The Incredible View From the Ruahatu Lagoon Sanctuary

Snorkeling Bora Bora

The Ruahatu Lagoon Sanctuary

The beach sands are white and pristine, having been raked smooth in the early hours when guests are still sleeping. The water is a crystalline blue endemic to Tahiti, and as still as mirrored glass. Ten yards from shore, coral nubbins of varying shapes and sizes are grafted to stone, like seedlings in some sort of underwater greenhouse.

As we strap on our masks and head out into the warm waters for our first experience in snorkeling Bora Bora, we’re instantly surrounded by all manner of marine life, from Parrotfish and Picasso Trumpetfish to playful Pufferfish. Making our way through what can only be described as a lushly landscaped coral garden, we see hundreds of different species, as well as numerous underwater sculptures colored by algae. There’s not another soul in sight.

For the next hour, we have this idyllic underwater Eden all to ourselves. This is the Ruahata (God of the Ocean) Lagoon Sanctuary at the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora.

The Ruahatu Lagoon Sanctuary’s Coral Nursery

Back in 2008, when this immaculately designed resort was completed, there was only land where the marine sanctuary is now. There was no coral in the waters between the main island of Bora Bora and the motu (or small island) upon which the Four Seasons was built, because there were no rocks upon which coral could grow. There were no fish for snorkelers to see, other than the occasional Pufferfish or Eagle Ray passing beneath the bungalows for which French Polynesia is known.

So the Four Seasons brought in marine biologist Oliver Martin of Pacific Eco-World Initiative– a native of the Antibes whom the resort’s staff came to refer to as “The Fish Whisperer.”

Marine Biologist Oliver Martin Explains the Lagoon Sanctuary’s Creation

Martin, who comes across like a handsome heir to Jacques Cousteau’s marine conservation legacy, has spent the last four years of his life tending to his coral garden daily. And, on a 75-minute private tour of the lagoon sanctuary (which is available to anyone who donates to their Adopt-A-Coral program, while group tours are free for all guests), he introduces visitors to its myriad wonders with an infectious sense of pride and passion.

“The idea was to give back by doing something for the environment that people could enjoy,” Martin says, when asked why it was important for the resort to create the Ruahatu Lagoon Sanctuary. “But the truth is that there is a much easier way we could have done it.”

A Yellow Pufferfish Gets Friendly With Mary

Martin explains that, after digging out the lagoon, the Four Seasons laid down a few ground rules. He had to grow all new coral himself, starting nubbins on rebarb before transplanting them onto rock-like artificial reefs. And he was forbidden from bringing in fish, whether by hand or by chumming the waters with food. In short, every single fish you’ll find in Ruahatu is there simply because they enjoy the safety the sanctuary provides.

It’s hilarious to see a line of fish outside the protective barrier that keeps big predators from entering, waiting for the tide to rise high enough that they can swim through the narrow gap at the top of the gate. It felt a little like being inside some hip aquatic nightclub– the “Octopuses Garden” The Beatles sang about– with hopefuls standing outside the velvet rope.

As we follow Martin back into the recesses of the lagoon, it’s easy to see the love he has for his little slice of Polynesian paradise. He shows us close-up views of the tiny coral nubbins as if they’d been borne from his womb. Fish crowd around him expectantly, like fans backstage at a rock concert, knowing he’ll eventually pick up a large rock and allow them to feed on the algae that grow beneath it. He even takes time to dive down and brush sand off sea anemones, whose tendrils seem to wave a watery thank-you.

The day before our tour, while exploring the lagoon on our own, Mary and I made a friend in an adorable Yellow Pufferfish, who seemed intent on chasing off any other fish who came into his territory. Attracted by the tiny mirror on the front of our GoPro extender pole, he followed us around for nearly 20 minutes, sending us both into a fit of delighted giggles.

But Oliver did us one better: Plucking a tiny Sea Urchin from the back of a rock, he cracked it open to reveal the juicy, fleshy meat inside. A friendly Spotted Pufferfish fed right from his hand, allowing us to get some incredible close-up video footage.

