A Staycation Exploration

Yes, I know this post is coming pretty late, I'm very sorry about that! Mi Amor and I decided, or more like I decided and semi-dragged him with me, to go to The Bronx Botanical Gardens to see The Orchid show a few weeks ago.

The Orchid Show is held in the Conservatory within the gardens. The building is temperature controlled to keep the flowers in their natural habitat. The first part fully immerses you in a tropical rainforest, then they have you wandering through a dreamy desert, and you end seeing a magnificent display of multi-colored orchids.

As soon as we walked into the conservatory we turned a corner and we were immediately walking through a Tropical Rain Forest. When we first entered it was crowded, but as we wandered through the crowds dissipated and we felt like we were in our own dream world.

The first orchids we saw, were a grouping of these absolutely stunning Yellow Orchids.I felt like these two were staring at us, judging us for not being beautiful flowers, like in Alice in Wonderland. But I'm ok with it. I was happy to stare back, admiring how colorful and vibrant they are.  The orchids only got more intricate and unique as we walked further in.

One part of the conservatory had multi-levels. It looked so beautiful and tropical. We were excited to climb the stairs to get to the overpass ahead.

After exploring the top level we walked through an area with a beautiful fountain and then wandered into the desert section. The succulents were so colorful! Those desert pastels were incredible!

After we wandered through the desert, we found ourselves in a greenhouse with these huge alien-like bulbous plants hanging over our heads. They felt like something from another world!

After winding through more flowers we popped out into this enormous high-ceiling room with a huge orchid display in the middle. It was absolutely stunning! There were so many different kinds of orchids and all with such pops of color. You didn't know where to look! It felt like an oasis, I almost forgot we were still in NYC!

After being in awe and staring at the beautiful orchid display we were led into a room draped with flowers and orchids dangling above our heads. It was candy for our eyes! Along the walk-way they had different small orchids in pots on display. They were all so unique!

The orchid show was so beautiful and we both really enjoyed wandering through and experiencing all the beauty and rich colors. I wish I could live in this conservatory!

Peace, Love, & Woodstock

“If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there would be peace.”

— John Lennon

We took to the road on the coldest day of the year! The car's outer shell protected us from the chill in the air. We were heading to our first Mile Marker - Woodstock. It is exactly 106.1 Miles away from New York City. We earned our way there by biking, swimming, zumba-ing, and rowing.

Woodstock had always been a fascination of mine. I know it is commonly mistaken for hosting the famous 1969 concert, but even though it did not, the town has maintained a great music history, hippy-life, and liberal feel.

As soon as we parked the car Mi Amor, his Brother, and I tried to walk faster then the cold could touch us to Oriole9. It is this cute breakfast and lunch spot with peace and love vibes. The decor felt homey and inviting, not to mention the food was amazing! I had to try their special, "The Cowboy Skillet".

We also managed to sneak in going to Bread Alone. This is a wonderful bakery! They have such a delicious array of breads and pastries. We walked in an hour before they closed, and you could tell how much people love this place by the empty shelves. We were lucky to snag a fresh Olive Ciabatta loaf and a hot chocolate.

For the rest of the early evening we hopped into and out of the eclectic stores on Tinker Street. There were stores filled with tie-dye shirts, trinkets from Tibet, pins emphasizing peace and love, and cabin-style home goods. 

My favorite stores had to be The Golden Notebook, Woodstock General Supply, and The Little House. I would go back just for those three places!

The Golden Notebook felt like walking into someone's home, but a home for books. I loved the unique titles you could find and the playful bookends. When we went there was a book talk happening upstairs.

When I think of a general store, a catch-all place that has everything from clothing to medicines laid out in a kitschy way comes to mind. The Woodstock General Supply is only half of that description, they are anything but kitschy. I felt like I walked into a mini-lodge. Everything is cleverly designed and is really just beautiful to look at.

My favorite store is definitely The Little House. I would drive the 2 hours from NYC every weekend if I could, just to stop there! The owner's collection of new, vintage, and artisan is simply wonderful. She's also displayed everything in the most inviting way. I told her I wanted to live in her store! She had said she designed it to look like the home she grew up in.

After the sun went down the air got even colder! We were trying to move our legs as fast as we could to get to the car, but we happened upon The Garden Cafe. We stopped in, sat down, and ordered two pots of hot tea. The restaurant is so calming. It is entirely vegan, although we did not eat there the food did look delicious. I can vouch for the tea and the kind waitress! It was a nice reprieve from the icy air outside.

