She spends the majority of her life underground. Up to 12-17 years for some. A tiny little worm feeding on root sap. Happily slithering in the warm dark belly of Mother Earth. Safe, comfortable and content. Then the day comes when she yearns for something different. Something in her DNA tells her there’s more to … More That LOUD noise!
The minute I set foot there, my whole body relaxed. As if in the warm loving embrace of a beloved. A woman lying half naked on the swing. A couple of people in hammocks. Cat cleaning itself in the sun. After quick introductions, I walked all over; touching the trees, greeting the mountains, taking it … More El Valle de Sensaciones
I can’t remember how I heard of them. It doesn’t really matter that much. I learned to accept the gifts from the universe without wasting energy analysing them. Living in the flow has been gifting me an abundance of magic. Little by little, I learnt to relax into trust, surrender and gratitude. Being a “Facilitator … More Kalikalos Community
How can a species survive and compete for resources in the wild when their only defense mechanism is playing peek-a-boo? They can’t run, they move very slowly, quite clumsy actually, they can’t really hurt you, they’re not herd animals, they’re not even cute (until you get to know them) so the sympathy card is voided. … More Slow and Steady!
My first impression was “this is depressing. I don’t want to stay here for too long”. Since it was raining outside and I paid $10 entrance fee, I figured I might as well wait for the guided tour and see what happens. Little by little, I could hear the images come alive… Oswaldo Guayasamin is … More Oswaldo Guayasamin; Ecuador’s Picasso
As a devout Nature lover, the Galapagos Islands are my Mecca, Jerusalem, the Vatican or the Ganges. The harmonious coexistence of all forms of Life restores my faith in the power of Love and Abundance. There’s plenty for all creatures when we love, respect and share. It stands in stark contrast to the predominant culture … More Galapagos High Dose of Nature!
Sea lions on the Galapagos Islands are like street dogs in Latin America or street cats in Mediterranean cities; they roam the streets (and ocean for the sea lions) freely, and share space with humans and other creatures. In order to protect and maintain the wild nature of Sea Lions, humans cannot touch them, as … More Galapagos Sea Lions
You know how in Disney movies the princess walks through beautiful Nature and the birds, butterflies and animals, small and large land on her body, sing and dance with her? I used to think that’s a far fetched fantasy, until I came to the Galapagos Islands. As soon as I set foot here, a smile … More Galapagos Magic!
“What’s the most violent thing you can say to someone?” My “Nonviolent Communication” (NVC) teacher asked. Students answered with insults, swear words and other degrading comments but none of them matched what the teacher had in mind. When we finally gave up, his answer surprised us all. At the time, I didn’t fully grasp the … More Violent Communication!
What happens when you put 15 strangers from 10 different countries together in one place for a week? Very different backgrounds, cultures and lifestyles. A few have experience in community living, the majority are brand new to the concept but want to try it. When the question “what attracted you to this gathering?” was asked, the … More Our hearts knew it’s possible…
We drove up a steep narrow gravel road to get there. When we finally arrived at the beautiful villa nestled in the woods, we were greeted by stunning views of the Pacific ocean. As we climbed up the few steps leading to the deck, the host pointed to a tiny brown protrusion between 2 wooden … More A Bee Moment!
“Nature is God. It’s not to control, it’s to love! We are Nature. We’re here to love, not control.” Rajendra Singh, the Waterman of India, eloquently said. He pioneered the greening of thousands of square kilometers of Rajasthani desert in India. Bringing back rain, Nature and Life to previously dying villages. By merely working with … More Water is Life!
Fresh pine-like scent in the air. Slight fog shrouds the place in mystery. Giant trees add grace and reverence. As soon as I stepped into the Cedar forest, my whole system relaxed; mind, body and spirit. I had to stop for a few minutes, breathe deeply and take in the beauty and serenity of it … More Cedars of God
As old as written history, as young as a raindrop. The ancient, very ancient, old, new, newest and everything in between live, blend and adapt to a symphony of vibrant Nature in all her glory and resilience. Lebanon took my breath away together with a piece of my heart! The land where anything and everything … More Lebanon!
