Made in Monte Carlo

Remember when you were a little kid using snow globes? And, when you shook the globe it seemed so majestic and the place inside always looked so perfect?

Well, in a nutshell that is Monte Carlo. Subtract the liquid substance and the snow, but add beautiful people and a hefty price tag — and there you have it. A utopia for luxury-seekers.

The Monte Carlo Commute

Marina View from the Chopper

Just Another Average Yacht In Monte Carlo

From talking to many people who have visited Monte Carlo, you will either love it or hate it and there is no in between. This place cannot be taken lightly, is not for the feint hearted, and unfortunately (… or fortunately …) only appeals to a very small audience of ‘adventurers‘ so to speak.

The Soon to Be: Mr. and Mrs. Nagel

The Famous Cafe de Paris

Our Princesses at Princess Grace Kelly’s Rose Garden

The Royal Casino

Well, I have been lucky enough to have been raised under two amazing parents, and, believe it or not, they had actually taken both my brother and I to Monte Carlo before! Having been to Monte Carlo already, I was well accustomed to the excessive price tags and shiny cars — but, it was something I have been looking forward to return to after reaching ‘adulthood’, even though I truly just think that I am a big kid.

Test-Tube Beauty

Poolside After a Long Night Out

The Catwalk to Relaxation

The city was as glistening, shiny, and tempting as ever; from the halls of the Royal Casino to the dining rooms of some of the world’s best restaurants, Monte Carlo does not leave much to desire. In fact, it would be in most peoples’ best interest if it did.

Seconds in Switzerland

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We were never shorthanded when it came to finding a destination to celebrate my birthday in Europe. In fact, none of us could agree on a set place and/or a time to go anywhere. The notion of ‘there’s always tomorrow’ was one that was used all too often, up until the point where tomorrow was that actual day.

Waking up the day before my birthday, we decided to hit the ground running with making the plans to celebrate, and Gesy, my better half, was the person who hit the nail right on the head. The plan was to do it in style: Monte Carlo, but the catch: we had a 14 hour layover in Geneva. We booked the tickets, secured the hotels, and, that night, we were off.

Cathedral in the City Centre

Me and my Princess at a cafe in Geneva

The Rhône

Quick Pose for the ‘Professional’ Model

Nature at its Best

Switzerland … The land of chocolate, world famous jewelry, and “unique” banking practices. We arrived late at night and were really only able to take advantage of the hotel, but the following day was when we were able to “explore” the cityscape in just 3 hours before our flight out to Nice, France.

The Entourage in Switzerland

The Jet d’Eau

Fun in the Chopard World Headquarters

Four Seasons Lobby

Picture Perfect @ the UN

Long story short … Geneva was absolutely beautiful, but we did not get to enjoy it enough. I will be back Geneva, I promise. Stay tuned for the Monte Carlo post!

Video: All in a Day’s Work – Ibiza Style

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Check out the video to our adventure below:

Let’s be honest about Ibiza … Everyone knows that not much goes on there without tourists …The local businesses, population, and general siesta-minded work ethic almost paint a very sleepy picture for Ibiza in general.

But, the key-word here is “almost”. To put it bluntly, this place is completely and utterly insane. The capital injection that comes from tourists every single weekend is something that is not seen in many other places in the world, and is also something that has made Ibiza a much sought after location for anyone in the “party” industry, or really just anyone who likes to party in general! The entire economy of this island is dependent upon partying. It is like something out of a movie — except it takes place 24 hours of each and everyday. Just to give you a tiny taste of what is to come… This is a real place in the airport:

F Me I’m Famous! Club

By day Ibiza, is a beautiful little island set in the Mediterranean, people are able to take in the sites… Wait a second… Never mind… That never happens in Ibiza. The more often chosen options for daytime activities would be either going to a pool party to ‘detox’ while watching models strut around a pool-side catwalk or hitching a ride on someone’s yacht to bake in the sun while being served freshly made mojitos via a scuba diving bartender around Ibiza’s neighboring island of Formentera. (Yes, this really happens)

“Detox-ing” by the Pool

The Three Muskateers

Cliffside

The One and Only

Love in the Sunset

And, by night Ibiza turns into a Disney world where 20-somethings can enjoy fist pumping in a mosh pit full of people in some of the world’s largest clubs or it can also play as a fantasy to the classier trendy type by sitting for dinner at 2am at some of the hottest restaurants in the world (Cipriani or Roberto Cavalli’s Restaurant)

Cipriani 80’s Party

The Celebs at Cavalli

The Crew at Amnesia for Calvin Harris

We got about an hour’s worth of sleep prior to our adventure, and upon arrival in Ibiza I found out that my identity had been compromised due to working with a fraudulent vendor through airbnb.com … and… oh, yea… Our luggage was lost. But, we continued on to have an unforgettable weekend!

