wake up where the clouds are far behind

deep inside i've always known
that the life i've always wanted
is the only life to live.

wanderlust wednesdays: koh samui, thailand

discovering new islands with my girlfriends
rediscovering each other
(march 2010)

a dose of magic

she dances in the day

and she dreams at night

under a blanket of pretty stars.

There is something almost magical about Amy Borrell's illustrations.
Visit her website (http://cakewithgiants.com/) for more of her lovely creations.

wanderlust wednesdays: taipei, taiwan

isn't she lovely? :)

the wanderer

Not for lack of longing
Not for fear of being alone
Essence from a star wandering
Exploring a life to call my own
Across this strange planet I pass,
Moving as a traveler of fate,
Please, for a moment to wait I ask
'Til the sun I kissed yesterday rises late

Han Cha-hyeon

wanderlust wednesdays: mcleod ganj, india

a young Tibetan monk runs free in Mcleod Ganj*

*up in the Western Himalayas (North India),
the Dalai Lama & the Tibetan government claimed asylum
after China invaded Tibet.

happiness is

when we let the beauty of what we love be what we do (Rumi)
happiness stops being the destination.

wanderlust wednesdays: bali

i miss thy food, thy iced tea drink, thy waves...

wanderlust wednesdays: santorini, greece

happy sunday

everyone's cups were filled
& everyone's smiles were pretty much like this.

today was a spanish feast
we cooked gambas & berenjenas rellenas
made tortilla de patata & drank some sangria.

what a delicious way
to spend a beautiful sunday!

august break

i am having a lot of fun with susannah conway's august break - a fun project which involves posting a photo each day (or as many as you like, there are no rules really) as a way to document this whole month of august. it's teaching me to appreciate taking pictures on a deeper level wherein i start to build a sense of commitment towards it. these shots wouldn't have made it if i hadn't signed on & agreed to take my camera with me everyday.

see more august break photos here.

while checking out other august breakers, i discovered this cool website that transforms your digital photos to polaroins ~ instant polaroid-like pictures for those who love the look but does not have the real thing.

wanderlust wednesdays: burano, italy

four years ago i set foot on this tiny jewel of an island.
now i wish i had taken more pictures.

wanderlusting

love on two wheels

art by miriam shenitzer

art by blanca gomez via happiness is...

is it just me? or do they all look happy, giddy even, riding a vespa. i can almost see it - an island girl in her flip flops on a lilac-colored vespa, fueled by wanderlust, wind in her hair, a smile on her sun-kissed face...

i therefore conclude, vespa = bliss.

gypsy girl's guide

look who guest posted at the gypsy girl's guide last saturday!

check out alessandra's blog - a place to share inspiration among gypsy girls!

Gypsy Girls are free spirited. We are dreamers taken by wanderlust. We are holistic, easygoing and kind. We are peaceful warriors. We love nature and care about the planet. We are worldly, bohemian, mystical, strong. We are cultural nomads, brave explorers, writers, journalists, photographers, surfers, designers, artists, athletes, performers, business women, jet setters, expats, humanitarians. We are pioneers and entrepreneurs leading unconventional lives around the globe. We believe in global consciousness. We think, care and act globally. We rock locally. We believe in following our dreams. We cultivate courage via safe risk taking. We believe that challenges are our teachers. We believe in spiritual growth. We believe in tradition, in connection, in the power of community and in the gift of sharing. We believe in practicing authenticity, mindfulness and gratitude. We believe in nurturing creativity, the earth and all beings.

Are you a Gypsy Girl too? :)

p.s. thanks for creating this lovely space Alex & making me a part of it! :)

eat, pray, love

many years ago my dear friend chica said
this book made me think of you
after all this girl has been my friend for 20 years
a friend who's no stranger to my wanderlust
to my open love affair with italy
my desire to travel across india
and my dream to live in bali.
back then i had just gotten back from europe
where i had spent a month eating gelato,
tasting the best pizza
and losing myself in the streets of italia.
back then i was slowly getting deeper into my practice of yoga
and approaching my edge
as i was preparing for my trip to india
where i spent 3 months exploring the world within
and the amazing world outside.
where i studied & lived in an ashram
walked barefoot & taught kids yoga
connected with people, listened to their stories
& realized how similar they were to mine.
and by then i had long read this book
marveled in its pages
of truth clarity & love.
and so in the same year i traveled to bali
not to look for the medicine man
but to fulfill a teenage dream -
SURF every single day
and that's exactly what I did.

i may have done the same route
but her path is largely different from mine
yet the sameness resides in taking chances
when we are on the search
for meaning
purpose
happiness
& love.
it is this search which most of us share
which means we are connected
and that is why i love this book
not for anything else but
its ability to voice that longing out
& make us feel we are definitely not alone in this.
and that is why i'm prepared
to let myself go and
love this movie.

soon :)

let the kids play

print by Nazario Graziano

sun's out, skies are oh so blue. a walk on the beach with a double scoop of almond gelato
is my idea of fun these days :) happy weekend everyone!

wanderlust wednesdays: tokyo, japan

my first night in tokyo was spent in this izakaya. good times.

are you happy?

some say happiness is overrated. truth is, it saddens me when some people think that. my yoga practice has taught me that our true nature is freedom & bliss. in the beginning, i couldn't grasp the whole meaning of it. but 5 years of yoga practice has led me further from my sticky mat and deeper into myself. there was a lot of unlearning to be done, a lot of old beliefs had to be given up but all the work was worth it. anusara yoga continues to teach me to align my body in ways that can only be good for me and on a deeper, personal level it continues to remind me to align myself with my heart.

living according to our heart's desire, following our enthusiasm, connecting to that innermost voice within us allow us to have a life filled with happiness. when we align ourselves with our hearts, we align ourselves with the greater scheme of things. isn't it when we're happiest do we feel most connected with everything & everyone? have you ever felt how the universe responds to you so quickly that the connection you have becomes almost tangible? isn't it pure joy to know what we have inside of us is what supports us as well? this is grace. :) and what a beautiful thing it is.

so now i end this post with a question & a picture - are you living your heart's greatest desire? think about it.

are you happy poster

how to be alone

i used to be such a restless creature. i used to always feel the need to do something, go somewhere & be anything except bored. until one day i tired myself out. one day i learned to be still and discovered a whole new world right there. most importantly, i rediscovered myself.

being alone doesn't mean being lonely. far from it. if you can find happiness in solitude, how easy it is to be happy anywhere else. being alone can be so empowering too. it teaches you to love yourself and appreciate things on your own. i can say more but really, the best thing is to try it in your own personal way. that or watching this amazing video to inspire you :)

wanderlust wednesdays: varanasi, india

i have a fascination for foreign doors, and as i was taking pictures of this particular one,
this man came passing through.