Here we go: it’s beach time – pictures of past and present. Some pictures at the end get doubled, but I can’t beat the Wordpress system.

My mom and dad at the beach in Holland (before I was born…somewhere in the 1930s). Probably at the Zandvoort beach.

Johnny and his sister Mary in the Dutch Dunes at the North Sea (Zandvoort) summer 1941 after Germany had invaded Holland. Picture taken by their father who had to go hiding soon after.

Many years later, Johnny on honeymoon with lovely Joy at the beach in Bonaire, the Dutch Caribbean (1974)

A few years later again, son David -above – and daughter Samantha -below – at the beach in Bali, Indonesia (1982)

Sam and Dave -above – at the beach in Goya (India) and – below – at the beach in Trivandrum (most southern point of India) in 1983.

David and Sam at the beach in Hawai (1984)

John and Joy at the beach in Guyana (1986)

Samantha at the beach in Curaçao (1994).

That’s as far as our family beach pictures go: not much beach for me, as I always get burned – so I stay away from ‘sun-beaching’ but I love the Côte d’Azur, see below.

Cavalière, my preferred beach at the Côte d’Azur – quiet and away from the crowd.

Théoule-sur-mer, another quiet place for lunch.

The beach at Nice – taken early in the morning and away from the maddening crowd. But I hate walking on the gravel with my bare feet.

Nice, when it’s weekend.

Me, running away from a shark in Portland Maine (2002)

Bathing in the Dead Sea, Jordan (2010). I did so in my underwear early in the morning because I did not have my swim trunk with me. It was completely ‘salted stiff’ when I got out and sneaked back to my hotel room. I had to throw it in the trash. 

Let’s end with the July 4 fireworks.