Throwback to MADRID

I had been to Spain,with my family, we stayed in Mallorca and visited Palma almost every day of the trip.
Not my most pleasant memory of the beautiful country, and therefore I couldn't give a great review of it and neither did I intend to EVER go back. 

Then my cousin (Letitia, who you met in my review of Venice Italy) went to do a one year work experience teaching job and I couldn't stay away! She stayed in Puertellano, thats where I stayed of course, and then we spent the weekend in Madrid! 

After this experience, I LOVED Spain, the good, the bad, the ugly.... goodness, let me just get right into it.

I have so many photo's from this trip but they're all buried on my other computer and I don't want to search, we'll go with what I've got here for now, I'll do a part 2 another time!

This is one of the mountains I climbed when I was in Puertellano, I'm telling you, it was a super workout! we got to the top and had to rest a little while before coming back down because It was tiring.com.

Santiago Bernabeu football stadium! Home of the Real Madrid football club, it's a shame we couldn't go in because it was football season but it was great to tick it off the bucket list!

Roaming Madrid! (peep the huge bags and and garbage in the background, Madrid is really really DIRTY) 

Was scrolling through my pics and this one made me laugh and smile. I took it before I left Atocha Fente on the 2nd morning It just makes me think about how happy and excited I was about my lil life lol. 

When I got to Madrid, I had landed right in the political protest that happened in 2012, there was violence, vandalism, fights, fireworks and fires, it was really terrifying, there were train strikes that prevented me from getting to my cousins appartment until the following morning so I rested in the hotel for the night. I was 19 and this was my first solo adventure, but the huge smile on my face reminds me of how scared I was NOT.

With Letitia outside the palace where the Spanish monarchs live (I know, newsflash right?) sight seeing this day was fun, nothing compares to European history and culutre! (I've seen such rich culture and history in Italy and France and I cant wait to check out Germany next!)

In my hand you may see a magazine behind my clutch bag, that is my Spanish Vogue, whenever I travel I grab a Vogue, I have a very healthy interntional vogue collection building up at home.

They are obsessed with CocaCola... I don't understand... In the supermarket you will find aisles and aisles of CocaCola ... On streets in some parts of Spain there are just CocaCola vending machines placed very randomly. This picture was taken during one of my afternoon strolls while my cousin was teaching, I had taken a break from coursework to walk around and enjoy the quietness. 

Me at a fiesta! The drink I'm having was TOO sweet and I hated every sip, this was a non alcoholic beverage because most 'fiesta's' don't require alocohol, the people get pumped without it.

Another fiesta pic, like I said, I have hundreds of photo's, Part 2 is on it's way. Probably before I go to Germany!

My Happy Place, Redding CA

I'm starting to miss one of the lovliest places on Earth... Redding California, I can't explain how calm I am there, I've only been a few times and all in the space of 6 months while I was out studying in the States. But every time I entered the city of Redding I left all my worries and cares at the edge of the freeway. I soon as we drove through those mountains, and saw the sandy hills, all I felt was peace.

I remember the first time I went, with my dear Australian friend Josh Henry, my Figian brother Vikal, and Saul and all the brothers and sisters from Epic Life ministry. We were going on a trip to visit Bethel church, home of Jesus Culture one of my favourite worship bands. Obviously I was so excited to encounter God at this world famous house of worship on the highest hill in the most beautifully peaceful city #STOKED

Here are some pictures of me just getting totally lost in the tranquility and not worrying about anything at all...

Well...I'm sat here missing it, the sunshine, the silence, the fellowship, the smell of coffee in the book shop, the sound of laughter coming from the prayer room. And I feel like booking a flight up there! lol 

I also remember the last trip I made to Redding on my very last weekend in California before I went off to NY! (Coming soon...) I was with some of my lovely sisters in Christ, Shante and Nishay! Beside some of the obstacles that tried to hold us back and some of the drama that tried to ruin our day, again, as soon as we reached the edge of the free way and entered the city, we were HOME (that is, if home is where your heart is). 

I'll never forget how this place blessed my life and I will never forget the people I was blessed to be with on these trips. ESPECIALLY YOU JOSSHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What to wear in Redding:
Whenever I was in Redding I scooped my hair up in one, threw on some comfortable boots that were made for walking and packed light. Things like leggings, Tshirts, etc. Keep it simple, no one cares what you're wearing.

What to eat in Redding:
Sadly, I ate from one of the most addictive fast food restraunts 'In n Out Burger' ... it was DELICIOUS, and all the food packaging had bible scriptures on it which I loved. For health freaks, I'm sorry, I don't know what to suggest to you haha.

Pat

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My Fullerton Conference Adventure

I have never, I repeat, NEVER had such a phenomenal road trip until I travelled 9 hours accross California with Benjamin Fasset, Rebecca Moran, Blake Emery and Matt Gourley.

It was announced in Comms158 that there was a PR conference coming up and we were all invited, I had no plans to go, I was too broke for all that. Then I over heard the others planning their trip, travel arrangments, hotels, clothing and all of a sudden I really REALLY wanted to go.
Part of me was saying, "Patrice, NO!" the rest said, "Girl, GO!".