My late aunt Sou’ad used to send me pictures and tell me stories about her life there. She absolutely loved it and kept recounting how beautiful and joyful Lebanon is. I grew up with images of rolling green hills stretched along the blue sea in my mind. Waterfalls, lush forests, vast valleys, snow covered mountains … More Beirut, Lebanon
We arrived just as the sun was rising above the horizon. The van parked on a dirt road by an unmarked 1 storey building. There was a a river along which we walked for about 10 minutes. On the other side of the river, fields of green stretched as far as the eyes could see. … More Jasmine Village
“We paid the heaviest price for the revolution” he said. “We (Egyptians) all paid a very heavy price”, I responded. “But not as much as we did”, the man from Arish replied. After only 1 day in Al Arish, I totally agreed with his assessment.Al Arish and North Sinai had been closed off as a … More North Sinai, Egypt
Being sick sucks! Being sick at the Sexibility Festival sucked even more. Being sick at the Sexibility Festival where it was cold and rainy non-stop in August sucked triple bad. All the amazing potential connections, networking and indulgence in yummy-ness at my fingertips and all my body wanted to do was sleep. So sleep I … More Counting Blessings
“You keep pushing me into the deep end of the pool”, my partner said half jokingly. “And you keep swimming”, I replied with a smile. Of all our adventures together, Senegal was the deepest pool. After traveling 20+ hours, he arrived at a place where he doesn’t speak the language, doesn’t know anyone, nothing is … More A Matter of Attitude…
“How can African countries become united like the United States?” He asked me. I felt sadness, which surprised me. He’s 20 years old, studying English (unusual in Senegal where most people study French) and, apparently, believes that the USA has got it made in the shade. “Don’t!”, I said instinctively, “Don’t try to be like … More Consider This…
The first week was baptism by fire! My imagined romantic getaway; warm beach, sipping coconut juice and dancing to Senegalese music (one of the reasons I chose Senegal to rendezvous with my beloved), turned out to be everything but what I expected!Because my partner’s luggage didn’t arrive with him, we decided to stay near the … More Expectations and Disappointments
I finally found the trail that my friend told me about. She said it’s an easy 2 hours hike to the lighthouse. “Don’t hike by yourself” A man coming the other way advised. “Why?” I asked. He said things about it being dangerous but I wasn’t convinced, especially that my friend did it and highly … More Love or Fear – Cabo Verde
Walking barefoot in the meadow. Feeling a myriad of sensations through my feet. Enjoying the variety of textures and surfaces with every step. Soft green grass. Brittle brown grass. Stiff small branches. Soft Earth. Hard Earth… Thinking of all the health benefits I’m receiving in this natural reflexology session. I’m getting it for free just … More Love or Fear?
#senegal #dakar #westernmostpointofafrica #africa #westafrica #travelphotography #travelstories #travelblog #travellife #traveladventure #kindness
How often do you get a chance to go inside a working lighthouse? They’re usually “Restricted Areas”, too noisy with all the machinery or the interesting parts are sealed and automated. But not “Le Phare des Mamelles” (the lighthouse of breasts) in Dakar, Senegal. How can one resist such a name? Right?The best part was … More Lighthouse of Breasts
Fadiothe (pronounced Fadiot) Island is made entirely of shells! People collect clams, eat the meaty part, throw the shells on the ground. Over thousands of years, an island of shells formed and rose out of the water. The ground is made of shells, houses are built with shells, people still collect, eat and create with … More Fadiouth: the Shell Island
#senegal #westafrica #africa #joalfadiothe #thiesregion #baobab #sambadia #tree #bats #biggestbaobab #insidethetree #bouyé #baobabjuice #travel #nature #baobabfruit #naturephotography #travelphotography #travelblog #travellife #traveladventure #traveltheworld
After a grueling “set plus” ride, we arrived tired, sweaty and hungry at Mbacke Kadior. An Eco community in the Senegalese desert. Lucky for us, they were about to eat lunch and invited us to join. Many trays of “Thiaboudienne” kept appearing, placed on the mats and people gathered around in circles around the trays. … More Worship through Service
Young boys wearing torn dirty clothes carrying tin cans, plastic containers or cups asking for money. A common scene at every corner in Senegalese towns. As soon as they see a foreigner, they hound like scavengers on a carcass. I learnt to say “etcho” (go away) which seemed to work most of the time. It … More Spiritual Opportunism
