Since I began writing on my blog for Hive, many people have passed through my life—and, in fact, I encouraged many of them to start writing or recording themselves singing—yet as time went by, only a few of us remained: those who truly fell in love with the platform. The women accompanying me in these photos—my now-wife and her best friend—are among those who, at one point, lived out their blogging lives on Hive to the fullest. That is what makes them stand out amidst the many people who surround me today: they know that every adventure and every photograph eventually finds its way here—captured in a moment of inspiration and memories. I believe they can no longer imagine a life shared with me that lacks the magic of celebrating life itself.
Jhoxiris and Kimberly make for the perfect company when exploring new places—a fact beautifully captured that afternoon in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. It wasn't a Wednesday; in fact, it was Palm Sunday, which meant the streets were empty and the city was remarkably quiet. We had a concert scheduled for that evening, but since our plane had landed that morning, we had plenty of time to get to know the city—and I certainly walked them until they were ready to drop. That said, I didn't get off scot-free; Kimberly herself demanded at least three photos a minute. Yet the walk was so delightful that I didn't mind in the slightest; life made me fall in love with Santiago de Compostela from the very moment we stepped off the plane.
This was one of the best walks of my entire life. If you read my posts regularly on Hive, you’ll know that I’ve written a lot about Santiago de Compostela in Spain—and that’s despite the fact that I was there for exactly just 24 hours! But boy, did I make the most of that city, both day and night; I think sleeping was the last thing I did while I was there—there would be plenty of time for that later, on the buses, once we left the city. The weather was perfect; it was cold, but manageable—our jackets were all we needed to enjoy a wonderful day walking the streets, though I must confess that things got a bit more extreme once night fell! 🤣 The city revealed to us a blend of nature, modernity, and a profound sense of peace, thanks to the sparse crowds wandering about during siesta hours. I remember walking for kilometers—and I’ve been sharing all those photos right here on Hive (though I still have a few left to post)—but I hadn’t yet shared the photos showing our joyful faces. And that is exactly what I intend to do today: share a little bit of the joy we felt, simply for the sake of stepping out for a walk 🙏
A few days ago, I mentioned to Kimberly during choir rehearsals that I still had about 1,400 photos left from the trip we took to Spain two years ago—and, utterly astonished, she could do nothing but laugh. Although I was already active on Hive, it was in this city—after we’d spent a week roaming around Spain—that we sat down to eat some pizza, and I told her that I had bought my new phone specifically with the intention of filming and photographing absolutely everything, even our simple walks around the neighborhood. She didn't quite get it at the time, but—being the good friend she is—she simply supported me and took the opportunity to have me snap plenty of pictures of her, too. The three of us agreed that this city was our absolute favorite; and despite arriving at the concert utterly exhausted from all the walking we’d done that afternoon, our energy levels were still at 1,000%—so much so that we even went for our customary evening stroll later that night! 🤣
Since that day, the three of us have gone on many outings together; Kimberly is that indispensable friend when it comes to exploring new places. I remember that, after Spain, we discovered many spots right here in Caracas with her as our guide—and we even explored Medellín, Colombia, entirely on foot in just a few days. The only time this trio of friends was ever separated was when she had to go sing in Mexico while we headed to Rome. It felt sad at the time, but we all thoroughly enjoyed where destiny had taken us; in fact, I was delighted to see that she walked and walked through various Mexican cities, snapping plenty of photos—exactly as I (her Master) had taught her! 🤣
I embarked on this journey with all my energy focused on leaving the pain of grief behind—or rather, on transforming it. Things went well right from day one; and although my final epiphany was still two days away, the streets and the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela—on that particular Palm Sunday—became my new connection to the spiritual realm and the true beginning of that transformation. Despite everything, I did have a minor disagreement with my wife that afternoon—thanks to Google Maps! 🤣 But even so, the presence of our friend—serving as a welcome third party—ensured that our walk continued to unfold in peace.
This walk had all the ingredients for success—so much so that it has remained etched in my mind all these years, and I am still able to write about it and share photographs today. I thought these images would be destined solely for our personal album, but no: I took another look at them just a few days ago, and simply seeing them brought me joy all over again. The beauty of the setting, the weather, and—above all—the company of the right people made this day truly perfect. Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my blog; I truly appreciate it. In this post, I haven't focused on the city's landscapes per se, but rather on the emotion of the experience we shared that afternoon—an experience now preserved for posterity through these photographs. The perfect walk—which began right after some delicious pizzas! 🤭