Wedding Sneak Peek

I've been a little hush hush when it comes to the wedding so far. The plans are all falling into place and it's getting more real every single day.

With every wedding, there comes the stress. It's bound to happen when you're thinking about so many other people involved. Sebastian and I got engaged last June and even though the topic of a wedding came up beforehand, we never really went into great detail about anything. We went back and forth over where we should have the wedding, when to have it, who to invite, what was most important to us, what wasn't important at all. We skimmed through the pros and cons. We toured venues. I spent way too much time on Pinterest. And our eyes practically flew out of our heads when we saw prices. You know, that sort of stuff.

And now... a date is set and everything is booked!

We're getting married in Punta Cana!

I'll be walking down the aisle with sand inbetween my toes, and the sun on my face on April 24th. Yep, in less than 8 months I will be able to officially call Sebastian my husband.

I cannot wait! It feels like a lifetime away right now so in the meantime, I just keep staring at photos from our resort... 

Would you (or did you) have a destination wedding? If you have any tips, ideas, or thoughts I would love to hear them!

Paradise in Poland

Happy Monday, friends! How did we get here again so quickly? I hope you enjoyed your weekend! Sebastian and I spent our time biking around town, hanging out in parks, eating way too much ice cream cake, lighting sparklers, and celebrating birthdays with our friends. And as my friend told me... we successfully entered the realm of quarter of a century.

...So I figured we'd start out the week by looking at some pretty pictures!

While visiting Poland, we snuck away to a little piece of paradise - the family cottage. This is a cottage that Sebastian's dad helped build when he was young. A little home away from home to go, relax, and spend time with family. It's the cottage that was built with love. And continues to be maintained with just that - everything you see here is all taken care of by Sebastian's grandmother.

It's filled with lush greenery and flowers galore. Among the gardens, you can find lettuce growing, strawberry bushes, tomatoes, and herbs. All to be picked straight from the garden to enjoy devour.

And that view. There's just something about being next to a lake that immediately calms you. The water was cool, and crisp. And you can even catch a few pike, if you're lucky.

Some of my fondest memories from our trip come from this little place. It's where more than twenty of us got to get together to eat, drink, and dance the night away. And trust me when I say, the back patio turns into a wicked dance floor.

A Day In Gdansk

Planning our trip to Poland began over a year before we actually boarded the plane to get there. So, as you can imagine, there was a whole lot of anticipation. And build-up. And maybe even some expectations even though I told myself not to.

And the truth is, I really didn't know what to expect. And it certainly wasn't what happened.

Since this was my first time in Europe, I was expecting to be blown away by the history, the architecture, and the overall feel that you get when you're there. And oh boy, was I ever. And on the other hand...I also expected myself to be incredibly nervous - like, stuttering my words, sweaty palms kind of nervous - because I'd be meeting Sebastian's family (other than his parents and brother) for the first time ever. I mean, there was a whole lot of pressure there, not to mention a language barrier to jump over.

And let me tell you - I met some of the most warm, welcoming, and incredible people I have ever had the chance to get to know. People who I can now call family. I look back at my time in Poland and yes, the architecture was thousands of years old, things that changed the world as we know it happened there, and that feeling in the air? It's something I couldn't even begin to describe.

But what I will think about the most - is the people. Is my family. We cheered together, we danced together, we ate epic meals together, and oh yes, we drank together.

And you want to know what else we did? We went on a pirate ship together. Trust me when I say that you don't even know how excited I was. I literally turned into a pirate.

See for yourself, if you'd like...

Rome's Colosseum and The Roman Forum

Where do I even begin? The Colosseum is one of Rome's most famous buildings and enduring monuments to ancient Roman culture. It is un-freaking-believable.

A few years ago, I went on a road trip to Vancouver, B.C. It took 5 days to get there. And that was rushing through it - Canada is a massive country, to say the least. I drove back home through the U.S. and detoured just so I could see Mount Rushmore.

I was picturing something magnificent. Huge. Incredible. And after watching way too many movies, I imagined one of the mouths to open wide to reveal a secret cave. I finally drove up, parked the car, and hurried out so I could lay my eyes on the wonder that is Mount Rushmore. I felt a rush of disappointment. I thought it would be bigger. More spectacular.

