Macedonia was the birthplace of world-renowed humanitarian Mother Theresa.  That fact is something that they are very proud of and that spirit of helpfulness is something that has become a part of their legacy and also something that they hold on, it seems, as a populace.  Entering the city center, we saw a large clock on a building that had stopped, no longer working.  We were told that this clock stopped working during the last major earthquake that devastated the city and marks the exact time that the quake struck.  After the city was rebuilt, the clock was left the way it was to mark the tragic event.  We were also told that this earthquake was a great example of the Macedonian helping spirit.  The entire country came together to help those in need and to rebuild all that had been lost. There were people who spoke of their friends, their family and of peace but Mother Theresa's spirit lives on here in the way that everyone holds on to and has pride in that helping spirit.  

We arrived in Slovakia by train. We were coming from Austria and the experience, even though it was short (just one hour), was amazing. Tony and Kelly were sitting and talking and I was a couple of seats away trying to grasp as much as possible: the train moving along the beautiful and stunning countryside, the other persons in the train reading their newspapers (or books), talking and sharing or the ones that were just taking a nap before arriving to their final destination. Then we got into our hostel and our hostess told us that almost everyone in the city was going to do something that afternoon: watch the game between Slovakia and Italy. Everyone was eager to watch the match. Our hostess told us: “A lot of persons are going to the public viewing area. You want to see some strong emotions and, hopefully, happiness? Then you have to go there”. So we did.

Kelly and I are watching the Slovakia vs Italy game. As soon as we got to the public viewing area they told us that since we are here we should paint a Slovakian flag on our faces. Everyone's wearing the Slovakian colors and they seem super happy... So we are experiencing local happiness by rooting for Slovakia!

And to tell you the truth it’s been one of the best matches we’ve seen so far during the World Cup. Certainly it was because the game itself was super exciting but I have to tell that being there with all the Slovakians watching the match, witnessing their passion, their emotions flowing (we even saw girls crying out of joy whenever Slovakia scored) and simply enjoying the football match made it even better.

Speaking about happiness, guys: Slovakia's third goal!

You could feel passion, excitement and happiness everywhere you looked. It felt almost as a huge communion, a huge party and we’re glad we were there not only to witness it but to take a part in it.

How to avoid the common places when writing? It’s kind of hard whenever you’re travelling as much as we do. Every single day Tony, Kelly and I have a new experience; every single place we go to blows, for some reason or another, our minds; every single place prints something permanent on our beings. Well, ladies and gentlemen, Bosnia wasn’t the exception. The overview we had from the sky was simply a gift: mountains, hills, trees… greenery everywhere you looked and engaging clouds covering the whole city. Just before we landed I was already happy (I know: I’m such a tree hugger). Then we had the chance to drive through different parts of the city. Our hostess told us: “Look at the buildings, you see?” while pointing at the holes made by bullets. “After having very difficult times, simple things are what makes us happy”. After such lesson we went to the Old Town. We saw a kid feeding the pigeons near the kiosk and people drinking water from one of the public fountains. Then our hosts told us about various local traditions and one of them is to enjoy a cup of coffee (they call it black elixir) while sitting at the table with friends and drinking their coffee very slowly.

It’s as if they’re enjoying every sip of coffee, every word that comes out of their mouths. Bosnia is a place full of history, where different views of life converge. Bosnia is a place with delicious food and friendly people, where we remembered that there are certain things that we shouldn’t take for granted: such as having the possibility of sitting down with a loved one just to talk and share a cup of coffee.

We met some people in the capital city Zagreb. ‘So what do people do for fun here?’ we asked. Instead of just answering they decided to show us. As it was a sunny day, the first step was having a cold drink at a café on the main square. 

We discussed every day life and were soon talking about dreams and ‘what do you wanna be when you grow up?’s. One girl blurted out : ‘I wanna be a rockstar!’ Well naturally we wanted some proof of that. She refused flat out to sing in front of the camera and wasn’t comfortable even being filmed at all. But then something changed. As we spent time chatting and getting comfortable with each other she suddenly felt happy to sing to heart’s content. As we rocked out in the square we attracted some strange looks but that’s what having fun is all about. Feeling giddy we all headed to do the next thing on these Croatian’s ‘happy list’ : Ice cream! They took us for a stroll around the city with our fresh home made ice cones in hand and we stopped in the park for some more goofing around. They said that there was one last thing on their list that we unfortunately could not experience: the beach! Any real Croatian loves the beach! So we promised to come back one day and go with them to the coast for a complete Croatian happy day.