Then we went to The Bear Cafe for dinner. It was first started by Albert Grossman, who was the manager to bands like Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and Todd Rundgren. This restaurant is on the same grounds as The Bearsville Theater and is a great place to have dinner. You feel like you are walking into a fancy lodge with high log ceilings and wooden beams. The food is delicious American fare. We had a tasty appetizer with mozzarella cheese and Blood Orange. We each got a different main, I got the salmon and Mi Amor got the steak. Both were delicious!

After dinner we went to check out the concert going on at The Bearsville Theater. The Bearsville has had bands like Paul Newman, The Pretenders, and Jimmy Cliff play there. It is quite an iconic place. When we went we saw The Sun Parade and The Congress. I had not heard of either of these bands, but loved them both! The Sun Parade was first and after their set we got to chat with them a little and got their EP. They are great guys, very down to earth and all about their music.

The Sun Parade

The Congress

After the concert we drove home. It was a fun drive back, talking about our favorite spots in Woodstock and dreaming of having a log cabin home. We loved the peaceful vibes of Woodstock and want to go back in the spring or summer when we can sneak some hiking in!

Holiday in Paradise

As the Holidays fast approached we were getting ready to go to Punta Cana with Mi Amor's family. The cold weather was tickling us in NYC with a chill in the air as we went to the airport to fly to where it is nothing but sunshine and palm trees. 

We arrived at the airport and met up with his family, their flight had landed before ours. After greeting and hugging we grabbed a taxi to take us to the resort. When we arrived we could see the palm trees everywhere and the beach expanding in front of us.

The resort was great! They had dance lessons on the beach, which of course we took advantage of. We learned Meringue and Dominican Republic Style Salsa. Both were so much fun, and helped at night when the band or DJ played.  I could feel the beat and am still dancing a little bit as I write this, missing that lively atmosphere.

There was a fun show every night after dinner. The one that really caught my attention was kind of like a mini circus. The acts were incredible, complete with a strong man act and some aerobatics off of a pole. The cast was very talented.

We were there for a week. Nothing but relaxing by the water and enjoying each other's company. This down time allowed us to really think and focus on the future. Maybe it's something about the palm tree's hair blowing in the wind or that calming sound of waves rolling in that makes you very introspective.

We decided as the New Year approaches that we should figure out what we want our goals to be. I'm usually not one to make a New Years Resolution, I tend to fall into that massive percentage of people who don't follow through with their goal. This time I thought I would give it another go. Mi Amor is great at pin-pointing goals and coming up with realistic ways to achieve them. He really has a knack for it. So as we stared out at the ocean we came up with two goals that I am excited to share with you!

The first goal is that we will pick the top 5 recipes from each continent (minus Antarctica) and make them! I am very excited about this one. This came about because we thought we should cook more, and why not make it fun by experiencing different cuisines and learning about the countries they come from!? Cooking more helps you stay healthy and save on cost. It is something I've tried to do but never really stuck with it. How can you, when you live in NYC and have any type of food at your finger tips? With this goal of trying out new recipes it helps make it fun and something I can stick to.

The Second goal is of course to exercise. Everyone every New Year always says they will work out more and then a few months into the year stops working out. I am very guilty of doing that. In fact, I think I did that last year! Oops. Well, this year will be different. I was inspired by my best friend who was challenging herself to travel to "Mordor". She figured out how many miles it would take for her to get there and is now going those miles through exercise. Yes, Mordor is a place in the LOTR books so you can not actually go there, but you can technically travel the miles there. With that in mind I thought why not make exercising have a tangible goal, like reaching Mordor, a milestone you can actually achieve and feel good about. A kind of reward. So Mi Amor and I will try to reach The Mendenhall Glacier Caves in Alaska, along the way at certain mile points we'll hit other cities or National Parks. So we figured after hitting each Goal Mile we would actually travel to the place. I'm very excited to start this challenge and kick off the new year right!

Now back to the vacation. We were able to recharge and refocus. I think the salty air helps you understand what really matters in life and what is important. Being around family makes you appreciate them and cherish the time with them, especially when they live far away from you. It was beautiful to see Mi Amor be with his family and laugh with them. Enjoying just being with each other.

The vacation ended with a Regalo (gift) Exchange. We all met up in his parents room as everyone put the gifts they brought on the bed and played a game to pick which gift would be opened next. Everyone was so happy and excited with the gifts they got.