The Colosseum? Nothing like that. Not even a little bit. It's bigger in real life. It's more incredible than you could ever picture it to be. Even after seeing hundreds of photographs.

On our second day in Rome, Sebastian and I took a tour of the Colosseum and The Roman Forum. Our tour guide was a funny Italian archaeologist who joked about his height, his pony tail, and assured us he wasn't gay. Even though there would be nothing wrong with it if he was. (Most Americans think he is because he carries around a messenger bag, but as he said "It's what Italians do.":) 

Have a look at our photos if you'd like! 

An incredible view from inside. Imagine the wood floor across the entire area, covered in sand, as it would have been originally. From this view, you can also see the underground area, where a variety of animals, such as lions or tigers, would pop-up onto the main arena from a trap door. (Archers would be ready and waiting just in case they decided to attack the Emperor.) For the Romans, it was all about the show. 

It's also unknown how many people actually died while fighting here. By the time the gladiators made it here, they were already incredibly famous and loved. In which case, people wouldn't want to see them die. Although, I'm sure some did anyway. Some of the Emperors were on a serious power trip.

Imagine this as it once was. Much like your modern day stadium. Packed with 50,000 people cheering for their favourite gladiator to win. (And for more bloodshed...)

Looking out on the Arch of Constantine. (From here...)

This section of the Colosseum was rebuilt after the collapse. You can tell because they used brick to re-build it, instead of concrete.

Before the Colosseum existed, a power-hungry Emperor named Nero burned down Rome so he could steal the land for his own and then build his massive empire. Where you now see the Colosseum, used to be a giant swimming pool that was used for Nero's enjoyment. The swimming pool was then removed and the Colosseum was built for the people of Rome. The pool's removal also explains part of the reason why the Colosseum collapsed; the foundation underneath wasn't as solid. 

You can also see small holes on the outside of the Colosseum in this photo. The cause of these holes are actually from the metal clamps that held the marble in place. What you're looking at is actually the "skeleton" of the Colosseum. 

All I could keep thinking about while touring around this massive amphitheatre was... if I thought it was this amazing right now, imagine how mind blowing it would have been in its prime. Before the soft ground caused the one side to collapse. Before the metal clamps were stolen and it was stripped of its marble exterior. (Thanks, Middle Ages. Pffft.)

Now, onto the Roman Forum...

Just standing outside doors that are over 1700 years old. No big deal.

And now you know how I got that awkward sunburn that I told you about.

The Emperor's private arena. 

So much excitement!!! I whole-heartedly recommend booking a tour if you ever go to Rome and check out The Colosseum (and/or the Vatican). My head was filled with so much information during that three hour walking tour... and I know it's impossible to regurgitate it all back to you. Seeing where the chariots rode, where executions took place, how the Romans lived, and imagining what their daily lives were like... along with imagining what the insane Emperors were really like, was surreal. 
It was a day filled with nostalgia and amazement.

...And as soon as we got home, we watched "The Gladiator" to re-live it all over again. (Do yourselves a favour and watch it! It had been years since I did and I forgot just how good it is. Russell Crowe is phenomenal.) 

Can't wait to show you more! 

Exploring Rome

As we boarded the plane to head to Rome, I was filled with excitement. (Which also could have been from the adrenaline that was pumping through me after being sent back through security right when we were about to board our plane, then having to go back through it all again in hopes that it didn't leave without us. But that's a whole other story...)

I didn't really know what to expect when we landed, but the anticipation was killing me. We arrived late at night, and shuttled into downtown by bus, and were greeted by the hustle and bustle of the city.

We tried to quickly orient ourselves with our surroundings with the help of a map, and with no help from the locals, who so eagerly told us to go in the complete wrong direction. Luckily, I - and by I, I mean Sebastian, can tell when people are bullshitting us and we found some nice policemen to help instead. (Be warned, fellow travellers!)

Even though we arrived late at night, we were eager to see the city. We wined and dined, and explored as much as we could.

The only way I could possibly explain how I felt about our experience in Rome is that... I was in awe of its beauty, and I was completely fascinated with its history. There is so much to do and see, and you will most definitely need a new pair of feet by the end of it.