Vienna is to me one of the prettiest cities in Europe. The architecture is amazing and the feel of it combines modern city with traditional beauty. 
We got there on a beautiful sunny day. In countries where the winters are long and summers lovely but brief, a day of sunshine is greatly appreciated. 

 
This was obvious as most of the people we spoke to had big smiles on their faces and told us the sun made them happy. Although one person did mention chocolate bars as the optimization of happiness.
We headed to Museum Square where there are many benches and fountains where the city folk love to hang out on a sunny day. As we strolled around the square from one lounging group to the other we absorbed the happy atmosphere. The people were deeply appreciative of the suns warm rays and content in just absorbing the warmth in the company of friends. What better way to spend a sunny day than hanging out with friends and sharing the glow of everyone’s inexplicable good humor, which invariably accompanies a summer’s day in the city of Vienna.

Zimbabwe, like many of the places we have been to, has gone through a lot.  Talking to the people that we came across, there was one common theme that seemed to permeate the discussion of happiness:  Survival. To be there, to be alive, to survive.  We were told stories of people who on one day had trillions of Zimbabwe dollars in their bank accounts and on the next day had nothing, the currency having been outlawed.  Through it all, they still survived, still shared, still laughed, still played... they still survived.

During our short stay in Zimbabwe, people talked about sharing and community, about family, friends and sports.  However, stripped of all complications, broken down to it's bare essentials, the common theme of happiness was simply, survival.  That simplicity, in turn, should make us all think about the things we claim to require in order to be happy.  

Swaziland is a place that has such a rustic beauty and is steeped in tradition.  An African Kingdom, the people here hold on to their way of life, their music and their dance and they enjoy being able to share this with those who come looking.  One of the first things we did was visit a traditional Swaziland village.  This is what a lot of people would actually think about when you think 'Africa'.  Huts arranged in a tribal manner, dirt underfoot, and men walking around in tribal wear.  Our guide gave us the rundown on why things were arranged the way they were and filled us in on the customs and traditions practiced there as well.    When I asked about what made him happy, he answered immediately, "Respect."  You could see by the traditions that guided their lives that their society revolved a lot around respect.  He told me that with young people, they are starting to lose respect for their elders and it gave him joy to be able to teach, and pass on, the value of respect to those that come behind him.  Later, we visited a local school and talked to some students who gave us their point of view.  

We came to this High School in Swaziland to meet the students: you should have seen how crazy they went when we asked them to show us their joy, their happiness. Everyone started laughing, screaming and just genuinely smiling. High School happiness that's a good thing to remember!

A lot of them love music, and friends but they also mentioned their traditions were very strong on the list of the things that made them happy and they even showed us a few dances.  One of the high school girls in particular mentioned that one of her favorite things was the yearly dance that was held in honor of the king. This dance, by the way, is a dance that only virgins can attend, both male and female.  This single dance was the very reason why she abstains every year.  I thought this to be a worthy aspiration with a very worthy result.    

There are many reasons I was happy to be in South Africa. Firstly, I got to see my family there and spend some valuable time with them.

Secondly, I got to show Tony and Antonio my country of birth.

Getting some traditional face painting at an African restaurant at Zoo Lake.

  

Thirdly, I got to experience the madness of the FIFA World Cup.

Being in Johannesburg in the height of the excitement as the country prepared for this epic event was an amazing experience for us. In the few days of the buildup to the opening match the anticipation was palpable. 

This was a time where all differences were put aside and all participated and shared in the fun. Vuvuzelas were blasting and flags were flapping in the wind attached to any moving or still object. I had never felt so proud to be a born South African. 

You see those horns? They are called vuvuzelas and they are LOUD and they are everywhere here at the World Cup. They actually come from South Africa and they definitely enjoy using them here as the sound of this blaring horn can be heard all over the city. I'm told that if I don't where earplugs at the stadium, I'll get permanent ear damage from the 40,000 plus vuvuzelas that will be blowing through the matches.

style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> On the actual day of the opening match Mexico vs South Africa, the excitement brewed up to a climatic euphoria. There was not a place in town where vuvuzelas were not heard. 

Being lucky as ever, we got to experience the match first hand in the Soccer City Stadium. If you think a Formula 1 track is loud, try sitting at a stadium full of buzzing vuvuzelas! But a good nature and a couple of ear plugs will do the trick to ensure reasonable comfort. Antonio and Tony chose to support Mexico (as is understandable).

...while I pimped myself out in Bafana Bafana supporter’s gear. As the first goal was scored for South Africa, I experienced a rare moment in which you feel euphoria that is multiplied by the sheer number of people around you that you know for a fact are feeling the exact same thing. Sharing that moment of happiness with thousands of strangers is an experience that cannot be explained - only lived.