After the gifts the Resort had a Christmas Eve Dinner that we went to. The food was great and everyone enjoyed each other's company. It was a nice way to end the vacation, on a Holiday High Note, and with palm trees!

Hop, Jump, skip, and fly away to Hawaii!

Ok, so you may think I'm crazy..but I just had to!

Mi Amor was going to Hawaii for work and I had two days off of work, which obviously meant I needed to hop, jump, skip, and fly away to Hawaii with him! Yes, yes, some of you may think this is insane! I would basically have two full days in Hawaii, but how could I resist a frequent flyer miles ticket!?

Honestly, I will say this is one of the best decisions I've made. I know that if Mi Amor is reading this right now he will laugh. We planned this kind of last minute...it was 11pm on a Sunday the week before we would actually leave and I was getting sleepy and cranky. Can you blame me!? At first I thought it wasn't worth all this hassle for an expensive airplane ticket and hotel for only two full days. However, Mi Amor stayed calm, he finagled and used some miles. We also decided to try out AirBnb. That next Saturday we hopped on a flight that would take us to LA then on to Honolulu!

We landed on Saturday at 5PM which gave us some time to explore Waikiki Strip and go to The Moana Lani Spa. Mi Amor had received complimentary Spa passes and neither of us had really ever been to a Spa. It was such a relaxing introduction to Hawaii. The Spa looked out over the beach and the smell of ocean waves, salt, and sand floated into the rooms. It was very wonderful!

That Sunday was my first full day in Hawaii. We really did make the most of it! We woke up early (also thank you time change and Jet lag, otherwise I'm not too sure I would have woken up so early!). Jumped out of bed and got into the car to head to Manoa Falls. The clouds started to roll in and hung heavy over our heads, but that did not stop us from parking near the trail head and starting our hike!

The rain slowly started to sprinkle and then the small rain drops turned into faster bigger drops. That did not deter us from doing this hike. The trees covered us and the rain felt incredible on our skin. The water cooling us down as we walked up towards the waterfall. There weren't that many other people on the hike, which made it like our own adventure, exploring a new place not sure what we'd find! The green's of the trees were only heightened by the water caressing them making the foliage vibrant. 

We reached the falls, the hike was fairly easy and didn't feel long at all, I would recommend it if you want to experience some nature but aren't committed to a 5 hour hike! The Falls were incredible! The rain had fueled them, the water was free-falling down the mountain side. Was such an amazing force to witness and stare up and up and up to the top where the water couldn't wait to jump down! The sound of the rushing water was so relaxing and beautiful to hear.

The rain had slowed down by the time we made our way back to the car, but the clouds remained in the sky threatening to rain again. We thought we should do a scenic drive along Kalanianaole Highway and stop at any beaches along the way, as long as the weather let us. The drive was very beautiful, giving us the island feel. We did happen to stop at a few beaches along the way. 

Kailua Beach Lanikai

Kailua Beach Lanikai

Kailua Beach Lanikai

Kailua Beach Lanikai

We also tried a "Hole-in-the-wall" Restaurant, Hawaii is famous for those. We had the best fish tacos! Seriously. They were so good, there was an amazing mango salsa on them. We ate them so fast that I didn't get to snap a picture! We also had some fish and rice that was also delicious!

Waimanalo  - Ono's Steaks & Shrimp Shack

After filling our bellies we continued on our drive. We saw Diamond Head and wrapped around the road back to Waikiki. Hawaii just has so many beautiful sights, the ocean to one side and beautiful green mountains and trees to the other.

The rain tried to damper our afternoon, but I enjoyed trying to hop outside in between summer showers! By the evening the weather cleared up and we were able to walk around Waikiki Beach and enjoy an incredible sunset!

The next day our main mission was to go up in the air parasailing!! First we had to get some food to fuel our goal. We went to this adorable cafe called "Heavenly". The name says it all. The food was very good and the coffee cups were adorable!

Then, Yes, we did it! We found a parasailing company near the beach and were able to hop on a boat later that day to go! I was so nervous. It's something I have always wanted to do but never been able to. As we were on the boat riding out into the ocean I got a little more nervous and scared. What if the strings snap?! That's what was going through my mind along with excitement! When it was our turn my heart was beating faster but then as soon as we were up in the air it was beautiful and peaceful. It was just the two of us up there looking out over Honolulu. Was truly incredible! A great way to end our trip!