But it's totally worth it.

(I apologize in advance for the length of this post, and the amount of photos used. But c'mon! Cut me some slack. It's incredibly difficult to choose a select few from the hundreds taken. Soooo I did pretty good:)

My Dream Vacation

I had the wonderful opportunity to guest post on Karissa's blog, Tragic & Lovely a couple months back and thought I would share this dream vacation with those of you who may have missed it! The timing couldn't be better since I'm gearing up to go on vacation... we leave tonight! This was back when Europe seemed so far away and of course, I didn't know that I would actually be venturing to Italy myself!

Hope you enjoy!...

Although, I’ve never been to Europe (yet – I’m going to Poland in June!), I just know I will absolutely love it – the people, the culture, the history! Everything about it absolutely fascinates me and I just want to hop on a plane and soak it all in. My only fear is… I won’t want to come back!

One dream vacation of mine is to travel to Italy. I yearn to go and gaze at the gorgeous buildings, learn about the different cities, speak with my hands, attempt to speak the language, oh, and eat and eat and eat.

But have you ever thought of experiencing Italy in a completely different and new way? Trust me, once you hear about this – you’ll want to book right away.

Imagine this: Travelling to Sicily, Italy and seeing the best of it. The way no regular tourist does. You’re travelling deep into the lesser known areas of this Mediterraneon island and your main source of transportation is your bicycle. Riding across seaside salt pans and through charming Italian towns, appreciating its true possibilities.

So how does it all work? An amazing company called Butterfield and Robinson. You book with them and they provide everything. (I mean, everything!) Hotels, great meals, amazing wines, the routes, experienced guides, a few insider secrets, and most importantly, the bikes!

You travel with a group who are just as excited about this adventure as you are! Meeting new people and making friendships that will last a lifetime. But don’t worry – they understand that if you’re travelling with someone, sometimes you need some alone time, so each trip offers the opportunity to dine independently from the group. And while all the routes are meticulously planned out – it’s your choice whether to follow them or not! Talk about flexibility! (They also do trips for families!)

My favourite part is having the expertise of their guides. 24/7. They show you the way, and handle all the logistics. Not having to worry about translating menus or signs, getting awesome recommendations on stores from the people who know best, insider information right from the source… where do I sign up?

They offer trips in Asia, Africa, North America, Latin America, France, Italy, and the rest of Europe. But for the sake of my hands, and the length of this post – I’m going to give you a snapshot of their Sicily, Italy trip. The one I’ve had my eye on.
It’s activity level is rated moderate (out of easy, moderate, and challenging – so don’t worry if you’re a beginner – there’s something for everyone) and this is how each day would go:

Day 1 Descend into Modica, famed for its Spanish baroque architecture and distinctive (not to mention delicious) chocolate
Day 2 After a morning cheese-making session, enjoy coastal riding—andperhaps a dip—before dinner at one of Italy’s top tables
Day 3 Visit magnificent Greek temples below the city of Agrigento withthe expert guidance of our friend Michele
Day 4 Unwind from a day of glorious biking on the grounds of a five-starresort, an oasis in the island’s western countryside
Day 5 Opt for the B&R Century Ride to the Tripani salt pans, with aboat ride to the island of Mozia
Day 6 Breakfast in Mazara del Vallo, then addiu in Palermo

The whole purpose of the trip is for you to really enjoy everything – so be sure to stop and smell the roses, taste the wine, indulge in a siesta, chat with the locals, and really take in the sights. All that with the security of having 24 hour support. No rushing, no pressure, no limits. It’s all about you, after all. Exactly how your next getaway should be.

Do you have your next trip booked? What’s your absolute dream vacation?

P.S. Make sure to keep checking back daily! I've scheduled posts for the next couple days and starting next week, I have some seriously awesome ladies who will be guest posting while I'm away! You're going to love hearing what they have to say! xo

(Photos via Butterfield and Robinson)

Ik Kil Cenote, Mexico

Last week, I reminisced about my vacation to Mexico and let you in on the fascinating information that I had the pleasure of learning while visiting the Chichen Itza site. I touched on everything from Mayan architecture to human sacrifice to how the Mayans used astronomy in their daily lives.

