My latest "Out of Office" reply read: "A recent study found that vacations are good for the brain and can increase performance at work. This calls for further research!".
Well, my brain is refreshed, my spirit is happy, my body is rejuvenated (and chunkier 🥴), and it's time to share some beautiful memories of Patagonia, Argentina.
Patagonia is the land of lore and legend. On South America’s southern frontier, nature grows wild, barren and beautiful. Spaces are large, as are the silences that fill them.
"Traveling. It leaves you speechless, then turn you into a storyteller" - Battuta.
For a visual person like me the best stories are the ones documented by an unique collection of pictures, moments suspended in time, tiny little piece of a wonderful world captured through a viewfinder.
Travel (on the top ten of my passions) + photography (at the 2nd place) = Ileana at her best ;-)
The vacation is over and it's time to get back to work. Before stepping into the wedding and portrait mood, I want to share a few images of my latest Europe discovery: Budapest - Hungary. To celebrate my parents' 49th anniversary and to fix my "travel bug", I took a break from my month in Italy to spend a week in this amazing city. Straddling the Danube River, with the Buda Hills to the west and the Great Plain to the east, Budapest is a gem. The epic, faded grandeur; the elegant boulevards, the every night social life: it's enough to take your breath away.
A look back at the past: April 2010 - Peru’. It was and it will always be one of the best trip of my life: an amazing country, full of vibrant colours, history, amazing people and breathtaking sceneries.
Known across the world for the mystical UNESCO World Heritage site of Mach Pichu, Peru’ has so much to offer to a curios and interested traveller. From the desert and oasis of Lima, at sea level, to the plateau of Puno, at 4338m (over 14.232f), from the floating Uros Islands on Lake Titicaca, to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Delicious food, colourful art and craft, friendly smiles and so much beauty.
Relax, grab a cup of coffee (preferably Colombian), forget your reality and enjoy a journey of Colombia through my eyes. With over 48 million people, Colombia is a country rich of tradition, history, contrasts, vibrant urban life, stunning natural parks, and an amazing cultural heritage.
Ecologically, Colombia is one of the world's 17 megadiverse countries, and it's considered the most biodiverse per square km.  The nation is a middle power with the third largest economy in Latin America. Forget the bad reputation, this nation is fascinating and full of surprises.
I'm very excited to share a few pictures from the Caicos Express Airways collection. Lucky me, I was hired by the amazing Lynn Bengtsson to photograph Grand Turk and Salt Cay and contribute to the airline marketing campaign. We had so much fun! Island hopping and taking pictures of the beautiful Turks and Caicos Islands was much better then having a day off - after all photography and travel are my biggest passions.
A few words about Caicos Express Airways: the customer service, punctuality, safety and comfort are outstanding. Every check-in feels like a welcome home and flying as a co-pilot (without touching a single button of course) it's an experience I'll never forget.
Last November, for medical reasons, I left the island and travelled to Washington DC and Virginia. My dear friend Meghan opened the door of her home &Â heart, to offer me the best stay possible. Together we visited to core of Washington DC, one of the most beautiful American city (according to me): I love the monuments, the history, the culture, the art, the nature of the fascinating capital.
I'm addicted to the TV series "Scandal", and my mind couldn't help it but creating fun stories about every politician I crossed ;-)
On August 7th I turned 40 - wow! Time flies by and I'm getting old by my love for life and this amazing world gets bigger every day. My Dream (yes, with a capital "D") is to visit and explore every corner of this amazing planet, embracing the culture, traditions, lifestyle. A trip in Nicaragua is the best present I gave myself, ever. If being 40 means climbing volcanos, swimming in the pacific, eating fresh fruits and fish daily, spend quality time with my favourite man in the world and be a little crazy, well, I'm up for it ;-)