Mid High-Five!

Roadtrip To Vermont

Every summer I feel like I don't take advantage of my weekends as much as I could. This summer I made an extra effort to really take those two free days and do something fun with them.

One evening Mi Amor and I were out to dinner and he said "Lets go somewhere this weekend!" Of course I'm all in, how could I not be?! The first place that came to his mind was Vermont. I have actually never been there so I was so game to go. I've spent 8 years living in the north east and never took a road-trip up to Vermont!

That next day I took to the internet to research what there is to do during the summer months. To my excitement there was a lot to do! Especially outdoor activities. Which I love!

We decide to go Canoeing and hiking. Saturday morning we put the address of the first canoe place we found into the GPS and drove. We start winding through roads with trees on either side reaching up to the sky to grab all the summer sun they can get. 

Once we crossed over into Vermont the roads we took are more local. There are small shops and houses on either side. I always think that the further north you go into small towns the more southern feeling it becomes. The houses are smaller with more land and a hint of a simpler more relaxing life. The town we end up in is on the Battenkill river. We drive through to find the canoe rental but could feel a touch of sadness echoing off the one way street. Shops were closed or out of business. We find the canoe building, but it is rundown and all the canoes in the back are rusted over. There was even an old truck parked in the lot that looked like it hadn't had a person in it for years.

We drove to what we thought was an information center but then got redirected to a campsite to better help us find another place to rent canoes. The guy running the site was incredibly helpful and knew the area like the back of his hand. He told us about this rental spot that is owned by an older couple. When we got there they were so friendly and very enthusiastic. They just wanted us to have a good time!

We were driven to one spot along the river and were told we would be picked up at another designated place a couple miles down. 

The river was beautiful, although the water was very low. We got into the canoe by this old nostalgic red covered bridge. People were also tubing down the river which looked like fun!

I was in the front of the Canoe and Mi Amor was in the back, ready to steer us down the river. 

We only had one mishap where we went into the trees on the side, but both of us couldn't stop laughing. I did get nervous a couple times and tried to steer the boat on my own, but then relaxed and we worked as a team.

We Canoed down the river for two hours then decided to get on the road to Stratton, Vermont where we would be staying. Once we arrived we decided to take a hike up the mountain where in winter you can ski down it. As we were trekking up, I definitely could see why you would just want to ski down, it was so steep! The views were so beautiful though, I loved being able to see what the mountain would see.

The next day we went to Manchester on our way back home. We walked around the main street and went into a couple cute country stores. It was nice to stroll around.

We were told by a local shop owner that there is a farmer's market happening on our route home. So we went to go check it out. I loved looking at all the fresh vegetables. Everything was so bright and colorful. My favorite things to look at were the beautiful lavender and white flowers! Everything just looked so vibrant and fresh. It was a feast for the eyes! 

Vermont was so beautiful and such a great way to spend a summer weekend! It felt like a fresh fun adventure! And the farmers market was a great way to end our exploration of Vermont!

Romance in Cartagena

Our last stop in Colombia was Cartagena.

We explored the old walled-in city, it was absolutely gorgeous! It's Spanish Style buildings painted in beautiful colors and embellished with flowers on every balcony was such a beautiful setting for a blossoming romance. Wandering around the streets and having all the colorful buildings tickling our eyes was like out of a story book. 

We also went to explore the Fort in Cartagena, and on Our way to the fort we stopped by the "Old Shoes" Statue. The monument is referencing the poem "Mi Ciudad Nativa" by Luis Carlos Lopez. In the poem he talks about how the city he loves is like an old pair of shoes. There is a comfort and reliability about an old pair of shoes that he equates to the city. It is a very nice feeling, and of course we had to pose with it. There was a man near the statue who was selling beers, so we grabbed a cold one and hopped into the shoes!

You could see the fort we were going to explore from the Old Shoes.

He was a gentleman and helped me out of the shoe!

We also explored the fort and found a giant Colombian Flag. It rippled and waved with the wind! The fort had amazing views of the surrounding area and had an interesting history.

He caught the flag!

One of Cartagena's many draws is the beach. From our hotel we had beautiful views of the beaches down below. The water was gorgeous! It was a wonderful place to relax and take in all the views! We basically laid on the beach together, took in the sun, and enjoyed each other's company.

