camping is not known for being a "common" portuguese activity because it involves getting dirty but somehow in the eighties this was our families main form of a vacation! "surfside" campground in parksville is where most of our childhood memories of adventure came from and now 25 years later with more cousins, peanuts, trailers and booze the FURTADO's descend on coombs country campground every july (well at least for the past four years we have).

our days are spent imitating our mothers accents, drinking, throwing dry people in the lake and a wild game of volleyball...along side a fierce game of old school poker (for keeps).

it's a gong show like no other and every year without fail we get in s*** for laughing, yes I said laughing to loudly at night around the campfire (this is mostly cousin lou's fault...lol) but seriously no music or catcalls required for this bunch...just some good all fashion cackles! it's a far cry from the days when my brother set the campsite on fire.

it may be once a year i see my extended family but the new memories will forever live on in my kids, like they have for me!

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