Happy birthday to me! Oh, yeah, and all the traveling and such for you.
September’s here! Aside from the Mexican Independence day that we all know and love (because ¡Viva México!), it’s a doubly special month for me.
Why?
Because it’s my birthday, that’s why.
And there’s nothing I love quite so much for celebrating another spin around the sun than traveling. Well, of course I won’t object to partying, dancing and shopping. But given the choice, a trip would win over and over again.
That’s the reason for compiling a list of all the places I would like to travel to on the anniversary of my arrival to the world, in order to celebrate step by step the fact that I’m alive:
1. Paris, France
Photo: http://callowaybr.com/im/paris-france-17.jpg
Because la vie est belle, and there’s no place where that’s quite so true as Paris. The romantic vibes of the City of Lights, the delicious food, and the soft murmur of its language are enough to conquer my heart from afar and leave me wanting to wake up there on my birthday.
2. Bacalar, Quintana Roo
Yeah, yeah, Bacalar is a common topic here under my writer’s pen. But it’s a peaceful, quite, beautiful place. It’s a place where you can forget all your troubles whilst floating gently in a hammock over the crystalline blue water. It’s a place where you can live an endless summer. Definitely, the Seven Colored Lagoon is somewhere I would celebrate my birthday seven times over.
3. Sydney, Australia
Australia was one of those places I was lucky enough to live in. And it left a mark on me – and not due to the fact that everything there tries to kill you. Sydney wasn’t where I lived, but it was one of the places I fell in love with upon visiting. It has it all: surfing beaches, a modern city to discover new and exciting things, and even koala sanctuaries! What more could you ask for?
4. Las Vegas, United States
We all know that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. And if you want parties you won’t forget (but can safely leave back in the city), then this is the place to rock it out. If you’re not convinced, let the Chinese New Year’s breathtaking lights steal your breath away.
5. Panama City, Panama
Caribbean on one side, Pacific on the other. Panama is the perfect place if you love all types of beaches (and you know I do). Here, you’ll find everything from dark sand beaches to the snowy color of the Caribbean waves.
My favorite spot is San Blas, an archipelago made up of over 365 islands. This means, you have literally one island to celebrate every day that made up this year until your birthday. And next to starfish, no less. Happy birthday to you, indeed.
6. Florence, Italy
Another one of the places I was lucky enough to live in. And there’s no better place than Florence. Red tile roofs, pizza, pasta, gelati, gardens, museums, bridges, duomos and cathedrals that’ll leave you breathless. If you happen to visit, I strongly recommend watching the sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo as a birthday present. Or you know, maybe also get gelato.
7. Queenstown, New Zealand
This place is just… it’s just… it’s indescribable. It’ll burn you. It’ll change you. It’ll conquer you, one snow-capped mountain, one brilliant blue lake, one colonial arquitecture, one adventurous bungee jump at a time.
Although, now that I’m thinking about it, I wouldn’t mind waking up in Hobbiton for my birthday. I know I’m short enough for it.
8. Mexico City, Mexico
And believe it or not, I also love waking up everyday in my hometown. It’s full of surprises, museums, restaurants and new things to discover. And first and foremost, it’s where (almost) everyone I love lives.
In the end, what truly matters is celebrating the fact that we’re alive, and that we’ve been blessed enough to get one more year of accomplishments and experiences. Which is really, what’s priceless about any birthday.
(Although it also has no price if you celebrate at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, now does it?)
Keep rolling till you find something you love…