If there’s anything people in Senegal are passionate about, it’s football (aka soccer). Any empty space doubles up as a football field; a beach, an empty lot, a non busy street, a yard, a driveway…etc. It doesn’t even have to be flat or big. Boys of all ages gather around and play. Some in flip … More Senegal Football (Soccer)
We’re sitting in a circle on a straw mat on the ground. A piece of fabric is spread in the middle. A big round covered tray is brought from the kitchen and placed in the center of the fabric. The cover is lifted revealing a pile of vegetables and fish (or chicken) on top of … More “Teranga”: Senegalese Hospitality
When the accidents caused by the huge pothole caught media attention and became the talk of the town, city officials met urgently to discuss solutions. Many suggestions were offered; more ambulance cars, parking an ambulance fleet by the pothole…etc. Then one genius said “Instead of carrying the dead and injured all the way to the … More Senegal Transportation
Vastness all around! Silence, you hear the blood flow in your ears. Spaciousness beyond reach. Stillness. No electricity. No phone reception. No running water. Clean fresh air. It’s very harsh yet welcoming. You disappear like a spec of dust. Horizons ever expanding. A serene calmness engulfs me as I stare at the vast open desert, … More Camping in the Sinai
When you enter from one side, they stamp your passport. When you enter from the other side, they just wave you in, no stamps. Because they don’t consider it a country. When you’re in one part, you feel like if you cross the divide, you’ll fall off the face of the Earth. No information is … More Riviera to Ghost Town
I woke up sneezing and sniffling. Couldn’t breathe without blowing my nose every few minutes. It was under 10°C (50°F) at 9am in Brno, Czech Republic. I was looking forward to exploring the city with my friend. Bummer! At least I still had my energy, enthusiasm and I could borrow warm clothes from my friend. … More Brno Prescription…
Up the zig zag trail, through the forest, gaining elevation one step at a time. It was a beautiful sunny day and the trees provided the perfect protection and scenery. After about 1 hour, I was up at the big “Brasov” sign that towers over the city announcing to the universe the name of this … More Friend in Brașov
Can an intercountry bus station be at the locomotive museum? I checked, double checked several times and the directions on the bus ticket always lead to the same location: the Steam Locomotives Museum. Never mind that it says “McDonald’s” on the ticket. Whatever. It’s only a 20 minutes walk so I’ll head out early just … More Last Romania Woes…
Bran Castle in Bran, Romania, used to be a fort, turned castle and the royal residence of Queen Marie in the 1920s. Fascinating building with beautiful views, interesting architecture and fairy tale ambiance. For tourism purposes, it’s marketed as “Dracula Castle”, even though it has very little to do with anything related to the story … More Bran Castle Romania
What do 2 Rainbow Gathering hippies do when their vehicle gets stuck? It’s 2 pm near Varna, Bulgaria. We’re happily driving this converted bus into the woods, looking for a place to camp. I’m in the back getting tossed around by every bump in the unpaved roads (what seatbelts? That’s for sissies). A narrow uphill … More 2 Hippies go Camping…
Our first encounter was scary, tense and confusing. I found myself on the dark deserted streets of Bucharest at 2 am in what seemed to be an industrial area of town. The only cars passing by were street sweepers and big trailer trucks. I definitely don’t want to be here till 8 am when my … More Travel Tribulations…
I have a feeling Bulgaria exists to mess with the Western mind and remind us not to take anything for granted because everything is arbitrary anyways. The Cyrillic alphabet was invented in Bulgaria, just to mess with us. They use the same letters, but pronounce them differently:H <- this is n. В <- this is … More Bulgaria
The first couple of days were very difficult: I didn’t know anyone, had no idea how things worked, or didn’t, had to fight my city-girl instincts every step of the way. But I hiked up the Bulgarian mountains for more than an hour with all my luggage to get there. I wasn’t going to give … More My first Rainbow Gathering!
What if we welcome all parts of our humanity without fear, shame or guilt? What if we allowed space for everyone to be seen and heard? Can we make decisions based on love and abundance? Is a New Culture of cooperation and inclusion possible? These are inquiries that 120 of us dove into for 10 … More A Different Culture!