A Chameleon-Like Octopus Changes Colors Right Before Our Eyes

One of the coolest things we saw during our time with Martin was an Octopus, which we never would’ve spotted without him. The creature was hidden amongst some grey-beige rocks, camouflaged to blend in with his surroundings. As we hovered nearby, the octopus remained tucked in his little hidey-hole. But as Mary and Oliver began to chat, I asked them to step back a few steps in one direction, then I did the same in the other direction.

After waiting to make sure I wasn’t going to attack him, the octopus made a run for it, spreading his tentacles out as he swam for the next patch of shelter. I quickly swam parallel to him, extending the GoPro pole out to its full 6 feet in length in order to capture the action on video. As I watched, he suddenly changed colors from a yellowish beige to a burgundy red before slipping into the next crevice, where, once again, he was perfectly camouflaged. It was easily one of the most amazing animal adaptations I’ve ever seen, and I was ecstatic to capture it on film.

An Overview of the Ruahatu Lagoon Beach Area

As reefs throughout the world suffer from the increased pressures of climate change, the degradation of water quality, and human impact, it’s an incredible experience to explore such a lovingly-tended aquatic ecosystem. And, through their educational programs for visitors and local Tahitian children alike (which include an opportunity to help graft coral), Martin and the Four Seasons are hoping to encourage the next generation of marine conservationists.

“We hope our guests who appreciate the beautiful environment here will devote some of their time and energy to helping us preserve this pristine ecosystem,” says Martin as we bid farewell. “This is something that the future generations should be able to enjoy.”  –Bret Love; photos by Bret Love & Mary Gabbett

If you enjoyed our story on Snorkeling Bora Bora and the Ruahatu Lagoon Sanctuary, you might also like: 

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Snorkeling Bora Bora: The Ruahatu Lagoon Sanctuary originally appeared on Green Global Travel.

GO GREEN TIP #99

How To Make A Do It Yourself Vertical Garden

 
Anyone who loves gardening and lives in an apartment or house without a big yard knows the disappointment of not having the space available to grow plants. But now, thanks to the increasingly popular “Do It Yourself Vertical Garden,” you can make planters that allow you to capitalize on the vertical space that almost everyone has. These planters are perfect for outside on a balcony or sun deck, or inside in an area with good sunlight. They’re very popular for growing herbs, but you can also add small flowering plants to make it more decorative. There are a number of different methods for making vertical planters yourself: The best approach depends on your personal preference, space, and the tools you have available to you…
 

 

The Vertical Tube Method

These kinds of planters use your average pot as a base, and then you make a tube structure which stands vertically in the pot, with plants growing out the sides. This could be as simple as a long, wide piece of drainpipe with lots of holes cut in it, filled with soil and standing upright… but that involves pipe-cutting tools not everyone has access to.

 

Another simple method that works well uses bamboo canes stood upright and joined together with rings to make a tube. The materials you’ll need for this method are: a pot, four wooden sticks (it doesn’t have to be bamboo– any wood is fine), a strong yet flexible wire, gardening net, twine, soil, and plants. The length of the wooden sticks depends on how high you want the planter to go, but a yard or meter might be a good starting point.

 

 

The four sticks need to be standing vertically in the pot in order to form the main structure. Make circles from your flexible material, and then tie them to the sticks with twine, starting at the bottom and spaced apart along the length of the sticks to form a tube that sits in your pot. To make the circles stay in place more easily, carve divots into the sticks that the circles can slot into.

 

Next, roll the gardening net up to the same width as the tube, and then sew it up to make a sock that will sit inside it. Place your wooden structure with the net tube inside your pot, and start filling it up with soil. Pack it tightly into the pot and around the bottom first to make sure the planter won’t fall, then down the center into the gardening net. Now you can make small cuts in the net from the outside, and place your plants into the soil.

 

The Picture Frame Method

This method is very popular, as it creates a kind of living picture in a frame. For this method you will need some planks of wood, nails and screws, wire hardware cloth, soil and plants.