Special moments - Greenland

I must start by saying that this whole trip is made up of a lot of travel (obviously), many encounters (every country brings new friends), some work (there’s no such thing as a free lunch!) and great fun (although this last one can happen anytime, anywhere and with anyone).

But then sometimes there is something more… Sometimes there are the special moments that appear out of nowhere and stay with us forever.  These moments cannot sit in any given category. They can be the result of an encounter, a moment of fun or simply something we saw or did. Sometimes the moment passes quickly and sometimes it lingers and bends time to make it last longer. Sometimes we can share this moment with each other – after spending so much time together we understand each other perfectly and a simple look will suffice to know that we all are feeling the same way – or sometimes we experience it alone. These special moments would sometimes seem like not much to you but to us they are priceless, never to be forgotten. Of course things can be stored in memory but the feelings, once felt, start to fade and eventually become only a shadow of what they were at that very second the moment started to happen. To prevent any further fading I must write them down and this is where I start.

I would like to tell you about a special moment I experienced in Greenland. I decided to go for a walk in the evening to clear my head and get some fresh air. It was 9pm and the sun was slowly deciding to start its long descent. About five minutes from my hotel there is a beautiful rocky beach. I headed there and as I approached the water with a steady pace and a beat in my eardrums something happened. I stopped abruptly at the edge of the water. My breathing suddenly got heavy. You think the phrase ‘take your breath away’ is just an expression? Nope it really happens. I can say without a doubt that the sight I saw before me took my breath away. The surface of the deep blue water sparkled like a million diamonds swirling on a piece of the softest silk. Here and there the remnants of melting iceberg broke the surface to shine in the last of their glorious moments as nature’s ice sculptures. The sea rocked back and forth like a choir moving to the melody of their grand harmonious finale while the mountains in their sunny golden cloaks looked on.

At first I felt nothing. It was as if my mind was making way for something too big to contain. Then it all came rushing in as a gasp escaped my lips. The sight before me was so extremely beautiful it was impossible to tear myself away from it. There was almost too much for me to take in. The best way I can describe it is: it felt like there was a big smile spreading inside me, as if my whole being was grinning at this spectacular sight. Everything else seemed mundane compared to what I was feeling then and there. Right then I felt like the luckiest person on earth because I was experiencing this. No one else was there to see this. This is also why I want to share the moment so badly.

I spent three hours out there watching the sun set. I alternated between sitting staring at the horizon and running around on the rocks like a kid. I felt like I was in a different world. I enjoyed every second of this long special moment. Thank you Greenland for giving me this special moment I will never forget.

Vamos en el avión. El aire es nuestro hogar temporal. Atravesamos nubes, sobrevolamos mares, aterrizamos en tierras lejanas y desconocidas o en tierras cercanas y conocidas. Nuestra siguiente parada es Vancouver. El frío norte nos espera y me pongo a pensar en que hace tan sólo unas cuántas horas atrás nos encontrábamos en el calor sudamericano.  

El calor del que veníamos... 

...el frío al que nos dirgíamos. 

Ahora, a treinta y siete mil pies de altura, vamos acercándonos cada vez más al gélido norte.  Emociones, aventuras, experiencias y lecciones de vida han caracterizado el último mes de nuestra vida. Hemos tenido la fortuna de conocer a personas de muy diversas culturas. 

Niños indígenas de la isla flotante de totora en Bolivia

Pero de alguna manera sabemos que esto sólo es la punta del iceberg, la cereza que adorna a un gran helado, la… bueno ya entendieron que esto sólo es el principio. No tienen idea de lo afortunados que nos sentimos al poder compartir esto con todos ustedes. Para aquellos que nos conocen directamente, para aquellos que no, para todos, pueden saber que no importan las distancias: ni físicas, ni temporales. En poco tiempo hemos aprendido que hay estados cómo la felicidad que unen a los seres humanos sin importar nada. Espero que todo cuánto va apareciendo en nuestro camino podamos compartirlo con ustedes.  Mientras tanto me pongo a pensar en las infinitas historias que seguramente encontraremos en Vancouver. Ahora miro por la ventanilla del avión, observo con toda mi atención las formaciones montañosas repletas de nieve. El blanco se extiende hasta dónde mi vista alcanza y empiezo a imaginarme mundos lejanos… Sin embargo, aquel mundo que importa en estos momentos es aquel que estaré presenciando en cuánto el tren de aterrizaje baje y toque la pista.  

 Vancouver: aquí vamos!