California! I remember why you are my home of choice. A big piece of my heart will always be in you. Places change, faces change, minds change, I change too. But you’re still the one that shaped who I am today. You witnessed my most profound growths, joys, tears, pains and laughter. I owe it … More You can check out anytime you like…
Tears. Lots of tears. Overwhelming sadness, emptiness and despair. I lost my sense of purpose and humor. What used to make me happy ceased to do so. I felt confused and didn’t know how to kick this dark night of the soul. Existential angst came on unexpectedly and for no apparent reason. I am living … More Dark Night of the Soul!
“If I had 10 coconut palms I wouldn’t need anything else”, said my Filipino friend. “I could eat, drink, build a house, dress myself, make utensils, instruments and tools. All from the coconut palms!” I could totally see his point of view. Bedouins in the Sahara desert relate the same way to date palms. Coconuts … More One person’s trash…
“What would you like to tell your parents?” When I got this question in “Big Talk Game”*, my Mom came to mind. She was a woman of few words. As her daughter, the few words I got were motherly in nature; checking on my wellbeing, giving advice, family news, health tips (she was a medical … More A Different kind of History
We laughed, cried, danced, hugged, withdrew, celebrated, shared, broke down, broke through, held space, played “Big Talk Game”*, welcomed all parts of us in love and acceptance. We were present! Something transformed, shifted for good in our souls. There’s no going back. No settling for less. Once the soul tastes that connection to its true … More “YES” to Being Alive!
You know that feeling when you look for your glasses all over the place but you can’t find them anywhere. Then you pass by a mirror and there they are, on your face, the whole time? I had that feeling at “Fekra” ecovillage south of Aswan, Egypt!In my open ended journey around the world, which … More What a great “Fekra”!
How can a piece of stone say so much? It’s just a random faceless rock. Add human imagination and creativity: it cries, laughs, inspires, scares and amuses. With their magic minds and hands, sculpters make the stones speak. The process is not very glamorous; it’s hard, dirty, dangerous and takes a long time. But the … More When Stone Speaks…
This is messy and long because I’m emotional about the subject. I can totally feel both sides. However, this is my truth which I had been holding back for fear of upsetting many loved ones. “Pardon my dust!”Cats! Leave them alone! They’re not your toys, babies, ornaments or responsibility. If you love them, treat them … More Cats: Let the Meow Roar!
We started climbing at 1 am. I was wearing 2 layers of socks and closed shoes, yet my feet were cold. I labored with every step but the thought of stopping was scary because of the cold. No moon night. The sky was shimmering with stars but I had to look at the ground to … More Mount Sinai
We took a taxi, boat, another taxi to get there. It took us 2 hours (5 hours if you walk). There were a few Bedouin camps, some kite surfers and the beautiful light blue, clear water of the Blue Lagoon (North Eastern Red Sea). As soon as we sat down on the carpets by the … More Cat Wisdom
Etosha National Park in Namibia is huge and sparsely populated. Most of the big animals we saw were far away. We would get excited upon seeing a silhouette of a giraffe or an elephant from a distance. I had a bad headache that day and I really wanted to close my eyes but I didn’t … More Leopard Encounter…
“WHAT! Don’t do it! You’ll get attacked by hippos and crocodiles. Whoever offered you this trip is desperate for money. They’ll sell you anything. It’s not safe”. People started recounting dangerous encounters with wildlife (one was very recent) and the conversation deteriorated fast into fear mongering. They were obviously scared and I could feel the … More Dodging Hippos
In 40°C (104°F), we walked, took a collective taxi (a sardine can of people), another taxi to finally arrive 3 hours later at Sichilonge; a small Zambian village of 110 people near Victoria Falls. No electricity. No tap water. No (gasp) internet and no paved roads. Wait, it gets more interesting: want to pee? Go … More Village Life
Mosi-oa-tunya! (The smoke that thunders). Sacred waters where the gods live. For countless generations, the Tonga people who lived on the Zambezi river, worshipped and prayed to Nyami Nyami, the mighty God of the river. He protected them and gave them sustenance in difficult times. The river was sacred, the falls were sacred and there … More The Smoke that Thunders
“Watch out for the elephants” she yelled from her car as she slowed down and passed me. It was dark and I was walking home to my lodge in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Up until then, I was worried about getting mugged (after my bad experience in South Africa). But now, elephants entered the picture! Instead … More Mighty Mind-Falls!