 

First, you’ll want to make your main frame base. Again, size is a matter of  personal preference, but you want to make this part deep enough to hold the plants in (around 4 inches is fine). Nail your frame together, and then nail more planks across and down the back of your frame to create a kind of tray. Some gardeners use landscape fabric to cover the backs of their frames, with just a couple of planks across to give it more structure.

 

Next, cut out enough wire cloth to cover the front of the box and staple it over, enclosing the back of the frame. You can add more planks around the sides to cover the sections you’ve attached the wire to, add extra support, and make it look more like picture frame. It’s also a good idea to coat the wood in some kind of lacquered finish, to ensure it stays in good condition if you’re hanging it outside.

 

 

Once the wood is dry, pour your soil in through the wire, pack it tight, and add your plants. But be careful: If you hang it immediately, the soil might come out the front of the frame. Make sure you place plants close together and then leave them to grow for a little while to form strong root systems, then the soil should stay intact.

Some people use wooden pallets from supermarkets for their DIY vertical gardens, which saves time/money on making your own structure. You can also find or make planting pockets which hang from walls– a very simple system that’s perfect for growing your kitchen herbs.  –Emma Higgins

Emma Higgins has been writing/travelling on and off since 2009. Her blog, Gotta Keep Movin’, is full of stories and advice from her trips, which include Europe, India, Morocco, South America, USA and Canada. Her focuses are budget travel and volunteering, and she’s been involved in sustainable farming in Argentina, animal shelters in Peru, and making goat cheese in British Columbia. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest.
 
If you enjoyed reading How To Make A Do It Yourself Vertical Garden, you might also like: 

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(Green Global Travel receives no pay for product reviews, and won’t recommend any product we don’t use ourselves. But we do have an Amazon Affiliate Program, and if you buy through the link below, it will help support our site at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!)

GO GREEN TIP #99: How To Make A Do It Yourself Vertical Garden originally appeared on Green Global Travel.

Contestant in the Ladies’ “Fancy Dance” Competition

The Cherokee County Indian Festival

Our Favorite Georgia Pow Wow

Picture yourself in the middle of a vast green field, on the perimeter of a sacred circle. The throbbing pulse of tribal music fills the air with an insistent beat, until you feel its rhythm coursing through your veins. Voices rise and fall in polyphonic harmony, with a power and passion that seems almost otherworldly. Dancers prance and twirl in time, their costumes a whirling technicolor dream. Red-shouldered hawks circle above in an equally mesmerizing aerial waltz. We are here to celebrate Mother’s Day, and Mother Earth, and the beauty of all Creation. This is the Cherokee County Indian Festival, our favorite Georgia Pow Wow.

Dancers Compete For Cash Prizes in Elaborate Traditional Costumes

My interest in indigenous cultures can be traced back to my early 20s, long before I visited the Zulus of South Africa, the Kalinago of Dominica, the Bedouin of Jordan or the Polynesians of Tahiti. It all started with a World History course I took in college, which focused on Colonialism and the devastation it had on the planet’s traditional tribal societies. Around the same time, I decided to interview my beloved grandfather about our family history, which was when I first learned about my Scottish and American Indian ancestry.

Native American/Celtic Musician Arvel Bird

I started reading everything I could about these two seemingly disparate cultures. I learned– as Native American/Celtic crossover artist Arvel Bird pointed out during his performance at the pow wow yesterday– that they actually had a lot in common. Both Scottish and Native American societies were tribal in structure; used drums and flutes as primary musical instruments; had nature-based spiritual beliefs; and were oppressed for centuries by colonial imperialists. I did research papers on the lack of AmerIndian influence on modern American culture. And, perhaps most significantly, I began attending the Cherokee County Indian Festival, my first Georgia pow wow, every Mother’s Day weekend.

Hand-Painted Shield, With a Teepee in Background

It was here, more than 20 years ago, that I first fell in love with tribal culture– the art, the music, the rituals, the people, and the spiritual belief in Nature as a sacred thing we are bound by honor to protect. My grandfather spent most of his life in Texas and New Mexico, and he and my grandmother frequently traveled out West, so my budding interest in Native American culture brought us even closer together. I treasure the memories of taking them to the pow wow several times before they passed away. When I took Mary there for the first time in 2009, just two months after my grandmother died, I remember crying my eyes out as the drums pounded and the singers sang and the dancers danced. I looked to the heavens and knew they were there with me, watching over me, proud of me and my family and the new life we were building for ourselves. 

