{Kynsa Elephant Park}

Let's talk about elephants. Prior to our trip to South Africa I really didn't know much about them, but after a trip to the Knysna Elephant park I learned a lot about these gorgeous creatures. They're extremely smart and have the self-awareness and cognition similar to what we've seen in apes and dolphins. They are quick learners and will glady show off some tricks for a piece of fruit. They love attention and cuddles. Really, they're friendly giants. Within their packs they truly care for one another, and if something happens to an elephant in the pack, their loss is visibly mourned. I truly fell in love with them the more I learned about them. They are so fascinating and sweet! 

After our stay in Franschhoek we ventured along the Garden Route. One of the cities we stopped in was Knysna. We had read about the Knysna Elephant Park in our guide book and knew we definitely wanted to check it out and get the opportunity to pet and feed the elephants! The Elephant Park is actually an orphanage for elephants in need - who have either been abandoned, fallen ill, etc. My favorite part about the park is that they practice a "free-range controlled system of management" - which basically means the elephants range freely and they only interact with guests on their terms. We definitely saw this as they were not herded over to us by any means. We simple drove up into the park and waited to see what would happen. Luckily, they know we come with food, so they love to come get treats and get attention from the visitors! It was one of my most favorite travel experiences to date to interact so closely with these beautiful animals! I'd highly recommend it if you're ever in South Africa.

{Photos © Liz Denfeld Photography}

{April in Paris}

Well hello there blog land. Per usual I popped in quickly and then didn't make a return anytime soon. Oops! I always have the best of intentions to give this space attention, but somehow it always gets pushed to the bottom of the neverending to-do list. If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter you already know that we bought a house (more on that later)! And that's what's been taking up all of our time on evenings and weekends. We've also taken a few fun trips to Los Angeles (to meet my adorable new nephew) and to Vancouver, B.C. (you know, because we were really missing using our passports!). I have so many photos from the past months and even year to share and I fully plan on getting them up here!

I'll start by looking back on an amazing trip I took to Paris back in April. I got a call from one of my best friends at the beginning of the month telling me she will most likely be coming out to Amsterdam and Paris for work (we work at the same company, score!) and would I be interested in joining her in Paris? I mean, you just don't say no to that! So even though we had just gotten back from South Africa and had many more trips planned that spring, I booked a train ticket to Paris for a weekend away with one of my dearest friends. We had an absolutely incredible time touring the city, eating delicious food and catching up after being oceans apart for far too long. These are memories I will cherish forever and ever.

A few highlights from our trip:

-Hot chocolate at Angelina -- how did it take me four visits to Paris before I made it here? You can't miss it if you're planning a trip!

-Brunch at Cafe de Flore - a Parisian institution. Amazing people watching!

-Dinner at Le Coupe Chou (not pictured, but trust me it's incredible!)

-And of course, pink champage and sweet treats at Laduree - as girly as it gets!

{Photos © Liz Denfeld Photography}