The closing of 2006 and beginning of 2007 brought some of the best experiences I’ve had in a while. Here’s what the last couple of months looked like.
Paris
I spent a week in Paris over the holidays, capping it off by ringing in 2007 at the Trocadero with friends, champagne in hand, the Eiffel Tower lit up right in front of us. Thousands of people were out there doing the same thing, the whole plaza buzzing, and when midnight hit the tower erupted in sparkling lights. That moment alone made the trip.
The rest of the week was pure sightseeing. Notre-Dame’s stained glass stopped me in my tracks. I must have spent an hour just standing in the nave, looking up at the rose windows as afternoon light poured through them. I photographed hundreds of moments around the city, wandered neighborhoods I hadn’t planned on visiting, made new friends, and picked up some French along the way. I also practiced my Spanish with fellow travelers, which turned out to be useful preparation for Mexico a few weeks later. The week ended with a relaxed train ride to London through the Chunnel.
NAA 20 Under 40
Back in the States, the Newspaper Association of America recognized me in their 20 Under 40 program for 2006. It’s a good feeling to have the work noticed by the industry, and to be included alongside people I respect.
Mexico
Later in January, I flew to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula for a friend’s wedding in Playa del Carmen. The ceremony was on the beach, warm air, the sound of waves, the kind of setting that makes you wonder why anyone gets married indoors. But I also carved out time to explore on my own.
The Mayan ruins at Tulum are something else. The main temple sits right on a cliff above the Caribbean, turquoise water crashing below. It’s one of those places where you feel the weight of how long people have been building things in this world.
Between the ruins, the beach, the colors of the local markets, and the wedding itself, the trip was a reminder of how much variety and culture exists just a few hours south of the border. I also managed to learn some more Spanish, which is slowly becoming a running theme in my travels.
It has been a great start to 2007.