The Proud Warrior Image Remains Integral in Native American Culture

Due to our busy travel schedule, we hadn’t been to our favorite Georgia pow wow since 2010. But not much has changed. We could hear the thunderous drums echoing through the hills before we even parked the car. Dancers from various tribes dressed in elaborate costumes of every possible color– some more traditional and earth-toned, others almost neon in radiant brilliance, but all of them incorporating natural elements such as feathers, bones and fur. As we made our way past food vendors selling fried bread, Indian corn and bison burgers towards the sacred circle at the center of Canton’s Boling Park, we could hear the announcer calling for the Inter-tribal, in which everyone is welcomed to enter the circle and dance.

Saucy, a Dwarf Mare Rescued By Save the Horses

But, while music and dancing may take center stage, the Cherokee County Indian Festival offers a lot more than that. Festival organizer (and staunch wildlife advocate) Chipa Wolfe always brings some of his own animals, and this year featured 22-year-old Thunder The Buffalo and gorgeous Painted Pony Kid Kola. He also invited the non-profit equine rescue charity Save The Horses, whose adoptable dwarf mare Saucy drew quite a crowd of kids eager to pet her.

Great Horned Owl From Dale Arrowood’s “Winged Ambassadors” Show

One of our favorite acts at the festival was the Winged Ambassadors Birds of Prey Show. The show is hosted by master falconer and ardent conservationist Dale Arrowood, who has been featured on Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and worked with National Geographic. With an entertaining mixture of humor and educational information, Arrowood gives audiences an up-close introduction to majestic avians such as the Black Vulture, Great Horned Owl and Egyptian Falcon, the latter of which flew directly over our heads in an impressive exhibit of predatory attacks.

Traditional Drums & Flutes Made by Mark Barfoot

For those seeking to learn more about American Indian history, the festival offers a whole section on Primitive Skills demonstrations. Here, you can learn about everything from how Native Americans made arrowheads and other primitive tools to building campfires, skinning and tanning hides, weaving, and shooting a bow and arrow. There are several examples of teepees, and experts on hand willing to talk about any topic of traditional Indian life you care to discuss.

Artist Paul DeLuna Poses With His “I Am America” Painting

The festival features dozens of artists and craftsmen working in every possible medium you can imagine, from jewelry, leather, and pottery to gourd-carving and ancient weaponry. I was instantly drawn to the colorful drums and gorgeous wooden flutes of Mark Barfoot, a part-Onondaga, part-Cherokee artist whose work has appeared in the Smithsonian and Peter Buffet‘s musical Spirit: The 7th Fire. One of his red cedar flutes adorns the wall of our kitchen. But the artist whose work resonated with me most powerfully was part-Apache Florida native Paul DeLuna: His painting of an Indian warrior in front of an American flag (which reads “I was not born in America. It was born on my land. I am America.”) is a striking reminder of the violent history of our nation, and the oppression of a proud people whose blood courses through my body.

Drummers Pound Out An Insistent Tribal Rhythm

Though we’ve traveled all over the world and immersed ourselves in myriad different tribal cultures, coming back to this intimate north Georgia pow wow somehow feels like coming home. It seems somehow appropriate that this cultural celebration happens every Mother’s Day weekend, because it reminds us that Mother Nature has given birth to all of us– humans, animals, the grass, the sky, every living thing on the planet. Her air, earth, fire and water have nurtured us throughout our lives, and the fruits of her harvest have nourished us at every stage of our growth.

As we honor our own mothers this Mother’s Day, the Cherokee County Indian Festival reminds us to honor our Mother Earth, and to take care of her as she has taken care of us. It’s a message we would all do well to remember, each and every day of the year.  –Bret Love; photos by Bret Love & Mary Gabbett

If you enjoyed this story about our favorite Georgia Pow Wow, you might also like: 

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The Cherokee County Indian Festival: Our Favorite Georgia Pow Wow originally appeared on Green Global Travel.

