Friends are asking me to highlight the best part of my trip. How do you highlight a trip as diverse as the one we just experienced? As I try to pop out the 'best' memories, the trip marinades slowly and richer meaning starts to fill my heart and soul, just like the aroma of a good Malbec wine, flavor appears slowly and suavemente.
In Peru, the best by far was being on the top of Huayna Picchu, or the big rock. It is the rock that oversees all of Machu Picchu and only 300 people a day are allowed to summit. There were about 40 - 50 people en route, at the top and coming down when we were ascending. The sense of self in a place that magical is undefinable. I imagined the hundreds of Incans who were responsible for the labor, the planning and revising of such a gigantic construction project. We think we have these beautifully built structures in downtown cities but compared to the purposeful and intricate construction at Machu Picchu, we are building Lego houses.
I felt so close to God when I was on that mountain in the middle of a huge forest. His world is beautiful and designed with a purpose. His world is beautiful - I met amazing people at the top of that rock and all of us were floored, enamored and deeply moved by the magic at the top of that mountain.
Then... Buenos Aires hit me like a 90 mph fastball. The European buildings, sugar and cakes everywhere, the Malbec wine from Mendoza, dancing until 7 AM and the friendly people. I am definitely going back! The fashion... the shoes.... the people are just gorgeous!
I met great new friends in Buenos Aires and that is the best experience. International friendships are a work of art. To come together in someone's second (or third) language and laugh, tell jokes, share stories on ex-boyfriends, adventures and international love is deeply moving. I made great friends in Buenos Aires - from Brasil and Colombia - we live in such different places but we are experiencing similar stories. I just love laughing at jokes in Spanish, sharing stories and exchanging secrets - but now, we wait until someone visits the other country. It is hard, making great friends and then leaving within 1 or 2 weeks, sometimes a few months later. Thankfully, we have facebook!
Brasil - 2014 for la Copa!
Chile... oh Chile... how my heart swells when I remember your oceans, the faces of the children at Hogar de Cristo and the humility I learned while living in a place where I did not understand basic conversations. I am hanging on to the memories of studying in Santiago and the travels throughout the country like an infant holds onto their blankie. My world improved because I was exposed to truth and another set of cultural values and expectations. We live in a diverse world and to have the opportunity to cozy up in a corner of the world for a few months... lead to some great revelations.
I travel the open road... healthy free, the world before me, leading where ever God has planned for me...
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