Don't let go, Part 4.

When wanderlust grabbed my good friend Ana Maria, and propelled her into making plans to visit the U.S. from Spain earlier this year, I thought “Good for you, amiga!” I was even more excited when she divulged that she would be ending her road trip in Houston, where I was living at the time.

Ana Maria has traveled all over the world, really and truly. For her work and because she is also a wanderer. This trip began in Las Vegas, where she rented a car and drove through the American Southwest, visiting national parks such as Zion, Arches, and the Grand Canyon. She also spent time in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Fredricksburg, Texas. She hiked, explored, took a helicopter ride, snapped photographs, and stayed in charming bed and breakfasts (and yes, she traveled by herself – because she also believes that adventure waits for no one!). Then she wrapped up her U.S. trip in Houston, to be the maid of honor in her Venezolana friend’s wedding, and also to stay with me. ¡Qué emoción! It had been 16 years!

Here is Ana Maria entering Zion, her adventures in the southwest just beginning.

AnaMa and the Grand Canyon.

Sometimes there are people in your life who are good friends for a brief time, but then when time and space grows between you, you lose touch. You may see them again, but it is never quite the same. Or you may not ever see them again – they just remain part of your memories. And then there are friends who will always be your friends. You can talk to them no matter what is going on. You can connect with them even when you haven’t talked to each other much over the span of time. You fall into easy conversations, about anything. You trust them. You laugh with them. It is like no time has passed. Everything else changed, but not your friendship.

That is how it was with Ana Maria and me when we saw each other again in Houston last April. Older, maybe wiser, with totally different life experiences, but still relating to each other. We just talked and talked and talked. We took walks in lush green neighborhoods and ate Mexican food. We went to Galveston Island and tried Cajun food, walked on the beach, and ate decadent desserts at Sunflower Bakery. AnaMa made me arepas, one of my favorite foods from Venezuela – kind of like corn cakes, with yummy, gooey melted white cheese inside. I introduced her to peanut butter on toast. She had become a big fan of peanut butter during her stay in Connecticut, but had never had it for breakfast on toast. And she loved it.

Despite my aversion to eating any kind of critters,
I encouraged Ana Maria to try some Cajun-prepared
crawfish. She dug right in and thought they were delicious.

We had a fantastic time, which wasn’t all that surprising I suppose. Ana Maria is a wonderful person, with an incredible outlook on all things. Our reunion was fabulously fun.

It is a great lesson in this world of ginormous divisions that two people, from different countries and backgrounds, with different experiences and personalities, can actually have so many things in common. When the smoke clears from your hectic life (in this case cigarette smoke), and you slow down for a minute, you can sometimes find an amazing friend who will not just be a part of your memories, but a part of your present and future, too.

See you in Madrid, AnaMa!