Places that Feel like Fiction

I have to admit that creativity wasn’t flowing much this week. When you run a travel blog, quiet weeks can slow the stream of ideas and the value you want to share.

So, I decided to return to my memories—to the places and experiences that reignited my love for travel, for adventure, for serendipity, and for the wonder of God’s creation.

Without further ado, here are the places and moments that have felt like fiction—in the best way.

1. Yellowstone - A Different Planet

Yellowstone, the iconic U.S. National Park that spans Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, felt more like another planet than any other place I’ve visited.

I went in June 2020, mid-pandemic, on an adventure that both thrilled and terrified me. The park’s vastness was overwhelming at first. I felt small. But soon enough, I surrendered to its hypnotic landscapes.

There was the wildlife—bisons, antelopes, and the looming possibility of bears. We were equipped with bear spray and instructed on what to do if one appeared. One memory I won't forget: walking back from an overlook, bear territory all around, we rushed back to the car with a unique mix of fear and awe.

Then, the weather. Nearly July, and yet it snowed. It was shockingly cold, but that only added to the surreal quality of the experience.

And finally, the geysers. Old Faithful is famous, sure. But the Grand Prismatic Spring? Absolutely unreal. Its colors made me feel like I was standing on a sci-fi set, like magma and ice had collided and painted the land in impossible hues. Mammoth Hot Springs and Biscuit Basin were equally mesmerizing, cloaked in steam and mystery.

For a moment, I forgot Earth was home.

2. Machu Picchu - An Alternate Dimension

If you know me, you know I haven’t stopped talking about Machu Picchu since I went in April this year.

It’s a wonder of the world—yes. But not just because of what you see. It’s also about what you feel. There is an intangible energy there, something sacred. Something unexplainable.

The Incan structures are mind-blowing, especially considering the technological limitations of their time. But what caught me off guard was the mysticism.

I won’t get too existential, but up there, close to the clouds, it felt like ancient wisdom and spiritual realms coexisted. As if I had stepped into a parallel world where history, nature, and the divine collided.

It felt like a gift just to witness it.

3. Ordino, Andorra - The End of the World

In 2022, I ended up in Andorra during a road trip—a country I knew little about beyond its capital. But Ordino took my breath away.

Ordino Arcalís is a ski resort in the Pyrenees, and in the summer, it turns into a dreamscape. We took the lift to the Tristaina Solar Viewpoint, a suspended O-shape structure that delivers a 360-degree view of the mountains. Below: green pastures, alpine lakes, wooden bridges, sheep grazing like storybook characters.

It felt like I had reached the edge of the world. A glass wall between dimensions. One step further and you might fall into something entirely new.

And maybe that’s the beauty of travel. Some places don’t just feel like fiction. They feel like somewhere else entirely.

4. Zurich, Switzerland - A Netflix Christmas Movie

One December day in 2018, flying back to DC from Milan with a layover in Zurich, my flight got canceled. I suddenly had 25+ hours in a city I didn’t plan to visit.

No phone adapter. No plan. No clue.

Armed only with a turtleneck, a mustard trench coat, and a stubborn selfie stick, I took an Uber into town, bought an adapter, and wandered.

Every step drew me deeper into a Christmas movie come to life. Twinkling lights. A glowing riverbank festival. Street musicians. Narrow alleys. And then, the moment that felt like a finale: a choir standing in a pyramid formation, like a singing Christmas tree.

I stood there, stunned, as families gathered in awe. Something about the wholesomeness, the magic, the sheer joy of it all—it stayed with me. I can still recall the chill in the air, the scent of cinnamon, and the warmth of that night.

It was one of the most magical moments of my life.

5. Bellagio, Italy - A Magazine Cover

In 2018, while visiting my brother in Milan, he took me to Bellagio. Nicknamed the Pearl of Lake Como, it truly lives up to the name.

I remember stepping off the train and feeling like I had just walked through heaven’s doors. The lake sparkled in that special shade of serene blue. The yellow and orange facades. The cobblestone streets. The empty cafés. The quiet beauty.

We had no fancy plans—just a lakeside picnic. But Bellagio doesn’t need embellishment. Even its bare trees I found charming.

Compared to the stifling heat of my first summer in Italy, this winter breeze was a revelation. I felt glamorous, like I belonged in a 1960s film. I couldn’t help but think of George and Amal Clooney, just across the water.

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When I look back at these moments, I realize that the most unforgettable experiences aren’t always the ones you plan. Sometimes they come in the form of unexpected delays, detours, or unassuming towns that steal your breath away. These are the memories that make travel worth it—the ones that feel unreal, magical, cinematic.

If you’re ever feeling stuck, try revisiting your own fictional-feeling moments. They might just remind you of how much wonder still exists in the world—and how many stories are still waiting to be told.