FREE IN MERIDA

The minute I heard my first love story I started looking for you,
not knowing how blind that was.
Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere - They’re in each other all along!

- Jelaludin Rumi

Je t'ai aimé, toujours je t'aime
Tu es, ma joie... mon poème
Mon illusion... mon bourreau
Ma destinée, mon rêve le plus beau.

- Sâdia Hajib -

The Greeks regarded pearls highly for their beauty and association with love and marriage. They thought they would promote marital bliss and prevent the brides from crying. In Ancient Rome, pearls were seen as the definitive sign of wealth and social standard, and that they would promote long life and health.

During the Crusades, knights would wear them into battle, believing it would protect them.

During the renaissance period pearls were regarded so highly that some countries passed laws allowing only the nobility to wear them.

Even before gold and diamonds, pearls were one of the earliest gems to be coveted by men, highly prized and traded more than 5000 years ago.

Please don't die.

Memory don't die.

I don't want to forget my loved ones who have already departed.

Earth, wind, sun and moon, help me remember them.

Please don't die.

Sunrise & jacarandas are for Max.

Sea and black is for Grandma.

Cows and bullfights are for Granpa.

Oscar if you, Aunt Carol.

Memory don't die and let me remember them always.

"Love Tried To Welcome Me"

These are my hands, but what can they give me?
These are my eyes, but they cannot see
These are my arms, but they don't know tenderness
And I must confess that I am usually drawn to sadness
And loneliness has never been a stranger to me, but...

Love tried to welcome me
But my soul drew back
Guilty of lust and sin
Love tried to take me in.

These are my lips, but they whisper sorrow
This is my voice, but it's telling lies
I know how to laugh, but I don't know happiness
And I must confess, instead of spring, it's always winter
And my heart has always been a lonely hunter, but still...


Love tried to welcome me
But my soul drew back
I was covered with dust and sin
Love tried to take me in.

Love tried to break me.

And I must confess, instead of spring, it's always winter
And my heart has always been a lonely hunter, but still

Love tried to welcome me.

There's so much I can talk about this song and Madonna nowadays, but I rather keep silent and let the lyrics do the talking. Video HERE.

"Love works in miracles every day: such as weakening the strong, and stretching the weak; making fools of the wise, and wise men of fools; favouring the passions, destroying reason, and in a word, turning everything topsy-turvy."

~ Marguerite De Valois

Is it me or love like the sea? Ever flowing and ever changing? It me or love that goes on against the rock and slowly transform it. It is me or the salt that adds to the wet rock? It is me or love is with me even if I'm alone and sometimes hurting? If indeed love is in me, then come to me and find love, for my arms are ever ready, but alas! Ready, but for the right one.

RULO I  &  WENDY I

Raúl Osorio & Wendy Braga vistiendo los trajes de las Maravillas para el Carnaval de Mérida, 2008.

EMILIO I & ABRIL I

Con un viaje por las Maravillas del Mundo, sus soberanas majestades Emilio I y Abril I, nos llevan a un paseo por las nuevas maravillas del mundo. 2008 es un gran año para ellos y mejor aún para sus orgullosos padres. 

New Orleans' beauty is not only found in its architecture and folklore. Carnival is a BIG time for NoLa. Mardi Gras is the biggest day and the floats are full or booze and fun, beads everywhere and tradition says that in order to get them you must flash or moon people. Big boobs will get more beads. The indians are also big part of it and black music. Green, purple, and gold are its colors and fun its real name.

Mardi Gras is a NEW experience mixing the cultures of three continents: Africa, Europe, and America. A must see for Carnival lovers!

This one's for Adam... Emiliana Torrini is a hell of a singer. Her voice has that uniqueness of Icelanders. A mixture of Italian/Icelander, Torrini sings with a vocal ability of a water nymph and a siren. She has the gift of transmiting images into one's heart. I leave you with "If you go away" and the video's HERE. And if you want a happy one, try "Hold your hand" HERE.

If you go away
On this summer's day
Then you might as well
Take the sun away
All the birds that flew
In the summer sky
When our love was new
And our hearts were high
And the day was young
And the nights were long
And the moon stood still
For the night bird's song

If you go away
If you go away
If you go away...

But if you stay
I'll make you a day
Like no day has been
Or will be again
We'll sail on the sun
We'll ride on the rain
And talk to the trees
And worship the wind

But if you go
I'll understand
Leave me just enough love
To fill up my hand


If you go away
If you go away
If you go away...

If you go away
As I know you will
You must tell the world
To stop turning
'til you return again
If you ever do
For what good is love
Without loving you?
Can I tell you now
As you turn to go
I'll be dying slowly
'til the next hello

If you go away
If you go away
If you go away...

But if you stay
I'll make you a night
Like no night has been
Or will be again
I'll sail on your smile
I'll ride on your touch
I'll talk to your eyes
That I love so much

But if you go
I won't cry
Though the good is gone
From the word goodbye

If you go away
If you go away
If you go away...

If you go away
As I know you must
There is be nothing left
In this world to trust
Just an empty room
Full of empty space
Like the empty look
I see on your face
And I'd been the shadow
Of your shadow
If you might have kept me
By your side

If you go away
If you go away
If you go away...

If you go away
If you go away...

I'm blessed of having good friends. Good friends that are like my brothers and sisters, like Danny, Nadí, Sol, Annel, Dari, crazy friends like Furby, Myrna, and Kuké,  and also sweet friends that I sometimes think I drive crazy, like Tim and Taco. All loved ones and today I celebrate you with love in my heart and a smile on my face. Les quiero mucho.

"If you go away... as I know you will."

I'm sadden to know that love does not always prevail... or at least there are moments of pain and hurt. Who is to know when love is living? Who can tell? But don't we all know when love is dying? We know because it's our own heart that's breaking. Who can tell the end of all ways? Not even the wisest man. But I still have hope. I hope. I hope. Hope that one good day "you return again... for what good is love... without loving you?" Love is not good if you're not loving.