Travel theme: Sparkle

The fizz and sparkle of fireworks and champagne is such a thrilling way to launch into a brand new year, but once the fireworks have fizzled out and the champagne has been drunk, January slopes in with its resolutions and responsibilities like a well-practiced party pooper, telling you to clean your room and do your homework; you can’t have any pudding if you don’t eat your greens. No wonder phrases like ‘January blues’ and ‘January doldrums’ abound. But not this year. Instead, I  have determined to capture a great big handful of that New Year’s sparkle and intend to sprinkle it liberally throughout the rest of my year like mood-enhancing fairy dust. So for this very first travel theme of 2015, with January looking disapprovingly over my shoulder, I am revelling in all things sparkly.

My first thought was this photo of handheld sparklers on Guy Fawkes Night; it is hard to out-sparkle sparklers!

sparklers bonfire lighting old-fashioned

Then I remembered sunlight sparkling on the ice blue waters of Lake Atitlán.

lake atitlan, guatemala, travel, travelogue, ailsa prideaux-mooney

My recent wander around Waterford Crystal’s showrooms was definitely dazzling, but the piece that made me stop and stare was a giant, glittering crystal globe of the world. Travel and sparkles, what a fantastic combination.

winterval, waterford, ireland, christmas festival, travel, travelogue, travel photography, ailsa prideaux-mooney, waterford crystal

And to round things out, a deliciously sparkly carnival mask on display in Rome. Ahh, the romance.

carnival mask, venetian, Rome, Italy, travel, travelogue, photography, Ailsa Prideaux-Mooney

Take that, January! Now, hopefully my sparkles have sparked a few ideas for your own interpretation of this week’s theme. If you would like to join in (everyone’s welcome!) here’s what to do:

  • Create your own post and title it Travel theme: Sparkle
  • Include a link to this page in your post so others can find it too
  • Get your post in by next Thursday, as the new travel theme comes out on Friday
  • Don’t forget to subscribe to keep up to date on the latest weekly travel themes. Sign up via the email subscription link in the sidebar or RSS!

Let’s make 2015 the sparkliest year ever.

xxx Ailsa

To the dull mind, nature is leaden. To the illumined mind the whole world burns and sparkles with light. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand… and melting like a snowflake. – Sir Francis Bacon

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About ailsapm

Hi there! I’m Ailsa Prideaux-Mooney. I’ve lived in many places, and travelled to many more. I had a lot of fun getting there and being there, wherever there happened to be at the time. I climbed a castle wall in Czesky Krumlov, abseiled down cliffs to go caving in the west of Ireland, slept on the beach in Paros, got chased by a swarm of bees in Vourvourou (ok that wasn’t fun, but it was exciting), learned flower arranging in Tokyo, found myself in the middle of a riot in Seoul, learned to snowboard in Salzburg, got lost in a labyrinth in Budapest and had my ice cream stolen by a gull in Cornwall. And I’m just getting started. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read so far, I’d love you to follow my travelogue - wheresmybackpack.com - and remember, anyone who tries to tell you it’s a small world hasn’t tried to see it all.
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72 Responses to Travel theme: Sparkle

  1. vastlycurious.com says:

    Yo come up with the best parallel themes. I am almost done 9 days of Twinkle but I think I have a perfect sparkle that really mesmerized me with it’s originality! Happy New Year !

  2. Mary says:

    Love the idea of sparkle, especially for the new year.

  3. suej says:

    Ah, I shall have to think about this! Also, I thought Waterford crystal was no loner, but I see it is still going under new ownership…

  4. Pingback: Travel theme: Sparkle | Figments of a DuTchess

  5. Happy Sparkly Year to you too, dear Ailsa! And to everyone else too of course! 🙂
    Here’s my sparkle: https://drieskewrites.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/travel-theme-sparkle/

  6. Pingback: Sparkle | Wind Against Current

  7. Pingback: Travel Theme: Sparkle | Leya

  8. Leya says:

    Happy Sparkly New Year to you – and thank you for hosting Travel Theme again!
    http://lagottocattleya.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/travel-theme-sparkle/

  9. Max510 says:

    Hi everybody and Happy New Year to all friends ! Buon Anno !
    http://max510.com/2015/01/02/weekly-travel-theme-sparkle/

  10. Pingback: Travel Theme: Sparkle | Ese' s Voice

  11. Ese' s Voice says:

    Happy New Year, Ailsa! I love your gallery of sparkles, especially the fabulous shot from the Lake Atitlán. 🙂
    Here’s my entry: https://esengasvoice.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/travel-theme-sparkle/

  12. Beautiful photos. 😀

  13. Pingback: Travel Theme: Sparkle | TRAVEL WORDS

  14. Love your quotes…such truth in the sparkling moment….and in my humble opinion there can never be too much sparkle!

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  17. Pingback: Travel Theme: Sparkle | ALMOST ITALIAN

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  19. Pingback: Travel theme: Sparkle | Mick's Cogs

  20. mickscogs says:

    Lake Atitlán looks beautiful.
    Mine is of the Ninety Mile Beach in Victoria, Australia; taken in 1986
    http://regionalcognisance.wordpress.com/2015/01/03/travel-theme-sparkle/

  21. Pingback: Travel Theme: Sparkle | Mama Cormier

  22. Oh I love this idea of spreading the sparkles all year…lovely photos and great idea!!

  23. Pingback: Travel theme: Sparkle | nowathome

  24. Pingback: Travel theme: Sparkle | Meg Travels

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  26. Pingback: Travel Theme: Sparkle | My Silly Snail Blog-- with spirals, swirls, and whirls......

  27. carol1945 says:

    I was away from WordPress for several months, but yours was one of my favorite blogs, and am returning. Here is my sparkle: https://snailsearch.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=2439&action=edit&message=6&postpost=v2

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  35. Pingback: Travel Theme: Sparkle | A Glass Half Full

  36. Happy New Year! This is my first attempt at your travel theme (although I’ve been watching others do it for the past year). Looking forward to pulling out random images to share each week, and seeing what themes you come up with for us in 2015. For “sparkle”, I’ve chosen an image from a bellydancing class, http://aglasshalf-full.com/2015/01/04/travel-theme-sparkle/

  37. Pingback: Travel Theme : Sparkle | Memories are made of this

  38. Pingback: Travel Theme: Sparkle | unexpected in common hours

  39. Pingback: The Future is NOW | Writing Between the Lines

  40. Thanks for another great challenge, Ailsa. Here is my response: http://naomibaltuck.wordpress.com/2015/01/04/the-future-is-now/

  41. Pingback: Shine Bright | cocoaupnorth

  42. cocoaupnorth says:

    Happy New Year Ailsa. Thank you for the wonderful themes you had inspired me with in the last year, looking forward to more of your bright ideas:-).
    https://cocoaupnorth.wordpress.com/2015/01/04/shine-bright/

  43. Pingback: Travel Theme: Sparkle | Cloudy Wings

  44. Pingback: Travel theme: Sparkle | Let There be Peace on Earth

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