"Perhaps it is only in the world of objects that we have any real control, and that is why we are so bad at losing people." - Julian Barnes, "Levels of Life"

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«You have a soft heart, and a pure soul, that’s why you feel everything so deeply. But be clear on one thing: this is your superpower, not your weakness..»

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Valentine’s Day occurs every February 14. Across the United States and in other places around the world, candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and where did these traditions come from? Find out about the meaning and history of Valentine’s Day, from the ancient Roman ritual of Lupercalia that welcomed spring to the card-giving customs of Victorian England.
Origins of Valentine’s Day: A Pagan Festival in February
While some believe that Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine’s death or burial—which probably occurred around A.D. 270—others claim that the Christian church may have decided to place St. Valentine’s feast day in the middle of February in an effort to “Christianize” the pagan celebration of Lupercalia. Celebrated at the ides of February, or February 15, Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at a sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification. They would then strip the goat’s hide into strips, dip them into the sacrificial blood and take to the streets, gently slapping both women and crop fields with the goat hide. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed the touch of the hides because it was believed to make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city’s bachelors would each choose a name and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage

Here are five surreal places to visit in 2023:

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia - a vast salt flat that transforms into a mirrored surface when it rains.
Cappadocia, Turkey - an area with unique rock formations, cave dwellings, and hot air balloon rides.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China - a park with towering pillars of sandstone and forests that look like something out of a fantasy movie.
Antelope Canyon, Arizona, USA - a narrow slot canyon with light beams that filter through the rock formations creating stunning images.
Wisteria Flower Tunnel, Japan - a beautiful archway of purple wisteria flowers that bloom in the spring, creating an ethereal and magical setting.