Latitude: 33 Degrees of Gratitude
Gifts and gratitude. With Thanksgiving — my favorite holiday — just passed and the holiday season that follows, we’re sure to hear about and discuss these topics ad nauseam now and in the coming weeks. Let me be the 493rd person this past minute to share my thoughts on the two now.
I arrived yesterday in Dong Hoi, Vietnam, marooned by driving rain at a beachside hostel, as far from home as I’ve ever been for a turkey day. Today I celebrate my birthday, marking my 33rd year and the 260th day walking the earth like Kung Fu, minus the kung fu. Marine, one friend I’m currently traveling with, has reminded me several times that Jesus was 33 when he was crucified. (I guess I’m not the only one who can’t help comparing themselves to the guy; that there are no Romans in sight is the first thing I’m grateful for). 33 is also the numerical representation of the Star of David.
According to numerology.com, 33 represents full understanding before communication and if it’s in your chart, you’re probably a highly knowledgeable person who fact checks before preaching ideas or ideals. I certainly don’t presume to be at such an enlightened level, but it’s as good a goal to work towards as I can think of moving forward on my journey. I can think of some other people who could also use a little 33 in their lives.
I feel bittersweet to be away from family and old friends on these special days. But I’m doing my best to carry on the practice of gratitude I’ve tried to maintain along this trip. And has become routine on this trip, I've met some more fantastic people to celebrate with.
Without writing a book, it’s near impossible to count all the amazing places I visited and all the beautiful, inspiring people I met who who welcomed me into their lives along the way. But I’m going to take this opportunity to count 33 picked-at-random places, moments, delicious delights and other gifts I’ve been lucky enough to receive on my trip and for which I’m presently and forever grateful:
1) My friends, Karina and Mishaan, for inviting me to join their beautiful wedding celebration and de facto selecting my start date and location for my trip in South Africa.
What an amazing weekend and auspicious way to start this trip.
2) My buddy, Ira, who made sure before I started my trip that I’d climb Kili while on my voyage.
What an amazing request. I am so happy I obliged.
3) This baby mama…
...for sharing her cubs with me, if only for a few minutes.
4) My forth visit to Paris in late March to begin the Eurotour and seeing the city spring to life from its winter grays.
Staying with a good friend in the 18th was a special treat as I saw a side of the city I wouldn't have otherwise seen.
5) The weather on my first and second visits to Amsterdam.
Those first four days of unseasonably warm and sunny, early-April weather, plus my (almost) rain-free week and half in August allowed me see full spectrum of beauty of the “outdoor museum” (as my German Blablacar driver somehow deridingly called it) that is Amsterdam and Utrecht. A-dam/Holland would be at the top of my list for relocation, if I didn’t know better that this lucky streak was an outlier.
6) My Outlier pants.
I embrace my inner dork with the Clark Kent curl-glasses combo and flagrantly neon dad shoes.
For six months, they were my only pair of trousers and they took me from the slopes of Kilimanjaro to the world’s best restaurant and everywhere in between. They even saved my knees from a bike accident and don’t look any worse for the actual wear. They’re super.
7) Early spring in Tuscany.
Def a natural, un-posed shot
Touring the countryside with my friend, Veronica, and enjoying delicious home-cooked meals from her mom were so perfectly Italian. Thank you for hosting me!
8) The privilege of seeing Michaelangelo’s David again.
I could stare at that thing for hours…
9) That underground disco-soul-house party a few German friends and I were brought to by a Russian living in Milan two nights after Prince died.
Biking off with my German dance partners -- way to look up, Saskia!
Dancing with Milano’s pretty hipster fashionistas to a masterful set bookended and spiced with Prince hits and other lucious house music was the perfect tribute to the Legend.
10) Tapas-hopping in Madrid.
Go to Juana La Loca, get that wine and the ceviche and tortilla above plus the fois gras not pictured
Stuffed myself walking among the stalls of Mercado San Anton, stomached some strongly-flavored cured meats — to put it mildly — while sipping vermut — the only option — at La Venencia, savored perfectly-runny tortilla, creamy ceviche and wasabi-infused tuna tartare, with come-correct Rioja at Juana La Loca (I may have returned twice more for seconds and thirds). Madrid’s food scene is just one of mucho reasons I’d consider returning to settle down.
11) Granada. All of it.
Free tapas with every drink encouraging deliciously bad decisions and overindulgence. Colors exploding from gardens covering the city, most brilliantly in the Alhambra (though my favorite stroll was in Carmen de los Martires). Arabic and gothic architecture colliding, snow caps surrounding the boiling city. Flamenco dancers, singers, guitarists drowning your ears with syncopated stomps and claps and strums. Gorgeous people, inside and out. History and magic leaking out of every corner. I’ll be seeing you again.
12) The completely unexpected culinary adventure a few British friends and I embarked upon at Don Chema’s in small-town Cazorla.
Not pictured: the 174 other dead animal heads -- apparently they're called taxonomy -- lining the other walls of Don Chema
There was the tender-cooked and freshly-killed game, the impeccable pata negra, the cherry pistachio gazpacho; my palate was utterly blown away. The perfect example of the beautiful serendipity that happens when you wander.
13) Spotting the hundreds of kite-surfers at Valdevaqueros beach, outside of Tarifa, while driving west to Cadiz with my buddy, Joel.