One of our nights in Cartagena we explored the nightlife by riding in a Chiva to the Old City. Let me tell you, the Chiva was probably one of the best night's out I've ever had! A Chiva is The Colombian version of a party bus! They are kind of a mix between a school bus and trolley. They serve drinks and play music. The host gets you standing up and dancing. It was amazing! They drove around the beaches blasting music and everyone on the bus was dancing and having a great time! The bus also made a couple stops along the way.

One of my favorite stops was along the wall of the Old City. We were standing on top of it and there were a lot of people hanging out and drinking. There was music playing and all sorts of people walking around. There were women in full "Chiquit Banana" outfits and a guy walking around with a sloth! It was such a fun scene!

The bus ended at a dance club, where we stayed for a little then ended up walking to a salsa bar. There was a live band playing and everyone was dancing! It was an absolutely wonderful experience!

An Escape to La Mesa

The day after the wedding, his parents, brother, he and I piled into the car and drove to the country side. Once out of Bogota, we drove on a windy road with trees and towns on either side. All of a sudden we wound around a bend and to our right was a huge waterfall! The trees were so lush around the water. At the top there was a fog that nestled between the trees and hid the mouth of the falls.

It was absolutely stunning to see!  We had to pull the car to the side to admire it. Once we got back into the car we decided we should stop somewhere for lunch. We continued on until we found this restaurant at the side of the road. The seating was semi-outdoors, and had such an incredible view of the clouds caressing the mountains. 

And let me tell you! The food was incredible! First we had a delicious soup with some bread.  Then for the main dish, we shared, it came with steak, chicken, yucca, plantains, and a baked potato. To wash it all down we drank homemade lemonade that was the perfect amount of sweet and sour. Very refreshing. Everything was absolutely incredible. My kind of a meal! 

Just looking at that picture is making me hungry for this meal again! Ok. Have to stop drooling! After we devoured the food, we continued our drive to the house.

The next morning, we woke up early to try and cook breakfast for his family. It was our first attempt at making Eggs Benedict..we maybe should have tried something a little less intense for our breakfast, but it did come out alright!

Before we put the sauce on.

We served his parents, then had a nice leisurely breakfast on the back patio. The day was gorgeous. You could see the mountains popping up through the trees and feel a nice breeze in the sunshine. The rest of the day I sat outside and just starred at all the different kinds of birds that would fly by. There were a lot of humming birds, plump blue birds, and bright yellow birds.

In the afternoon his Mom started making a BBQ on their grill outside. She made a lot of delicious food and the smell of her cooking danced in the air. Her meal was so wonderful! There was fresh guacamole, steak, chicken, and yucca. Incredible! I could eat this meal everyday! 

The next day we piled back into the car and made our way back to Bogota.

It was such a lovely relaxing get-away!

The Big Day

The day of his Brother's Wedding came. The morning was spent getting ready. We went to get our hair cut and then got ready to celebrate!

In the late afternoon we drove to the ceremony. It was held outside of Bogota in a homey church, that felt very welcoming. We waited outside for a little until the family arrived. As we waited, he introduced me to aunts, uncles, and cousins. All were welcoming, it was a whirlwind of smiles and muy rapido Espanol! Soon after we were seated in the church, the wedding started. The Bride and Groom came in and both looked wonderful. You could tell they were happy and excited for this day.

The Priest started the ceremony. I was trying very hard to listen and translate what he was saying. It was a Catholic Wedding so there was a lot of praying, but then the Priest gave a sermon. He emphasized how marriage is no longer "I" it is "WE". He said after the ceremony they will be One, a Team, you are no longer looking out for yourself, you are a Team, and a Team agrees on what they want to do. I loved the sentiment and the focus on a healthy marriage.

After the ceremony everyone lined up outside the Church and were handed Red Heart-Shaped Balloons. As the new couple left the Church and took their first steps outside as a married couple, a team, as one, everyone released the balloons. They floated delicately up into the sky swaying with the breeze until they were specks of red in the distant sky.

Everyone congratulated the Couple and gave them happy wishes then headed to the reception. We drove a little further down the road to a multi-purpose center that had a huge open reception hall. Once we walked into the hall we were handed Canelazos, which are hot sugarcane and cinnamon alcoholic drinks, very sweet and delicious. The celebration was so nice! The speeches were short and sweet, given by both the parents of the Bride and Groom. There was music throughout the whole night and waiters walking around with drinks to give you so your glass was never empty. In between courses we danced! Everyone made me feel like a part of the family.