Asheville’s Great Green Restaurants Scene

We didn’t know much about Asheville, North Carolina– much less its Green Restaurants– despite it being just a 3-hour drive from our hometown of Atlanta. But when we decided to stop there to visit our friends Cristina and Hal of Travel For Wildlife en route to the Outer Banks last month, the folks at Explore Asheville were delighted to educate us about the mountain town’s eco-friendly awesomeness. In retrospect, we’re glad they did.

As it turns out, Asheville is the greenest dining destination in America. Out of 80 members in the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association, 17 are certified as green restaurants by the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), the nation’s leading authority on the subject. Their certification standards for green restaurants are pretty intense, grading them on everything from energy consumption and chemical pollution reduction, to water efficiency and waste reduction, to sustainable food and furnishings. In order to maintain their ranking, green restaurants must continually improve sustainability year after year.

Since we were only there 2 days, we only had a chance to visit 3 of Asheville’s green restaurants. But we loved the city’s laid-back “Greenwich Village in the Mountains” vibe so much, we’re already planning a return trip later this year. Read on for our reviews of Bouchon, The Green Sage Cafe, and Posana…

 Bouchon • 62 N Lexington Ave  • 828-350-1140

With its slogan of “Bon Appetit, y’all!” this bustling bistro makes it clear right from the get-go what you’re going to get. Opened on Asheville’s hip N Lexington Ave by owner/chef Michel Baudouin in 2005, Bouchon serves  up French comfort food with a healthy dose of Southern hospitality. There’s no haughty culinary pretentiousness here. From the unfussy decor of the long, narrow dining room (brick and warm yellow/orange walls, B&W photos of French street scenes, simple strung lighting) to the friendly staff, the emphasis is all about the customer experience.

Baudouin, who grew up in a 200-year-old farmhouse in France’s Rhône Valley, prides himself on his sustainable values. In addition to recycling EVERYTHING, Bouchon composts almost all raw vegetable materials,  and all of the restaurant’s disposables are compostable/biodegradable. Baudiouin also practices the farm-to-table philosophy of sourcing everything he possibly can from local farmers and vendors, including Crain Family Farm, Sunburst Trout Farm & Bluewater Seafood Co. The dishes that result are wonderfully fresh and robustly flavorful.

We were a little concerned how my 11-year-old daughter would feel about her first taste of French cuisine. But we needn’t have worried. She practically devoured the Pique-nique Français, a homemade country-style paté served with locally made cheeses and chutney. And the grin on her face after she took her first bite of Escargots Bourguignon– snails in garlic butter under puff pastry– made it clear we were creating a diehard French food fan. She even loved the Brochette de Ris de Veau a l’Anis, a Pernod marinated sweetbread (i.e. various organs) kebob served with ratatouille and quinoa tabouli. But our favorite dish was the Steak au Poivre, the classic beef shoulder tenderloin topped with black pepper and cognac sauce.

Our only complaint about the restaurant was the noise level, which built to a roaring din on Saturday night. If you go, go early (or on a weeknight) if you want to have any sort of audible conversation and avoid a wait.

The Green Sage • 5 Broadway Street • 828-252-4450

With two locations in Asheville (one downtown, one in the southern suburbs), The Green Sage Coffeehouse & Café is one of only seven GRA 4-star rated green restaurants in the United States. As you might expect, their sustainable approach covers every aspect of their business: all food scraps are composted, used vegetable oil is picked up for conversion to bio-fuel, to-go containers and straws are compostable (the former made from sugar cane, the latter from potatoes), a bicycle is used for food delivery from the downtown location, and all interior elements were made locally (much of it from reclaimed wood and metals).
The southern location even FEELS fresh and clean from the moment you walk in the door, with sage green and sienna orange walls lined with nature/wildlife photos (taken by a local photographer, naturally), plank wooden tables, lime green lamps, and big comfy easy chairs by a big bay window. And of course everything on the menu is made fresh from scratch, using locally sourced organic ingredients whenever possible, with coffee from Fair Trade companies.

