Benin: birthplace of voodoo.

As I was conducting research for this post, I wanted to write about something other than blood diamonds which I mistakenly believed came from Benin. Upon further research I discovered that blood diamonds were sourced from African nations that underwent civil wars during the 20th and 21st century, namely Angola, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, and Sierra Leone (thank you, Wikipedia). I likely misattributed blood diamonds to Benin because the actor who played the lead role in Blood Diamonds, Djimon Honsou, hailed from the country.

Djimon Honsou also starred in a film about voodoo in Benin. Again, I made the mistake of thinking that voodoo originated in Haiti. Previously, I had little concept for what voodoo was, other than a cartoonish concept that witches cast spells on people they didn't like by sticking needles into their effigies. In reality and for the most part, people in Benin practice voodoo to communicate with good spirits who can provide them with healing. This five-minute video from National Geographic features the journey of a man whose young daughter was called by the spirits to become a medium.

For a more in-depth (and graphic) introduction to voodoo, click here to watch the story of a man who wanted to learn more about voodoo, so he became an apprentice. This 25-minute film is graphic and I had to avert my eyes on a few occasions, but it is worth watching for the deeper insight into the voodoo rituals in which believers practice.

Belize: Great Blue Hole.

The last vacation my husband and I took before the pandemic was to Belize. It was more of a "rest and relaxation" than adventure trip, so we stayed at a resort and read a lot of books.

If we ever make it to that part of the world again, I would like to explore the Great Blue Hole, a massive sinkhole made famous by ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau who declared it to be one of the five best scuba diving sites in the world.

This sinkhole is 175 meters deep and serves as a record of eons of history. Once you get beyond 100 meters, you no longer encounter sea life. But you do encounter submerged caves (that were once above ground) and stalactites.

You can explore the Great Blue Hole by diving -- but you can also take a helicopter tour and witness it from the sky.

Belgium: why is their chocolate SO SPECIAL?

I am a chocolate addict. I do not believe I have ever encountered chocolate that I did not appreciate -- even varieties on the cheaper end. That said, I always knew that Belgian chocolate was special -- but did not know why. Check out this three-minute to discover their magic ingredient.