Some of the Times I Fell in Love While Traveling

An incomplete list.

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I’m dishing on some of the times I fell in love while traveling; because loving a place or an experience or a meal or another culture is worth celebrating too on this heart-shaped holiday.

The Time I Got Caught in a Rainstorm in Paris

One of my earliest travel memories… I was studying abroad in France, and we were sent to Paris for the last week of the trip to visit the renowned art museums. One afternoon, a fellow student and I were walking along the Seine near the Louvre. Where had we come from? I can’t remember. Where were we going? I don’t know. But what I do recall as vividly as if it were yesterday was the feeling of a sudden late spring rain shower splitting the sky open. We were caught in the rain, sans umbrella or jacket. I can still feel the warm rain and see the other pedestrians scatter like ants. My friend and I just looked at one another and shrugged, turning our faces up to laugh in the rain. It was in that moment that I knew I was in love with Paris. The feeling of being completely immersed in a foreign city filled me with joy, and the rain was like confetti.

The Time I Became a Regular at a Tiny Bar in Lisbon for a Couple of Days

I wrote a whole post about this story. You can read it here:

Suffice to say, Santa Pausa did what the best bars and restaurants around the world do well: thanks to the friendly owner, it consistently and authentically welcomed us in, providing not only delicious food and drink but also respite and a place that felt like a home away from home. For a few days, we were locals there in that ancient Portuguese neighborhood. Someone knew us. We had a favorite place to hang out. I fell for the Portuguese way of life then and there.

The Time My Flight was Cancelled and I Found Myself “Stuck” in Auckland

It was the morning of my flight back to the U.S. I woke up to a message from Delta saying my flight was cancelled. That’s it. Cancelled. Not delayed or rebooked. Just cancelled.