Moments in Madeira, Portugal

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A day after arriving in Lisbon, Portugal, and Gesy tells me, “We are going to Madeira next week, I’ve already got your ticket.”

My thoughts at that exact second – 1) Wow, she bought my ticket… That’s really nice of her, and 2) Madeira, Portugal… Sounds cool, it must be a very close flight if it was just another place inside of the country.

Long story short. I had no idea where Madeira, Portugal was. In fact, when I was told it was an island I said, “ah that’s nice, it must be a little island off of the coast” … Wrong again. Madeira is an island just north of the Canary Islands off the coast of Morocco. It is actually closer to Africa than it is to Portugal! I had no idea that this place even existed.

The Main Avenue

Just Walking Down the Street

Cityscape

View From Hotel Room

After arriving in Madeira, I was blown away. Imagine a cross between the liveliness of Key West and the charm of Monaco. The island is beautiful. From the picturesque ocean views from everywhere in town to avenues littered with cafes, live music, and the occasional gypsy. Somehow it is able to capture the essence of ‘Europe’ and project it in the display of a single street… on an island… in the middle of no where.

Cliffside Restaurant

Entrance to Paradise

Rocky’s Beach

My fascination with Madeira doesn’t just stop with this aesthetically appealing part, but is deeper rooted in the actual mechanics behind the economy itself. It is an island in solitude without any other land mass too close at all. The island is able to sustain itself within its little bubble while only having to import a fraction of what they consume, mainly consisting of cars and other technologies. After every amazing meal we had, I asked how it was possible to make such good food in such a remote destination, and the answer always was, “We make it all here on the island.” Incredible. The country of Portugal may be in a crisis, but I don’t think Madeira has caught word of that yet.

Just Another Sunday

Cliffside Beauty

Gesy’s Royal Carriage

We were shown around Madeira by one of Gesy’s partners who made sure we got the most out of our stay. He showed us the best spots in town and treated us to a day out on his boat where we were able to see Madeira from a whole different angle.

Me and the One and Only

The Captain at the Helm

Two-Faced Nature

After having been to such an incredible place (without even first knowing it existed on a map) I can now honestly vouch for this little speck off the coast of Africa as a destination most people would thoroughly enjoy. I will definitely be back.

The Next Adventure

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Ok … Asia is done… for now. So, what’s next?

That is the ten million dollar question, and is the exact question I have been trying to answer for over 3 years since my accident. I knew that I didn’t want to do the same thing I had done before, I knew what I didn’t want to do, but what did I want to do?

I have caught myself in this same predicament many times since my accident. The second chance at life has created an interestingly unique perspective on my decisions and on my overall direction in life. Like everyone else, I start things, I work on them, and I finish them … sometimes.

Now … I am not one to shy away from hard work, but usually it happens more like this: I start things, work on them to a point where I realize that I wouldn’t be happy with doing it for the rest of my life, and then proceed to come up with the next big thing while leaving the previous item drift off by the wayside.

I have been told that I have a heightened level of introspection, but let me ask you a question, is that a good thing? Is knowing what you don’t want to do and what won’t make you happy a good thing at all? Or, does that just lead you into a trap of searching for something that you may never find? Is this another reason why ignorance should be considered bliss?

The current goal is similar to the last one. It is an adventure. I have embarked on a temporary “relocation” package, if you will. I am currently residing in the beautiful country of Portugal where I will be for a few months while studying for the GMAT and working towards that ‘next big thing’. What will be the answer? Only one way to find out.

Paradise in Phuket

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When I first decided to go on this adventure throughout Asia I thought Thailand was going to be the location in which I spent the most time in… Well, the Thai government certainly wasn’t thinking the same thing. The day I was looking to book our trip to visit the infamous city of Bangkok was the same day that the Thai military decided to come out and claim Marshall Law. After reading about the updates going on in Thailand, I decided not to venture into a territory ridden with armed soldiers patrolling city streets with automatic weapons enforcing a curfew of 10pm, and instead ended up continuing the trip elsewhere.

Near the end of our time in Asia we were given the chance to spend a few days in Thailand prior to returning to the US, and we jumped on it instantly. One day, the military was still enforcing the curfew, and the next it was uplifted … followed shortly thereafter by our arrival in Phuket.

Upon getting to the land of elephants, beaches, and pad thai, we came with a mindset to get the most out of our last stop in Asia. We explored the beaches and pools to get a nice burnt tinge on our skin prior to returning home, jungles on backs of elephants, and all of the tropical drinks a stomach can handle!