Day 20

Photo Challenge Day 20- A picture of somewhere you’d love to travel.

Now, this is a difficult subject for me, because I don't believe this gets answered with just 1 photo as there are more than one place I would like to travel to.

But I guess a place that have always wanted to visit is Australia, but not so much for visiting cities, but mainly for the amazing natural places that it offers; sand dune islands (like Frasier Island), to big rock formations (Ayers rock), the great barrier reef, indigenous cultures, amazing and exotic animals...

And, if I ever do make it "down under" I would specially love the ride on the Great Ocean Road and see the 12 apostles rock formations...

Here are some amazing pictures taken by my friend Francesca who happens to live in Oz...(Another reason for me to visit!!!) 

photo by Francesca D.

photo by Francesca D.

photo by Francesca D.

How about you? Any special places you'll like to travel to??? 

If you want some ideas, you could always visit Amanda + Don's Saturday Around to World and at least do some "cyber travel" via blogs, safe travels!!!



Have a wonderful Saturday : )

Day 19th

Post a picture of when I was little... Well, not that I've grown in size that much since then... LOL!

Here's me with my Dad on my 1 year birthday party, with my party dress and all... The theme for my party was baby chicks, I had a chicken "pinata" and we gave out yellow baby chicks (alive) to all my friends, dunno who came up with that idea?!?

As a "bonus" I'm also going post 2 picture today!!!

Here's me again, still little, around 6 yrs old, wearing my Mom's high heels... used to love putting on her shoes and "model- catwalk style" around the house!!! But, who didn't, right?

Have a great weekend!!!

insecure, me?

Today's Photo Challenge, day 18th calls for a photo of my biggest insecurity. Well, not that it's going to help much getting over it by sharing it with the world, but here it goes...

My biggest insecurity is got to be my lower belly fat and also to look fat in pictures.

Of course because of this being my biggest insecurity I refuse to post an actual picture of my tummy... but to give you and idea, it's something in the lines of this...

Uuuuugh! I just hate it, and not that I've ever been a flat belly person or even had a "six pack" tummy before, but if only I just could get rid of that "little" mass of fat that is always down there, I would be much more happy and pleased with myself...

Although, don't get me wrong, it's not like this insecurity makes my days miserable, that it forbids me to wear a swimsuit or anything like that...  It's just I wish it wasn't there at all specially because of the fact that I'm not getting any younger, even from the health point of view would be a lot better... I guess I'm just gonna have to commit and make a bigger effort to naturally reduce it with plenty exercise and a healthy diet...

So that is it! How about you, wanna share a little insecurity?... I didn't think so!

Have a great day : )

Day 17th

To post a picture of something that has made a huge impact in your life lately...

Well, I wouldn't say that is was a HUGE impact, but I was deeply moved and inspired when I read the book "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Reading this book was quite a ride, I won't probably put it under the category of "self help" although, that's about all she was doing from beginning to end.

Now "self help" is a pretty wide concept, right? Cause aren't we all always in a constant state to improve our life? Whether we acknowledge it or whether we ask for such help, is another story... But us humans are always in constant pursuit of something, right?

Well, so was Liz in her life, coming from a very hard and difficult break to find herself filled with pleasure (EAT) , rediscovering her faith (PRAY) and then finding balance in her life (LOVE).

There are many things that I can relate to, during the whole book; love for traveling, exploring exotic places and cultures, the love food and beauty, as well as the pursuit to always carry and evolving my faith while keeping (or at least trying to) balance in my life and soul.

Again, this book made some sort of impact in my life from many points of view but in general it also kept me entertained and happy, I highly recommend it to everybody. On the other hand I must say I haven't watch the movie so I don't have any opinion on that.

I will finish my post today to one of the many nice quotes that this book has;

"People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life."

Have a wonderful day!!!

inspiration found

"Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. 

It is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose."

Helen Keller

Today's photo challenge is to post a picture of someone who inspires me, and right now I cannot  think of anybody better than a fellow blogger friend, Joan from Gods Little People.

photo source @ GLP

Her blog was one of the very first jewels I found on this "cyber community". Once I started reading her posts I knew that even from miles a part, we share a great love and interest for the well being of all animals and their amazing souls.

The love, care and dedication she puts into helping animals, is an absolute source of respect and inspiration in my life. So today, I give I am grateful to God for people like her and I specially thank her for giving me inspiration that lights my soul through her posts.


If you've never read Joan's blog, perhaps it's time to get inspired and discover that there's a love over spill in every one of her posts and actions.

Have an inspiring day!!!

to do (again)

Have you ever been to place for the first time, but it really feels as if you've been there before? Well, that's how I felt the very first time I visited Israel.

Back in 1994, right after I graduated from high school, my family and me visited Israel on a 4 week vacation.

The very first day we got there, because of the time difference we arrived very late (around 1am) but after a long flight from Amsterdam (where we connected flights from) and a lot of sleep on the plane, we were not tired at all. So me and my brothers decided to go for a little walk in the middle of the "morning" and explore around the hotel in Tel Aviv.

Well, while walking around the streets I felt like I knew exactly where to go; like I knew the streets, the names and it was very easy for me to find our way back to the hotel after exploring around...

Then, life and God blessed me with the opportunity to return there, not one but twice after that very first trip and every time I've been there, is been nothing but amazing experiences always feeling right at home, like I've been there before and I knew the place like a local...

Now, today's photo challenge is to post a picture of "something I want to do before I die".

Well in my case is more like "to do again", because I would choose to go back to Israel one more time, but this time with my wonderful husband. I would love to show him where his roots come from, the amazing culture that the Jewish people have, their approach to life and death, their food, their traditions. Show him that despite the size of their territory, they have a very rich in culture, amazing natural places and how their history is linked to everybody in this world one way or another...

I would love to walk around the streets of Old Jerusalem again, listen to all the many languages that are spoken there daily, being surrounded by people from different cultures.

Climb up to the city of Masala and see the sun rise from up that mountain.

Visit the beautiful Ein Gedi Nature Reserve which is a natural oasis in the middle of the dessert. The Death Sea is just a must see... Or even the Sea of Galilee on the way up to the Golan Heights...

To me it's just amazing that on such a small country, in a matter of hours you can go from the hot dessert to the green and luscious Golan heights, where it even snows some part of the year... Just amazing!

So, yeah, I will definitely put a visit to Israel on my  to do (again) list, before I die.

And for those that mainly know about Israels through the "eyes" and interpretations of the media, when all we hear is about conflict and terrorist attacks, all I have to say that not once while being there in any of my trips I felt threaten or in danger and when you talk to the Israelis, you soon realize that their concept of life is very different that the one we have on the Western Hemisphere and that's one of the many things I admire of their culture!

What about you, any "to do before you die" ideas???

Have a great week!

7+7= 14 days!

Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.

I love my husband Mark and now that we have been together for a few years I cannot (and don't want to) imagine my life without him... He is the best and I love him with all my heart!

Happy Sunday!!!