Truly being on vacation

How are things?

I just want to connect after taking 2 weeks off, where I was unplugged from work and communication with my community. I want to share with you a little bit about my trip.

I went to Portugal for 14 days to meet my parents who had flew from Brazil and meet my step's dad extended family in Madeira, an island off Portugal. It was absolutely beautiful. It was a simple beauty. No fancy hotels, no expensive boutiques and fancy cars. Just a culture that is very family centered, and loves cod fish and simple wine.

If you love seafood, go to Portugal, book it now. The fish is cooked in amazing olive oils, herbs, vegetables, fish broth and always, always comes with their potatoes, boiled to perfection swimming in olive oil and sea salt.

People are warm, friendly and welcomes us tourists. Some areas, where there is one restaurant next to another, waiters block you with their menu in hand and try to convince us that their cod is better than the one next door.

The fact that you can eat amazing fresh and healthy food with a glass of wine that is $4 and delicious captured me. Clean house wine, that never gives a headache. If you go, call me and I will tell you some do's and some don'ts.

I was planing to work a bit from there and then decided not to, I did not feel like working, so I didn't. That felt so refreshing. To be fully immersed in the moment, to play and be able to walk around town with no agenda and just take pictures and try another "bolinho de bacalhau" - cod cake was magic.

No working out, no gluten free diets, no rules except having fun. That was my vacation, pure freedom to just BE, not DO.

When was the last time you took a real vacation, and you let go work 100% and just honored play? You don't need to go to Europe or even fly anywhere. Take 3-5 days and just play, play games, play with the family, binge on your shows...but make sure you walk a lot and connect with the new environment, our brains love novelty. Notice the houses, the birds flying, the different plants and trees, the people. That is the cool thing about visiting a place that is different that our home. Be curious. See the beauty, because there is so much.

There were many highlights in my trip, I want to share one in particular. Family. My step's dad family invited us for a family barbecue and the love shared was incredible, like we all knew each other for years. Even the people who could not speak the same language shared the love, because emotions speak the same language anywhere we go. Love is universal.

Thanks for reading and it is great to be back and connecting with you.

Peace and love, Alex.