The restaurant offers a variety of burgers, sandwiches, rice bowls, and wraps, but we went for their breakfast, which is widely considered the best in Asheville. My daughter loved their decadent Carrot Cake Pancakes, a HUGE serving bursting with carrots and served with a side of cream cheese frosting.  Mary and I shared an incredible Spinach Feta Omelet (served with Sweet Potato Home Fries) and a Wild Lox Bagel, both of which were practically bursting with fresh flavor and, like most of their menu, available gluten-free upon request. Since we were heading out on the road to Outer Banks that day, we also got a couple of muffins to go. Even after a few hours in the car, they still tasted freshly baked.

Everything we tried, from my Mocha Latte and fresh-pressed Organic Carrot Juice to my daughter’s Strawberry Fields Smoothie, exceeded our expectations. We left Asheville longing for them to open their next Green Sage location near us.

Posana Cafe • 1 Biltmore Ave  • 828-505-3969

Located in the heart of downtown on Historic Pack Square, Posana Cafe was arguably our favorite among Asheville’s green restaurants– the kind of casually elegant neighborhood eatery you wish you had in YOUR neighborhood. Executive Chef/co-owner Peter Pollay is an honors graduate from the Culinary Institute of America and has worked under legends like Wolfgang Puck. His passion for elegant, eco-conscious Contemporary American Cuisine comes across in every gluten-free bite.

His restaurant, which was about to undergo a remodeling when we visited, offers an upscale environment that straddles the line dividing classy and casual. Cool steel blue and beige walls were lined with colorful local artwork (all for sale), working hand-in-hand with simple wooden chairs, tables and ceiling fans and mellow music to create a peaceful, easy-going atmosphere that attracted an older, more mature crowd than some of the other restaurants we visited.

Pollay, who’s taking over as President of the Asheville Independent Restaurants Association in October, has been a leading light in the city’s Green Restaurants revolution. Nearly everything on his menu is locally harvested and sustainable: Even his trout comes from a farm located 15 minutes away. From the in-house water filtration system to hand soap made from leftover kitchen grease, the chef is blazing innovative trails that are influencing more and more of his fellow restaurateurs.

His menu is a model of creative simplicity. No words can adequately describe the delicate balance of flavors in his Little Gem Lettuce Wraps, featuring tamari glazed chicken and Asian slaw in gem lettuce cups, or the tangy zing of his Fried Green Tomatoes served with pimento cheese, pickled shrimp and green goddess dressing. The Lobster Mac & Cheese small plate was simply to die for, with ricotta gnocchi replacing the macaroni noodles and aged cheddar giving it a robustness miles away from the Velveeta crap I grew up on. Pollay’s entrees, including Pecan Crusted Sunburst Farms Trout (with braised white beans, butternut squash puree and granny smith apple vinaigrette) and Carolina Bison Flank Steak (with pommes frites, garlic cream and red wine braised shallots), were absolutely exquisite, as were the homemade desserts.

In the end, Asheville’s green restaurants impressed us at every turn. Though we were excited to get to the Outer Banks for the next stage in our trip, we promised ourselves a return trip in the fall to see more of this beautifully bohemian mountain town. We can’t wait to see what Pollay and his fellow Asheville chefs will cook up next time around!  –Bret Love

 This post was brought to you by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, which offers electric and hybrid vehicles at neighborhood and airport rental locations across the country. Visit their website for more information.

If you enjoyed reading about Asheville’s Green Restaurants, you might also like: 

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Asheville’s Great Green Restaurants Scene originally appeared on Green Global Travel.

Dressed Up For Halloween, 2011

40 Fascinating Facts You Might Not Know About Bret & Mary

Remember MySpace? One of our favorite things about the pre-Facebook social media maverick was the getting-to-know-you memes that seemed to get passed around among friends on a daily basis. In our ongoing mission to let you get to know you the real people behind the passionate ecotourism/conservation advocacy, we wanted to share some details from our respective personal lives. So here are 40 fascinating facts you might not know about us– some funny, some sad, and some just plain odd. To paraphrase the Ghost of Christmas Present from Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, “Come in, and know us better!”