How do you travel in a place where your phone doesn’t work, your ATM card doesn’t work, they use 3 different currencies and exchange rates change daily? With a lot of help from friends!When I landed in Zimbabwe, Zim for short, I had no idea about the economic sanctions, their financial meltdown or any of … More In the absence of money…
We all learnt about it in geography class. It fascinated me for some reason. I would see, in my mind’s eye, ships sailing around it, feeling triumphant and hopeful about the rest of their trip. When I finally made it to South Africa, I had to go see the Cape of Good Hope. I wanted … More Deadly Spices!
Even the taxi driver warned me against doing it alone. “Why is it dangerous?” I asked. “You might slip and fall”, he said. “Is there a chance of robbery?”, I asked. “Very unlikely. But you should go with someone. They can take pictures of you”.I checked in with myself and I really wanted to do … More A Table like no Other!
I didn’t expect to stay that long, but South Africa sucked me into its charm and intensity. It’s a fascinating country with probably the most diverse pool of human genes. People from all over the world came here, willingly and unwillingly, interbred, often through rape, and found a way to make this part of the … More South Africa
Imagine someone killing you to get your nails and hair. How stupid is that? Nails and hair grow back and are renewable. One would think you’re more valuable alive than dead because you’d be able to provide a lot more “crop” of nails and hair. Sadly, greed, short sightedness and cruelty are abundant in humans, … More On the Brink…
When I think of sub Saharan Africa, animals come to mind. Big animals. The most famous are the so-called “Big 5”: lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard. They’re named as such because they’re the ones that fight back when hunted. They’re not your average Joe animal that you encounter anywhere, and they are indeed a … More Fancy meeting them here…
I’m either here now, or behind my phone/camera recording the here and now. Sure, there are many moments that I want to freeze in memory and/or share with loved ones far away. But the moment I take my phone/camera out to record it, I lose that very same precious moment. I’m not here now anymore, … More To Be or To Record…
It didn’t dawn on me that I was being mugged until he said “give me your phone”. Up until that point, I thought he was a beggar trying to get some money by pretending to help. I was walking up the highway ramp and there was no other soul in sight. “FU¢KING SH!T”, I thought … More The most dangerous animal…
“Bite the hand that feeds them” doesn’t only describe ungrateful people, it also applies to wild dogs. Not because they’re ungrateful, far from it. Biting, for wild dogs, is the only way they know how to show emotions, good or bad. Sadly for the hand that feeds them, their bite is much stronger than that … More Cats & Dogs on the wild side!
Time is funny! Life; experiences, journeys, places, people and things get filtered into sensations, snippets, fragments, memory capsules frozen in time. The capsules have keys. Once unlocked, they transport us back to that time. Details and contours are blurred, but the sensations, the cellular memory, the non-conscious entity are very present. The keys are typically … More Time Capsules
Alexandria, Egypt, 1970s: we grew up in the same neighborhood within walking distance from each other. Went to the same schools, sat in the same classes from kindergarten to high school, had the same friends. Went through childhood, puberty, early adulthood and first love stories together. We carpooled to school, ate, played and slept in … More Touching My Roots
Where there are cats, there is love!Dónde hay gatos, hay amor!Cats are the epitome of unconditional love, which starts towards oneself (4 Practices 4 Unconditional Love). Cats, naturally, give from a full cup. By taking care of themselves and their needs, they provide pleasure, beauty, joy and love organically. That’s the essence of unconditional love: … More Everything I know, I learnt from my Cat!
Walking along the sea shore under the moon light, silence is only broken by strange crackling sounds. A sound like I’d never heard before. The closest I could liken it to is a flamenco dancer playing her castanets quietly. There were no people, cars, radios or electricity. Everytime I stop, the sounds stop. I know … More Who’s Crackling?
There were thousands of them, no: millions! At first, we thought it was seaweed because of the brown color. But the texture looked different, maybe a different kind of seaweed? As we got closer, we saw little wings, millions of little wings. A few were moving. We stopped for a closer look. What started out … More One Flight Stand!
They take no prisoners! They go for broke. Nothing is sacred. Realistically, I’m in their home: the jungle. Despite having running water and electricity, they were here first, and I’m sure they’ll be here after we’re all gone. They always find a way in. Trying to keep them out without excessive amounts of poison, is … More Hurts so Good!
Unconditional Love 