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besbel   
There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be ("All you Need is Love", the Beatles)


Real Name: Flor de Maria
Lives In: Washington D.C., US
Birth Date: September 23
Member Since: Apr 29, 2000
Last Login: Nov 07, 2009   01:36 UTC
Member's Time: Nov 09, 2009   04:27 EST
VT Rank: 688
Deals Rank: Unranked
Travel Interests: Budget Travel, Museum Visits, Music, Arts and Culture, Adventure Travel

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Washington D.C., US  36  68
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Arequipa, PE  24  21
Petrópolis, BR  17  18
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Interlaken, CH  11  10
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Page Views: 15,803            

Warning! Travel memories wandering 'round...

by besbel - last update: Sep 21, 2009

BACK IN DC!!!...

Leaving my print wherever I go...
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A bit more about myself...

My name is Flor de Maria, and I was born in Lima, Peru, the most amazing country on Earth :-) I am a human rights lawyer, and my interest goes to the field of migrants, women and conflict. I am currently living in Washington DC, working as a consultant on violence against women, and will stay until the end of this year. Let's see where the wave brings me then :)

Along the way I interacted with the most diverse groups of people from the most variated locations in my country and outside, and I thank God for that, because it enriched my life in so many ways. I have been blessed with the most diverse group of friends, not huge but to whom I thank them now for their support and friendship through thick and thin.

Among my favorite activities I have:
- listening to any kind of music;
- reading;
- cooking (and, of course, eating :P);
- surfing the net;
- having a nice conversation wherever and whenever;
- watching drama,
- watching ballet
- watching figure skating (exchanging videos included :))

But, last but not least, I am a passionate traveller! I started travelling late (at 23), but once you start you cannot stop :-)

I have travelled just a little in two continents, America and Europe. Dream destinations include China, Turkey, South Africa and Antarctica. So, there is still much more to see...
In Arequipa, Peru (see the Misti volcano behind)

... and a bit more about my travels...

So far, the places that I visited are:
2009:
Mexico: Mexico City (2)
United States:Boston-MA, Salem-MA, Washington-DC

2008:
Mexico: Queretaro, Mexico City
Venezuela: Caracas
United Kingdom: Oxford (2), London (2)
United States:Washington-DC, New York City-NY(4), Baltimore-MD (3), Los Angeles-CA

2007:
United States:Washington-DC, New York City-NY, Baltimore-MD, Bridgeville-DE
Argentina: Buenos Aires (2)

2006:
Colombia: Bogotá
Peru: Huancavelica

2005:
Spain: Madrid
Peru: Huancavelica, Junin, Cajamarca
Argentina: Buenos Aires

2004:
Italy: Rome, Venice
Vatican City: Vatican City
Austria: Salzburg, Vienna
United Kingdom: Oxford, Cambridge, Stonehenge, London
Ireland: Dublin, Galway, Killarney, Cork
Netherlands: Amsterdam (2), Rotterdam, Utrecht
Luxembourg: Luxembourg
Belgium: Brussels, Brugge
France: Paris (3), Annecy
Switzerland: Geneva (2), Vevey, Montreux, Zermatt

2003:
Brazil:Rio de Janeiro, Petropolis, Buzios
United Kingdom: Oxford, London, Hereford

2002:
Peru: Paracas
Costa Rica: San Jos?, Quepos, Po?s

2001:
Peru: Arequipa

2000:
Netherlands: Amsterdam, The Hague
France: Paris
Switzerland: Bern, Geneva, Grindelwald, Gruyeres, Interlaken, Lausanne

1998:
Peru: Cuzco
Paul McCartney concert. FedexField, Aug. 1, 2009

My Favorite Music

Listening to music is my ultimate passion. My favorite is the classical rock (starting with the Beatles, wow), but I admit that all types of music are welcomed, especially if they go along with my mood and moment of the day.
Attending gigs and concerts are also one of my favorite activities, too!

OTHER (TONS OF) FAVORITES, REGARDLESS GENRE:
The Beatles, Queen, Elvis, Mamas & the Papas, Bee Gees, Carpenters, Phil Collins, Elton John, Billy Joel, Barry White, Barry Manilow, Sting, ABBA, Madonna, Alanis Morisette, Celine Dion, Amy Grant, Annie Lennox, Wilson Phillips, Tom Petty, Guns 'n Roses, Norah Jones, Dido, Sarah Mc Lachlan, Avril Lavigne, U2, Apocalyptica etc, etc, etc.

My Favorite Book

Little Prince
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The more I read it the more beautiful I find it. It's so simple yet so deep. So innocent and sweet, yet so philosophical. The best about love, friendship, life and -of course- travelling is written here.
Favorite quote: "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
I just finished reading "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini. It's the story of two Afghan men, Amir and Hassan, one Pashtun and Hazara the other, who develop a strong bond since childhood. However, their destiny is already marked for racial prejudice, social class differences and the Afhgan war and political turmoil. I was stunned by the book, and although there was a certain passage that did not convince me at all (the encounter between Amir and Assef), I would say it is a great book overall. Very well written, very realistic, it casts a spell on the reader in such a way you just want to finish it right away, despite a couple of shocking or tragic events in it that forces you to stop sometimes. I loved it, but I guess this book is not recommendable for extremely sensitive people.

OTHER FAVORITES:
Fictions (Jorge Luis Borges), A World for Julius (Alfredo Bryce Echenique), One Hundred Years of Solitude (Gabriel Garc?a M?rquez), The Three Musketeers (Alexandre Dumas), A Brave New World (Aldous Huxley), and the whole collection of Mafalda!! (Quino)

My Favorite TV Show

The Simpsons!!

When I am on travelling I do not miss any of its episodes, no matter if I have seen it ten times before. It makes me laugh so hard! Homer and Bart make one of the best comic duos on TV, but my respects and admiration goes to these ladies: Marge (lovely companion of dumb Homer and the true pillar of the family) and Lisa (smart, sensitive, and also funny!). She adores dad Homer and brother Bart no matter their defects.

OTHER FAVORITES
Desperate Housewives, CSI, Scrubs, Will & Grace.
Also oldies like Get Smart, Third Rock from the Sun and Ally McBeal.

besbel's Albums
Title [Click to view]Travel YearPictures
Punkin Chunkin VT Meeting-Nov 2, 2007- 5
A Hundred Ways to Say "I Love You"- 

Comments for besbel
zanzooni Sat Oct 17, 2009 23:39 UTC
 I'm looking forward to my column too!...lol. Besides, your local, and all you have to do is call and I'll be there! ~
marenloo Fri Oct 9, 2009 21:12 UTC
 I liked your job and thought that one day we might talk about it.
Chuckaziz Mon Sep 7, 2009 04:10 UTC
 Hi Flor de Maria, interesting pages and pictures too. Greetings from KL, Malaysia. Cheers!
melosh Mon Aug 24, 2009 05:36 UTC
 It is a pleasure to click on the page of today's featured member and immediately recognize the location of the background of a picture and be transported to travel memories. I loved Peru and understand how you must miss it.
See More Comments


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