Mary (Front) & Her Sister in a Paris Train Station

20 Fascinating Facts About Mary

1) I was born in Staten Island, New York, and lived there until I was 14.

2) Because my family had a French graduate student who worked as my au pair, my first language was French. I remember none of it now, despite studying the language in high school.

3) I wore braces for 7 years, from ages 7-14. Before that, I could put a finger between my two front teeth. It was an awkward era, but now my teeth are perfect!

4) For summer vacation, my parents took off from work every Wednesday to take my sister and I into New York City to visit museums, art galleries, theatre, and amazing ethnic restaurants.

5) My dad worked for Swiss Bank, so our first family trip overseas was one of his work trips, to Switzerland and France when I was 8.

Mary With Maureen, Her Best Friend (age 13)

6) I’m still close to Maureen, my best friend from middle school in New York.

7) I’ve almost gotten into fist-fights twice in my life. The first time was in middle school, when a girl put gum in my hair. The second was 6 years ago, when a woman tried to steal my (now ex-) husband.

8) My parents divorced when I was 14, the year I entered high school, and my mom moved my sister and I down to Atlanta because her sister lived here at the time.

9) I had the accent, hair and make-up of a NY/Jersey girl at the time (think Jersey Shore), and swore like a sailor. It took 18 months to lose the accent, but within a year I was wearing floral dresses and pearls.

10) I joined the high school marching band and played clarinet for 4 years, but I hated it. I only did it to have a social group I could fit into.

Mary (Center) at the Oxford College Formal, 1993

11) I spent my first two years of college at a small school with only 500 students. I’m still extremely close with most of the people I met there.

12) Several good friends from college went on Spring Break to Virginia Beach, where one of them, Jen, left with two Navy SEAL trainees and was murdered. Her tragic death inspired me to grab life by the horns, because it reminded me how short and precious life is.

13) My first big trip as an adult was a month-long vacation in India, where 5 friends and I stayed with one of the girls’ extended family. That’s when I discovered I was a die-hard travel-lover.

14) My second big trip as an adult was to Ireland, on St. Patrick’s Day, the following year. Imagine two cute young blondes, hanging out on a pub crawl/bachelor party with drunky, rowdy soccer fans…

Mary With Her Friend Jen (Left), Who Inspired Her To Carpe Diem

15) I love to dance, especially retro swing dance, and went to clubs weekly during the late ‘90s.

16) I have a degree in Pyschology, and worked for 10 years doing personality assessments for corporate clients. I gave Bret an informal assessment of himself on our 5^th date.

17) I’ve dabbled in painting and pottery, and one of my paintings hangs on our living room wall.

The First Photo Ever Taken of Us As a Couple

18) Bret and I met at a Universalist Unitarian Church Christmas party I threw at my house in 2008. I was just coming off a painful separation, and had only been dating for 5 days when we met.

19)  I moved in with Bret 14 months later, after my mother was hospitalized (she’s OK now), a tree fell on my house (it’s OK now), and a wanted rapist was arrested in my front yard. Clearly, the Universe was trying to tell me something.

20) I’d always dreamed of having a family, a dog, and a partner I could go on travel adventures and cultural experiences with. I just never believed I’d find a way to make it all happen, and it took me until I was 35. Sometimes it really does pay to remain open to possibilities and take the unconventional path.

Bret Rocking Out On Drums As His Cousin Jon Watches

20 Fascinating Facts About Bret

1) I was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and have never lived more than 30 miles away from the hospital in which I was born.

2) My father was drafted into the Army during Vietnam, and had to go AWOL to witness my birth. He left to go overseas the same day, and I didn’t see him again until I was nearly 2 years old.

3) My real name isn’t Bret; it’s Burton. I was named after my great-grandfather, who was still alive at the time. Bret was a nickname suggested by my aunt, and I’ve been called that since the day I was born.

4) After attending Montessori School, I skipped first grade completely. Since I was born in late June, I was always 2 years younger than many of my classmates. I was allowed to take college-level AP courses in 9^th and 10^th grade because I got bored easily.