But the most beautiful, breathtaking site we went to that day wasn't man-made at all.

For those of you who don't know (and I didn't), a cenote (pronounced se-no-teh) is essentially a natural sinkhole that is most common in Mexico and Central America. It forms when limestone collapses, revealing the water underneath.

This particular cenote is called the Sacred Blue Well, or Ik Kil, and it is said that this is where the Kings and their courts enjoyed contact with nature, for meditation and rest.
The cenote itself is perfectly round, at around 200 feet in diameter, is 130 feet deep, and is actually located 85 feet below ground level. A grand stairway made of limestone, slowly leads you down to the pristine, crystal clear water.

I made my way down the staircase, making deliberate moves while clutching onto the chains at the side for fear of slipping down the limestone steps that were covered in a trail of wet footprints.
When I reached the bottom, all I could do was look up at the sky, the warm sun shining down illuminating my surroundings. I studied the cenote in awe, sure that this type of thing only existed in paintings and stories. My eyes followed the long trails of vines that hung from the opening leading all the way down to the water, accompanied by small waterfalls. It was too beautiful to even be real.
What else could I do? I launched my body into the water. It was warmer than I had expected but still cold. It was hot that day, with the sun beating down on us, and after a long morning looking at Mayan ruins, it was a burst of refreshment that I needed.
I floated on my back in the water, making sure to take in everything, not forgetting the details, which over time, can become blurred memories of something wonderful. I let the water incase me while surrounded by vines and the sounds of running waterfalls.

I would go back again just to see that.

Chichen Itza, Mexico: The Observatory

Yesterday, I told you a bit about the Chichen Itza site, and all about El Castillo, The Great Ballcourt, The Wall of Skulls, The High Priests' Temple, and touched on some Mayan mythology. But today it's all about one of the most interesting (and coolest) structures at Chichen Itza - The Observatory also known as El Caracol, which means "The Snail". It gets its name from the stone spiral staircase inside.

"This structure is a circular astronomical observatory built on a large square platform. The spiral staircase inside the building leads to the top observatory chamber designed with windows for astronomical observations. (We were also told there's carvings on the walls and roof showing the constellations, but unfortunately, this site is no longer open to the public) From those windows, Mayan astronomers noted the positions of the Sun, the Moon’s greatest northern and southern declinations, and the passages of Venus. They used the shadows inside the room cast from the angle of the Sun hitting the doorway, for example, to tell when the solstices would occur.

The Maya regarded everything as closely related to their notion of time. For them, the need to record and to determine certain events in time, as well as the need to foresee the regular occurrence of astronomical, religious and social events, resulted in the invention of one of the most accurate calendars in history. The Maya calendar is considered the most complex, intricate and accurate among ancient calendars. Some claim that the calculations of the congruence of the 260-day and the 365-day Maya cycles are almost exactly equal to the actual measured solar year in the tropics, with only a 19-minute margin of error.

A "clock" can be anything we can use to measure time. The Maya used light and shadow cast in edifices, zenotes, and other bodies to track time. At the tropical latitudes of the Mayan cities, for example, the sun passes directly over head twice per year. Very accurate timing could be achieved by determining just when this happened - sort of like setting your watch. The Maya sought to understand the repetitive cycles of motions of the moon and planets, and thus to be able to predict when these bodies would be in certain places on the sky in the future. The planet Venus was very important and the tabulation of the appearances of Venus was used to predict the future.

For the Maya, the sky, their calendars, and mythology were integrated into a single system of belief. The patterns of the stars in the Milky Way or constellations, were directly related to their vision of Creation. The Maya called the Milky Way galaxy World Tree, which was represented by a tall tree, the Ceiba, reaching up to where all life came from.

The Maya also referred to the Milky Way as the Wakah Chan, which means “White Boned Serpent.” They believed to be connected to the cosmos. In fact, Kuxan Suum is a Mayan concept that means literally the “path in the sky to the center of the universe.”

There is also evidence to suggest the Maya were the only pre-telescopic civilization to demonstrate knowledge of the Orion Nebula. What supports this theory is a Mayan legend related to the Orion constellation they called Xibalba. They referred to the nebula as smoke from burning copal incense. Scholars believe this is significant, and it gives credence to the idea that the Maya detected a diffuse area of the sky before the telescope was invented.

