In Austria there is a lake that isn’t. That is, during the winter it is a grass-filled valley full of hiking trails and benches, and during the summer the snow melts and the valley becomes Austria’s Green Lake full of clear, green water. Also, grass, hiking trails and benches.

Sounds amazing. Have any of you ever been?

Despite all of the words beneath it, this post is a Wordless Wednesday entry.

Photo: Alex Barth via Flickr

Please keep your hands and arms inside the vehicle.

When I was a kid the school bus was a terrifying place full of wedgies, spitballs and the occasional lunchbox out the window. We didn’t even have seat belts, which means that it was unsafe in addition to the childhood traumas it transported.

I can only imagine the shenanigans floating on the school boat.

That’s right, a school boat. The children pictured above are in Bangkok, Thailand and they are boarding the boat that will take them home from school. They don’t appear to have seat belts either. Or life jackets.

However, take away the fears of my youth and the idea of traveling to and from school via boat seems almost magical. Of course that magic would fade rather quickly during the rainy season, but on a sunny day — totally awesome.

It sure beats swimming uphill. Both ways. In the snow.

For more family-friendly travel photos visit DeliciousBaby’s Photo Fridays.

Photo by wat suandok via Flickr.

This is in Edmonton, Canada? It sure is! Uptake’s Jenny Bengen made a short visit to the city and stayed at a hotel inside the mall – one of two.  Jenny tells us all about the mall – its HUGE. It has just about everything you could want to do if you’re traveling with a family.  Under one roof the boys and frolic in the water park while the rest of family shops, dines or rests. Sounds like a winning combination for this winter if you live anywhere near Edmonton.

Play

Related: West Edmonton Mall

Glenwood Hot Springs Pool

Glenwood Springs, Colorado, is home to the world’s largest natural hot springs pool.  Perfect for those cold winter days.  Or, in our case, a blizzard-like spring day.  As the snow fell that afternoon, there was no better place for my wife and kids to be than in the balmy 98-degree water of the Glenwood Hot Springs.

A Wordless Wednesday contribution.

Photo by Phil Corless