So obviously, before I knew it, I was shopping for monokini's and registering for the conference online, go on, judge me.
The drive down there was amazing, I got to bond so much with these guys and we grew so close on this weekend. The drive was long but fun, the hotel nights, hot tub excursions, beach trips, luncheons, costume party, oh and obviously, the seminars, were amazing. I wish I could repeat it all tomorrow.

As always, here are the snaps and travel details/tips if you ever intend to go to a 3-4 day conference in Fullerton. There are great surrounding restraunts and cities that you should be sure to visit when you're there.

Us ready for the superhero costume social on the first night! We had just got off the freeway after a 9 hour drive, we took naps, went for a quick swim and sun bathe, ate sushi, went to Target to buy groceries and some last minute accesories for the weekend and then got ready for the night.

This is us the following morning, suited, booted and HIGHLY caffeinated ready for a full day of seminars and inspiration. We learned a lot, and had tonnes of stimulting conversations. We were buzzing with energy from the night before, but of course, we found energy to go out after this ha!

More super hero costumes. Blake couldnt find yellow boots for his Flash costume, so he cut some womens tights from Taget and put them over his Vans lol! Upon reflection, I think I should have wore a blue vest instead of a white one. Oh well. 

In our first seminar, ready to learn! Awww weren't we the cutest little group of students you've ever seen? (joking)

About to visit laguna beach (my fav beach) and climb the 'thousand steps' landmark. yeah... my legs were KILLING me afterward. The hills were torturos, lol if you want a serious workout, just vist Orange County!

Laguna Beach, orang county, monokini was bought from Amazon, forgive me, I don't remember the retailer. But this beach trip was so fun. Confession: we skipped the sunday morning seminar to come here, I know, naughty. But we all overslept because the previous night was a bit...... erm.... LATE! (I didn't go partying, I stayed in bed and did some reading and waited for the others to return like a little mum!) 

Our photo booth moments on super hero night. 

Lunch in Orange County. I spent $8 dollars on a chicken ceaser salad, EXTORTION, but the important thing was that we had some quality bonding time haha. 

Out in the town on the 2nd night!

Laguna beach, photo credits to Miss Moran, me walking back to base after an immature splash around in the water. 

Thanks Venice, I needed that!

I didn't go to Italy to stunt, there is absolutely no stunting to be done! I went to Venice for a completely different purpose, I went to get a break. My mind was so clouded with all kinds of stress and confusion, It's been a really up and down year, it was a good year but the time came for serious reflection and redirection.
I didn't spend a lot of money on activities at all, Venice is a laid back place, you can just sit on a boat and sail for ages and just think about stuff. Most of the money spent was on food and boats... I ate soooooo much pizza and ice cream that actually it was ridiculous lol, my cousin and I sailed and walked everywhere.

We went to a few museums and actually sat and looked at paintings, we interpreted them and sat in silence just soaking it in. WHO DOES THAT?! Who appreciates real art these days? It was such a refreshing change from scrolling the Instagram timeline laughing at "Girls be like…" pictures! I actually got a chance to think and enjoy the Venetian culture.

This is my "friend" Marco…LOL. He's a Venetian craftsman, he creates these beautiful masks that thousands of Venice's natives wear every year at Carnival in February. He taught me so much about Venetian Carni history and also showed me how to make one of these masks. He was too coooool. He and his team have crafted thousands of famous masks used in many Hollywood movies! 

This is ME in the streets of Venice, we walked so much this day and my toes still hurt haha! I went to a make-up shop and learnt how to contour my face lol! My make up life shall never be the same pahaha. 

OMG OMG OMG… believe the hype! Venetian Ice Cream is BOMB!! lol I ate it and it was beautiful, I almost shed a tear loool

A typical Venetian street. lool my cousin brought wellington boots because she literally thought the whole of Venice was under water :'( LOOOOOOL. 

This is my unfairly fashionable cousin Letitia on the boat! She fit right into Venice with her European elegance and on countless occasions, put me to complete shame with her appropriate winter wear loool. She also happens to be such a fun and spontaneous person so I was able to actually enjoy the trip with her lol. We've travelled together before so I already knew this, she speaks spanish which really came in handy because its a similar language to italian!

This is me outside Venice's biggest and most exclusive Casino. No we didn't gamble, but we had to visit it because it was in the middle of the Grand Canal, the only way to get there was by boat and there was only one boat that goes to it, when you get in you're not allowed to take pics, so we didn't stay lol, but at least we can say that we visited Venice's most exclusive casino :)

Here's the two of us en route to find some late night Pizza and Vin Brulé (Hot Wine) 

Final verdict of Venice, it's beauuuutiful and the perfect location for ultimate relaxation and silence! Not in my Top 5 fav cities in the world (so far) but it's definitely in my Top 2 for get aways (following Bethal, California). I feel refreshed and I feel calmer, thank you Italy! I needed that!

Pat 

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