During the night the photographer came around to take pictures. He took one with the couple and the brothers of the groom. They asked me to come into the picture, but I said it should be with his family. Then he said the sweetest thing, and I'm not sure he knew how sweet it was. He said "You are my family".

It made me melt. So of course I got in the picture.

There was also a photo booth, where you could put on different silly hats and glasses. The pictures were very fun! We had a good time with the hats!

The whole night was amazing. It was a wonderful first meeting of his family and I am so happy that I got to celebrate with them on such a wonderful occasion!!

Beginnings - Bogota, Colombia

I will admit that when he asked me to go to Colombia with him that my second reaction was to be nervous. My first reaction was "Of course! This will be so much fun! I want to explore and travel with you!". The nerves came probably a couple days later when I realized that I would be meeting his entire family and my Spanish es muy malo, more like mi espanol es Spanglish. But I felt so comfortable with him and so excited that my nerves were pushed to 1/3 of how I felt.

When the time came to fly to Bogota, Colombia I was so excited (and of course nervous). The whole flight was excitement, both of us were looking forward to this experience. I knew he couldn't wait to show me his hometown and have me taste the foods he grew up with. 

Our flight to Bogota landed in the afternoon and once we got our bags we were warmly greeted by his parents. They both immediately hugged me and made me feel welcomed. 

The day after we arrived he wanted to show me where he went to University and explore the city center. We used public transportation to get to the downtown area of Bogota. I am so glad I came with a local, because the bus system confused me! The buses run in their own lane with bus stops in covered areas (similar to subway stops) in the middle of the road. The Bus lines (to me) were not clear, but he was a natural and we easily transferred to the buses we needed. I was fascinated by the city streets of Bogota and all the new scenery. My ears were adjusting to the new cadence of speech, the beautiful melodic sounds of Spanish.

We started by exploring the Plaza De Bolivar where all the old municipal buildings are. The Museo Del 20 De Julio is there. The museum portrays the history of Colombia and really gives a great overview for the big events.The museum is in Case De Llorente, where the independence started. After looking at the exhibits we went to the house's back courtyard and saw some of the government buildings peaking out.

You can feed the pigeons in the square outside of the The Museo Del 20 De Julio, which as a girl now living in New York City, this did not sound appealing. But there was a child happily holding bird feed out to attract all the pigeons in the Bogota area!

He looks very happy to be surrounded by pigeons! "Come to me Pigeons!"

We then walked to where he went to University. The campus was incredibly gorgeous! There were flowers everywhere in all colors. The school's buildings looked very beautiful. It was nice to walk around the campus with him as we re-lived some of his memories together.

Our next stop was Mount Monserrate for Lunch. We explored side streets on our way. And stopped to appreciate the colors and lively atmosphere of the city.

Once we got to the base of Mount Monserrate we decided to take the Funicular up the mountain! It was so much fun, and the views were incredible!

We had lunch at the top, and enjoyed seeing the expanse of the city from the Mountain's view. The food was also delicious!

It was a gorgeous and wonderful day. I loved seeing the city through his eyes and being able to see where his memories took place.

Introductions

Surprise! Surprise! The girl who grew up with a passion for travel was always searching for that person who shared the same excitement and love for exploring.  In the past I had stopped dating someone for their lack of a travel heart.

Seriously.

I remember one date this guy told me he couldn't understand why someone would want to live in another country or travel to other places after I had just passionately talked about studying abroad in London and being able to travel to other European countries while there. Clearly, we were not a match.

Fast forward to now, I was very lucky to join a soccer team in NYC and meet this amazing guy!

We had the nice opportunity to have been friends before we both realized "Hey, I really like you and this could be more". It was one of those slowly cared for relationships that would grow into something wonderful. This was not something I had experienced with someone before. There was a mutual feeling that we wanted to share adventures together.

One day I had found this image on Pinterest of a globe that said "See The World With Me" and sent it to him.

His reaction was perfect. He loved it, and this might embarrass him but that image has been his cellphone background ever since.

I absolutely adore him. He really has the most kind heart and pure intentions. He is unlike anyone I've ever been with. He knows when to support me and when to push me further to accomplish what I want to do. You can see in his eyes that he is full of love and adventure. It feels like our hearts beat to the same drum that only we can hear.

But enough of that mushy stuff!

Soon after I sent him that picture, he asked me to go to Colombia with him for his Brother's wedding. Then a bit after that a traveling plan was formed...!