We all fall in love at one time or another in our lives.  My first 'love story' began when I was 9, and his name was Josh.  We "dated"...for an entire 24 hours. One day he asked me if I wanted to "go out" but then that night he wrecked his knee in football practice, so he broke up with me the following day.  I guess when you're 9, it's too hard to juggle a sports injury AND a girl!

Don't worry, I didn't let that first experience sour my heart toward love altogether...I have fallen again...a few times here and there.  Recently, I have noticed, strangely enough, that PLACES seem to steal my heart in much the same way as a (handsome, nice, witty, etc.) guy.

It happens in a moment.  I'm filled with urge to smile, sing and dance all at the same time.  My singing and my dancing aren't very good, but somehow they seem to be the only avenues to communicate my happiness :)

Paris was easy to love.  It took only a short walk along the Seine at night with the lights of the Eiffel Tower shining down on the water.  I loved Paris even in the rain.  Rain just made it easier to find an excuse to duck into a patisserie for a coffee and something sweet.

I fell in love with Prague even in the freezing cold November weather.  Here it was the old architecture and the Charles Bridge, as seen in the first Mission Impossible film.  Walking these old cobblestone streets with some tasty treats bought from a man with a wooden cart. Oh! and the outdoor Christmas markets! 

Malaga...the sun hit my skin and I was smitten!  Vienna, it was an outdoor opera that I happened upon one evening.  Lisbon offered me (excellent) coffees for 50 cents, pasteis de Belem, and beauty everywhere we went.

The list could go on as I've traveled a fair bit since college.  This year, though, I visited a place that I never thought I'd love as much as I did.  I had the opportunity to travel the the island of Madeira off the north coast of Africa.  It's a tiny island about 37 miles by 15 miles.  Yes, the sea was beautiful, but I had seen the sea before.  The scenery was beyond lovely, but that wasn't "our" moment.

THIS WAS OUR MOMENT...my visit to the local market. This island was bountiful!  Almost all this food was grown on this tiny island.  I fell in love and could imagine myself learning Portuguese and entering this little world. 

I imagined grabbing my shopping bags and finding the ingredients I needed for a meal I was making for some friends one evening. 

I saw myself becoming friends with the regulars and knowing what food was best in each stall.  And, of course, as a regular myself, I would come home with my treasures to find that a couple extra items had been added to my bag to thank me for my faithful business.

Yes, I know other places have fresh and beautiful food just like this, but for some reason, this place stole my heart :)

“When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew. “
                                                                    William Shakespeare