Irreplaceable, indescribable, incredible! The year 2010 saw me hopping around the world, making conversations with the world’s most inspiring minds, and learning valuable lessons that only experience can genuinely teach. I could literally write a book for the past 365 days! But that’s another project. For now allow me to share you the highlights of 2010 which I aptly cut in three parts. And so the Tale of Juliet, my tale, continues:

14 amazing destinations! Exploring the world with deep gratitude and child-like fascination.

1. Went to the land down-under and explored the beautiful places in Sydney, Melbourne and Cairns in Australia. Oh the Great Ocean Road, Great Barrier Reef and the world’s smallest penguins are my favorite!

2. Visited the limitless wonders of Oregon, Arizona and California in the United States of America.

3. Danced to the beat of tango and awakened my senses in the rich and passionate culture of Argentina. (Read blog post here.)

4. Felt the thrilling and sizzling sports, traditions and customs of Rio de Janeiro and Salvador Brazil. (Watch video blog.)

5. Traversed the amazing Amazon jungle, crossed the Amazon river from Brazil to Colombia and trekked in its lost city “Ciudad Perdita.” (Watch video blog.)

6. Fell in love with the beach, the people, and country of the beauty queens Venezuela.

7. Rekindled the fire of love between me and my husband Ted when I surprised him at his birthday party in Holland, his place of birth!

8. Stood in awe at the grand man-made structures in the open city of Dubai.

9. Experienced the heat, the cold, and the calm of the deserts of Abu Dhabi.

10. Overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of the second most populous city in the world Mumbai, India.

11. Visited the temples and rode the mighty giant elephant in the striking beach community of Phuket, Thailand.

12. Made a short and sweet visit to the cleanest country in the world, Singapore.

13. Came home to my country of birth, reconnected with family and friends and found time to trek in the majestic 2000+ years old mountain communities of Banaue and Sagada, Philippines.

14. Experienced the cold, snowy winter in Seoul, Korea but the company, the culture, and the great food made my stay all warm and memorable.

Living life to the fullest and enjoying the best of the world. I am truly grateful!

For more photos, you can visit my Facebook page, Juliet van Ruyven.

From Jhet’s South American Series

Only a few hours left before my departure, I had one thing on my mind – that is not to miss the tango show in Argentina. Tango is said to have originated from Argentine slaves as early as the 1800s. This explains why tango shows are held in almost every part of the country. I’ve asked around which place to go until my intuition told me to finally select one.

Superb tango performances in El Viejo Almacen

The hotel recommended El Viejo Almacen in San Telmo – one of the oldest and preserved barrios in Argentina, famous for its rustic setting. The sound of it being antique made me decide. After a quick phone call and an impromptu reservation, I was informed to prepare in 30 minutes! I got excited to wear something girly on my last night in Buenos Aires, after days of touring in rubbershoes and flipflops.

At El Viejo Almacen, superb performances of tango followed one after another, alternating with singing, acting, and group tango. It was just so romantic! Tango is like love made vertically – that is how I would describe it! Dancers were superb, the band excellent, and the dinner was gastronomically fantastic!

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