There is no astronomy without mathematics. And the Maya astronomy was no exception. Mayan mathematics is the most sophisticated mathematical system ever developed in the Pre-Columbian Americas. The ancient Mayas discovered two fundamental ideas in mathematics: place notation and zero. That the Mayas understood the concept and value of zero is extraordinary and astonishing, for at that time most of the world’s civilizations had no concept of zero." (Source)

Isn't that so incredible? The trip to Chichen Itza will be one that I will never forget, and if you ever get the chance, trust me and jump at it.

Chichen Itza, Mexico

Last year, I went on vacation to the Mayan Riviera, Mexico for a friend's wedding and had the wonderful opportunity to visit Chichen Itza, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Believe me when I say, this was such an amazing, fascinating experience. Not only are you seeing these incredible structures that were built around 600 AD but you are learning about Mayan civilization; their daily life and culture.

Chichen Itza was built by The Maya who were an ancient civilization of southern Mexico and the Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras Belize and El Salvador. Today there are an estimated 6 million Maya living in these regions and speaking a variety of Maya languages.

This site has mystified thousands of people for hundreds of years and what fascinated me most was how advanced the Mayans were. Every detail of what they built was thought out and extremely well-planned, and they based their daily life off of astrology and were extraordinarily good astronomers themselves.

El Castillo, is a square-based, stepped pyramid that is approximately 75 feet tall that was constructed around 1000-1200 AD. There are 91 steps on each of the four sides, leading to the throne room at the top making a total of 365. (Which is, as you know, the number of days in a year). The stairways divide the nine terraces of each side of the pyramid into eighteen segments, representing the eighteen months of the Mayan calendar.

One of the most fascinating features of this pyramid happens twice a year, during the Spring and Autumn equinox. The sun is in exactly the correct position to cast a shadow which resembles a snake descending to the ground. (This would happen in the left side of the pyramid shown in the first photo) It is said that this was constructed this way in connection to agricultural rituals.

Unfortunately, because of vandalism to the pyramid over time, people are no longer allowed to climb or go inside in order to preserve it's beauty.

El Castillo was actually built on top of another temple, which wasn't discovered until the 1930's. After several false starts, they discovered a staircase under the north side of the pyramid. By digging from the top, they found another temple buried below the current one. You can see the excavations in this photo, which began in 2006.
From this photo, you can also see on the left side that the entire pyramid has not been restored. A local hotel actually came to the site long ago and stole pieces of the pyramid before the restoration began and used it to build parts of their hotel. Since archaeologists will not replicate any of the structure, unless these pieces are given back, El Castillo will never be fully restored. Locals are currently petitioning against the hotel. 

This is the Great Ballcourt of Chichen Itza, where a ball game would be played consisting of two teams. It has no vault, no discontinuity between the walls and is totally open to the blue sky. A whisper from end can be heard clearly enough at the other end 500 feet far away and through the length and breath of the court.
The sound waves are unaffected by wind direction or time of day and also night. Archaeologists engaged in the reconstruction noted that the sound transmission became more and more strong and clear as they proceeded.
In 1931 Leopold Stokowski spent 4 days at this site to determine the acoustic principals that could be applied to theater for an open-air concert he was designing. Stokowski failed to learn the secret. Today it has not been explained.

The object of the game was to get the ball through the stone hoop. This was extremely difficult, so if it actually happened the game would be over. Points could also be scored by tossing the balls so that it touched the ring. Players of the game couldn't hold or touch the ring. Other basic rules were applied to the game as well, the ball could not touch the ground and players couldn't hold or touch the ball with their hands - only the elbows, knees, hips, and head were used. The players were very skillful, and the ball could stay in the air for an hour or more.
The player who won the game by getting the ball through the stone hoop, was then declared the winner, and in return would be decapitated. Legends have also said that it is the winning Captain who would present his head. Of course, for us, it seems strange to fight to win just to die but for the Mayans it was considered the ultimate honour, and would lead to heaven.

On either side of the ballcourt, royalty would sit to observe the games.