5) My first trip abroad was a 3-week tour of Italy with the Atlanta Boy Choir when I was 11. It included 15 cities in 21 days, and performances for the President of Italy and Pope John Paul II (in the Vatican).

Bret in Full-On “Staying Alive” Mode

6) I was given a scholarship to a local dance company when I was 14, despite having no dance experience. I took 10+ hours of classes weekly, including ballet, jazz, acrobatics and breakdancing.

7) I grew up in an urban neighborhood that was 98% black by the time I got to high school. When I was 15, we moved to 32 acres in the country, with a majority-white school. Talk about culture shock! My GPA that year dropped from 3.6 to 2.5 due to constant bullying.

8) I idolized Duran Duran as a teen, and even dressed like them (hence the bullying). After I rebelled, discovered punk rock and grew 3 inches over the summer, I looked more like John Bender from The Breakfast Club.

9) I started my first rock band, Young Captain, when I was 18. I was the lead singer, and we did cover songs ranging from Led Zeppelin and Van Halen to the Clash and R.E.M.

Bret, 2nd From Right, With His 1st Band, Young Captain

10) After I dropped out of college and left home at 18, I became a serious club kid. My friends and I used to go out dancing 2-3 nights a week, primarily at nightclubs that played alternative music. By that point, I looked like a cross between Glenn Danzig and Robert Smith of The Cure.

11) I was homeless for several months when I was 19. I slept on the floor of a friend’s comic book shop, on friends’ couches, and on a train car, until my aunt helped put me up in a boarding house so I could get back on my feet.

12) I paid my way through college by working in restaurants for 8 years (before, during and after college), and managed 3 different pizza places. Now, I ALWAYS tip 20% minimum for good service.

13) I was once held up at gunpoint at a restaurant, but the guy was so quiet our customers didn’t even know it. The manager and I later identified the perp (who was wanted for several crimes), and he went to prison for 20+ years.

14) I got my first tattoo– of a Native American shaman from the cover of National Geographic– when I was 23. I originally got it primarily to cover self-inflicted scars from my late-teen depression. But the more tattoos I got, the more I liked them. I now have 6, all of Native American or Celtic art.

White Aphros Concert Flyer Circa 1992

15) I’m a big fan of hip-hop, and had my own hip-hop/noise-rock band, The White Aphros, in the ‘90s. In 2000, I was hired by Sprite to put together a compilation of Atlanta hip-hop for a web-based project. They bought two of my songs, which were released under my rap pseudonym, B. Love.

16) After my tour of Italy at age 11, I didn’t leave the country again until I was 30 years old, when I set up my first press trip as a travel writer (to Costa Rica).

17) I am a huge fan of the TV show Survivor. I actually filled out the lengthy application to appear on the show’s second season, but withdrew after I found out my then-wife was pregnant with our daughter.

Bret Interviewing His Idol, Chuck D of Public Enemy

18) I’ve interviewed 1000+ celebrities. The first was Chuck D of Public Enemy, my favorite rapper. The first time I traveled to cover a movie press junket, I interviewed Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan and Matt Damon back-to-back in DC, for Courage Under Fire.

19) After my divorce in 2004, my dating life was a mess. With profiles on multiple dating sites, I went out with 100+ women over 4 years. One of them, Stefanie, who became a really close friend, introduced me to Mary.

20) All my life, I’ve had a policy not to date someone I work with. So its ironic that Mary and I now live, work and play together 24/7/365… especially because we rarely argue. She has definitely changed forever my definition of the word “partnership.”    –by Bret Love & Mary Gabbett

If you enjoyed reading 40 Fascinating Facts About Us, you might also like:

Bret & Mary- A Story About Love (How Green Global Travel Was Born)

Our Happy Place- A Celebration of Stay-cations

How Mary Conquered Her Fear of Water (& Learned to Love Scuba)

There’s Something About Mary: A Birthday Ode to Love

How I Became A Professional Writer

40 Fascinating Facts You Might Not Know About Bret & Mary originally appeared on Green Global Travel.