We stopped for a quick drink in that gorgeous setting, so I thought hey, let’s take a quick lesson for an hour. Turns out you need a week minimum to get the first foundations, so I decided to return to learn, then did a few months later.
14) My first Vinho Verde
This is actually, Ginjinha, another delicious local Portuguese libation
First you let me down by not being green, as I ignorantly expected from your name. Then you were effervescent, crisp and delicious and all was right with the world. Oh yes, and the food in Lisbon, particularly those peerless Pastels de Belem.
15) The best gelato of my trip, the best landscape photo I’ve ever taken (“Shot on an iPhone”), and that cotton candy sunset sky that I couldn’t properly snap so will have to make do with just the memory, all in a day’s driving through the Algarves in the south of Portugal.
16) A couple of colorful cocks while port-tasting at Taylor’s Winery
17) My ankles’ gratitude after seeing this glorious tan-line in Santiago de Compostela
This was at the hostel where most of the pilgrims finish. I avoided the physical (and aesthetic torture) of the thousand kilometer trek as I began my “reverse-pilgramage” east across the north of Spain.
18) Quite possibly the best octopus I’ve ever eaten on the sidre-soaked streets in Gascona, Oviedo
19) The aching soreness in my soles from hiking two days, 64,000 steps and 23 miles through Ruta del Cares’s sharp-rock trails and gorge-ous vistas and Fuente De’s rapidly changing ecosystems.
Actually this at Lagos de Covadonga after I finished the Ruta del Cares
20) Richard Serra-induced-ASMR, the most physically intense reaction to art I can remember.
And everything else about the Guggenheim Bibao. absolute must-visit when in Spain. Plus, the food in Bilbao is unsurprisingly delicious.
22) Walking through an uber-bougie sunset to gorge on pinxtos and watch the start of the Euros in San Sebastian
The most expensive street in Europe by real estate prices is just to the right
23) That gorgeous riad that a savvy street kid delivered a new travelmate and me to while helplessly looking for dinner.
I’ll have one wing of my future mansion look just like that.
24) Messing around with my caravan and a new camera I don’t know how to use.
Also, shrieking like a little girl thinking my camel is going to throw me into the Saharan dunes before sunrise.
25) Munching boquarones and sipping tinto verano after a hard day's work at the beach learning the intricacies of kite-surfing
After a week of lessons I was able to to ride 10 meters. Befriending some talented teachers, watching one of them compete in the first leg of the kite-surf of the pro tour and join them for a beach party/feast after, tapas- and bar-crawling across wonderful, tiny Tarifa were also pretty special.
26) Trekking up and above Bergen on one of their rare rain-free days.
Ulriken
The nature in Norway is gorgeous, of course, but Bergen was charming and pretty on its own. Traveling across from Oslo through the fjords with my mom was a special way to reunite. Thanks again, Mom!
27) One of the best food days of my life, care of Copenhagen.
Mike and I crashing the staff meeting at Noma, post-dinner of whimsy
To recreate, first, stumble on Gasoline Grill, a gas station blasting West Coast gansta rap and a flipping insanely good burgers. Then show up to your rez a bit early and enjoy some fantastic product from Christiania’s “green light district” watching the stunning sunset on the canal. Finally, sit back and enjoy the culinary wonderland that is Noma. Superb.
28) Jamrocking out at Reggae Jam in tiny Bersenbruck, Germany with old and new German friends.
I like reggae, but some of these German bros were veritable encyclopedias of the music. Such a chill and fun festival that I wouldn’t have known about if not for my friend, Kaki. In spite of having my wallet nicked, I had an absolute blast making new friends and dancing my ass off among some very irie vibes.
29) Getting a history lesson while taking in Hamburg’s unexpected beauty.
The walking tour I joined provided a healthy balance of perspectives on the city’s past and showed me how stunning the architecture and layout of the city could actually be. A great short trip, and the people were so welcoming too.
30) The party a friend and I were invited to at a random barbershop in Cologne.
We thought it was a whiskey tasting, it actually was the shop’s one-year anniversary party, I got a side buzzcut while fairly buzzed, and then the night devolved from there. The reputation of Cologne having fantastic people was 100% confirmed
31) The two day visit in Utrecht to my friend, Blaire, which turned into a beloved two-week stay in Holland, culminating in an Epic four-day festival weekend.
32) Berlin. Wow.
My beautiful party crew
Started the party Friday afternoon and didn't stop until Monday morning. The club scene earned it's stellar reputation and then some. Ate fantastic food throughout, even though I heard to expect the contrary. Open-minded, creative, kind people were always happy to engage. The street art scene was vibrant. Certainly the cheapest Western European capital I visited, very helpful for this traveler. A definite return trip is in store.
33) All of my old friends who joined me along the way. It was so great to see your mugs again, see new places together and laugh like the old times.
And a final bonus for the coming year...
34) all the people who welcomed me into their homes to host me along my travels. Thank you for your gracious hospitality, for transporting and feeding me, and for showing me the side of your hometowns as only a local could. Your incredible generosity is now and will forever be appreciated.
Thanks for making it this far on this mini-retrospective of my travels. I actually took a sequential approach to this exercise so there’s a ton of my trip left to reflect back on and be grateful for. More to come.
As impossible as it will be to enumerate all of those beautiful moments and people I’ve encountered, it’s impossible not to feel #blessed. Which is fitting since 33 is also the numerical equivalent of AMEN.