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Meghan J. Ward

writer + editor | BANFF, AB

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New Publication: Giving Back Without Giving Up Your Plans

April 15, 2010April 19, 2010

From Travel Alberta’s Spring Stay Magazine (April 2010, pgs 12-13). Please click on images to enlarge them and then click to zoom in.

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Posted in: Banff National Park, New Publication | Tagged: Banff, Banff National Park, charity, environment, linkedin, New Publication, Parks Canada, volunteer, volunteering

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Instadventure

Let me tell you what you’re looking at here: that’s 19th-century graffiti on one of the oldest freestanding structures on the planet. Older than Stonehenge. Older than the Pyramids. Ġgantija Temples on Gozo have a powerful energy about them, dating back to between 3600 and 3200 BC. Thankfully, today an effort is being made to conserve them; without that these enormous stones might stumble and fall, or have more names etched into their faces. Humans love to make their mark. It seems to be an inherent need to want to leave a piece of ourselves behind. I see it in the mountains back home: graffiti at the tops of peaks, initials carved into trees. But why the need to damage the work of nature or our ancestors to make sure future visitors know WE had been there?? Ironically, had this been just an ordinary stone, seeing Chapelle and other names carved over a century ago might have become an attraction by their own right. I wouldn’t have been as bothered by it. I suppose it comes down to respecting our ancestors, acknowledging that we aren’t the first people to be in a place and that there’s no reason to be defacing nature to etch our names. It all falls under the Leave No Trace category, a good reminder for us when we’re tempted to leave a little bit of “us” behind. #freelancingfamily #gozo #ggantija #malta #graffiti #zizkasabroad

I didn’t instantly fall in love with Malta, but as I’ve gotten to know it better, it’s stolen a piece of my heart. 🇲🇹 It’s a country of contrasts that defies description. It is full of surprises. It feels chaotic one moment then utterly peaceful the next. It’s a reminder that life can be many things at once and somehow keep working. And that’s good news because that’s what my life has looked like for a long time now. Not easily defined or categorized, full of contradiction and disjointed parts. But it works for me. Maybe that’s why I’ve grown to like Malta... 🙂 #freelancingfamily #adventurousparents #gozo #wiedilmielah #malta

This kid. 💜 I often need to remind myself she’s only six. In her moments of feeling overwhelmed, fidgety or needing extra attention, I can be impatient. And then I also remember that adults go through the same highs and lows; we just mask them more (or we try to). 🙄 But her “down” moments on this trip have been rare. This image is perfectly representative of the way she tackles life and all the adventures her crazy parents throw her way. “Let’s hike here!” “Let’s go look at that arch by the sea!” “Let’s walk into Valletta and face crowded, busy streets and explore this ancient city!” Tonight it was, “Let’s go watch the sunset by the water!” 🌅 The answer is almost always “yes”. As we make our way to these places we often talk about Paw Patrol and school back home, and answer a million questions (today’s was “why aren’t there more statues of women?”). 🤷🏼‍♀️ We try to balance those with bringing her into the present moment. But she often is, in her own way. She can talk about a project back home then start building a home for ants she sees along the trail. 🐜 I continue to learn that it’s all about balance, in the end. And I’m so proud to say she inspires me. 😍 #freelancingfamily #adventurousparents #outdoorfamilies #gozo #kidswhohike #takemeoutside #canadianoutdoorfamilies

A day filled with surprises on the island of Gozo, starting with a ferry ride before a cliff-side hike, lunch in the town of Xlendi, naps for the kids in the car and ice cream at Dwejra Bay (where this photo was taken). We loved Gozo so much we made the spontaneous decision to book two nights here and come back for more exploring tomorrow! 🌅 #adventurousparents #freelancingfamily

A highlight in Valletta was visiting St. John’s Co-Cathedral. This centuries-old church is a relic of a bygone era of opulence and ornamentation. Frozen in time, it allows us to step back into the past and marvel at the Baroque-era paintings covering every surface and the painstakingly detailed carvings that wrap their way around pillars. As I mentioned yesterday it was seeing Caravaggio’s paintings that actually took my breath away. I explained to Maya that if you could get close enough, you’d see the paint strokes, see the work being built one tiny dab at a time, preserved for us to see 400 years later. #zizkasabroad #malta #caravaggio #valletta

It’s difficult to summarize Valletta in a single photo. As a history buff, I found myself rushing through some of the world’s oldest freestanding structures. Not by choice, of course, but we needed to weigh in the fact that we are likely only coming to Valletta once on this trip and we had lots to see with two kids in tow. This was Europe’s first planned city and walking the streets blasts you back 500 years. Every wall is oozing with stories, every road a course through a layered history. A big highlight for me was seeing Caravaggio’s masterpiece, “The Beheading of Saint John,” during my self-guided tour of St. John’s Co-Cathedral with Maya. She was so enthralled by his workmanship, it stopped her in her tracks too. I may never be back to this fine city, but it will stay with me. 💜#freelancingfamily #adventurousparents #valletta #visitmalta #caravaggio

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