured it would happen eventually just not on holiday. We both survived, he was a trouper with “high pain tolerance” and he now has a cool story to tell the kids back in school. Sandra xoxo
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