Here's a closer look at the structure that the Mayan Kings and family would sit at, you can still see hints of the colour that was used even back then that hasn't completely vanished over time. You can also see the elaborate carvings that were etched into the stone. These types of carvings were seen throughout the entire stretch of the ballcourt, often depicting images of warriors.

This is the Wall of Skulls, or the Tzompantli, where the heads of the sacrificed were placed as a sort of shrine to the game. You can make out the carvings of each individual skull in the stone.

These two pictures are interesting because you see in the first photo, that the structure, which is called The High Priests' Temple (although it isn't believed that this was a tomb or that priests were buried here) has been restored. And in the second photo, our tour guide is pointing out what it would've looked like when it was first discovered. This, in actual fact, was a painting, since colour film didn't exist back then.
Another interesting fact, in some religions, the serpent or snake represents evil or the devil but in Mayan mythology, the serpent actually represents rebirth.

Did I mention that we saw of ton of these little guys? Seriously. Everywhere.

P.S. Stay tuned for tomorrow's post about my favourite structure that we saw at the Chichen Itza site!

Making The Jump

Picture this: an amphitheater of solid limestone surrounding the most beautiful body of water you’ve ever seen. A deep-blue spring-fed lagoon that is so clean and clear that you can’t help but want to dive right in. It’s early in the morning, the heat off the sun wraps your whole body with warmth and all you can feel is the adrenaline rushing.

Why, you ask?

Because 200ft above this breathtaking view, you’re getting ready to jump.

Located just 20 minutes from downtown Ottawa is “The Rock”, home to The Great Canadian Bungee. At 200ft, it is the highest jump in Canada, the rebound of the jump in itself is higher than all other sites located across the land - and if you’re an adrenaline-junkie like me, it will definitely suffice.

Last fall, my boyfriend and I decided to take the journey up to Ottawa to give this jump a try… I’m known for being quite impulsive and after we tried the Xtreme Skyflyer at Canada’s Wonderland, I blurted out, “Let’s go bungee jumping for real!” and couldn’t really go back on my word.

I can say from experience that saying 200ft and seeing 200ft are two very different things; while driving around looking for The Great Canadian Bungee, we kept searching and repeating to each other, “It has to be close, right? We’d see it from the road, wouldn’t we?” As we looked to our right, there was a cliff with a massive crane attached to it… needless to say, we really didn’t have to look around so intently.

After signing your life away, all there is to do is wait for your turn. There are benches and picnic tables nearby for people to enjoy while watching people as they throw themselves off the crane. The anticipation kills you.

Once it’s your time to go (at last!), you’re sent up to the top in groups of 8…and as you walk up the steep hill (I guess mountain would be a more accurate term), you know there’s only one way down.

All I could think to myself was “Maybe we shouldn’t have watched all those 'bungee jumping gone wrong' youtube videos.”

Based on your weight, you’re put in jumping order, “Thank god, I’m third, I still have a little time” as I slowly peak over the edge of the crane into the lagoon that seemed so beautiful (and not scary at all) before.

At the last moment, I’m switched to go first. (FIRST!) My heart starts beating faster and faster…the walk from one end to the other seems like miles long. It’s just me, the crane, and a single elastic cord (and a whole lot of distance between me and that water…were they sure it wasn’t actually 400ft?)

I put my toes over the edge of the crane and out of nowhere I’ve developed a superhuman death-grip and there’s no way I’m jumping off. Who’s idea was this? Oh, right... mine.

3…2…1 – I scream. I can’t do it. I look over to see the 7 other people waiting in line, my boyfriend included. All of them yelling my name to jump.

3…2…1 – I dive. My body feels like it’s going the speed-of-light as it approaches the water - that feeling when you’re on a rollercoaster where your stomach feels like it’s in your throat is increased ten-fold - my hands then dip into the cool, crisp water, and I’m thrown back into the air another 160ft. I feel as though I’m gliding through the air and all I can see is the most spectacular view as I’m surrounded by nature and pure beauty.

What started as utter fear had developed into sheer ecstasy, my heart felt like it could have exploded out of my chest. Call me crazy, but this was the most exhilarating experience I've ever had...and although it seems terrifying, life is all about facing your fears, right?