Hi, friends! Hola desde Florida quarantine! Sitting at home makes this travel-obsessed girl very prone to long sessions of reminiscing. I sit for long moments scrolling through my pictures, allowing myself to feel all the “take me back” feels. I’m sure you guys are doing some version of the same thing. While scrolling, though, I was left muy impressionada by the types of fotos that I’ve kept on my device and the recurring themes I see. I have a lot of pictures of my family ( of course), of landmarks, of beautiful scenery, and a lot of pictures of DOORS. Yep, you heard right. Puertas! Apparently, I’m obsessed guys. I love them! They catch my attention, everywhere I go. I find them so beautiful, every part of them. No lo puedo evitar. The design, the history, the color, the adornments. I love it all. And you know, ahora que lo pienso, maybe it’s more than just the aesthetics of doors that reel me in. I think I also adore that they each represent an opening, a new beginning, a portal to new places and new ideas. Not to mention the stories they have to tell! Ah, obsessed is right!
Anyway, I thought you guys might like to journey with me around the world to look at the rad doors that I’ve discovered, and from the safety of your own homes. Ven conmigo!
“Be an opener of doors.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
1. Puerta de San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico. These magnificent doors lead you onto the Paseo del Morro, a seaside walking path that ends at the historic Castillo San Felipe Del Morro. I loved them because of how they radiate old Colonial Spanish vibes. Y tambien, look at that old writing on them! Wow! Had to represent with the first set, “La Isla De Encanto” is full of pretty puertas.
2. The Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. This entryway took my breath away, with it’s regal architecture and it’s brown stone. It felt like a doorway to a magnificent estate alla “Downton Abbey”; one that would surely lead the way to cotillions, grand balls, and afternoon tea with the Lords. Verdad que si?
“I feel very adventurous. There are so many doors to opened, and I’m not afraid to look behind them.”
-Elizabeth Taylor
3. Hazlewood Castle Doors, Leeds, England. Medieval iron doors that lead into an 800 year old castle…. sign me up! Start calling me, “Milady”! Prepare the joust! Summon the court jester! En serio, though, look at that detail! I felt like I was stepping back into time, just approaching this beautiful portal!
4. Yellow door, Notting Hill, London. The doors of London are just top-notch. Son mis favoritas. They are dreamy, the way the colors just leap out against the stark white of the surrounding buildings. My dream to is own one of these flats one day.
5. Cloth door, Labadee, Haiti. Doors don’t have to be sturdy in order to be beautiful. This door was created with such love and care. I just love how the pink cloth pops against the orange mud hut. The doorway is humble, but it invokes warmth, love, and culture. Que belleza.
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
-Walt Disney
6. Mr. Sancho’s Resort, Cozumel, Mexico. Mexican woodwork always, always hits me in the feels. These doors gave me “hacienda” vibes and I couldn’t stop staring at them throughout my visit to Mr. Sanchos. The wood carvings scream elegance, don’t they? Look how the cherry color demands to be noticed when put against the white plaster. This doorway is the stuff novelas are made of! π
7. Green door, Westminster, London. The thing about West London, is that these colored doors are everywhere. It’s like every resident is trying to out-do his neighbor with a better color scheme and design. Una competencia de colores, if you will. This green and pink doorway caught my eye because of it’s use of flowers to finish off the gorgeous aesthetic.
8. Doors of the Supreme Court, Washington D.C. Law and Order never looked so good. These doors feel important. They are huge, and gold, and ornate. They reflect power, justice, and authority. They make you feel pequeΓ±ita, but in the best way. I literally stopped and stared in wonder when I saw them.
“Doors will be opened to those who are bold enough to knock.”
– Tony Gaskins
9. Spanish Colonial doorway, St. Augustine, FL. The oldest town in the US has some of the most charming puertas I’ve ever seen. I could create a blog post just of the gorgeous doors you see on every street. This set held my attention, though, because they are the most photographed doors in the area. No es dificil ver porque! They look ancient, and charming… with whimsical secrets to tell. They probably provide access to a hidden garden oasis. Just lovely.
10. Brick Archways, Dumbo District, Brooklyn. Modern architecture can be just as appealing as historic. Estos arcos en Brooklyn were striking to me. They felt playful, like they had interesting stories to tell. Walking through them, I felt both endeared to the artistic, hip look of the arches against the Brooklyn Bridge backdrop as well as aware of the contributions of the immigrant, working class that made this area home not too long ago.
11. Peggy Porschen Cakes, Belgravia, London. These doors stopped me in my tracks. I mean, WOW! The pink! The florals! They were sweet, like a confection… which is, I guess, the point. The perfect combo of whimsy and cute. I wanted to go inside and support the business, just BECAUSE the doors were so damn lovely. The use of color here was next level awesome.
12. Arch doorways to Bethesda Fountain, Central Park, NY. I’ve always loved this entry into Central Park. Desde que era niΓ±a. I mean, you go through this dark tunnel and walk out into the bright, open air glory that is Bethesda Fountain. And to top that, the arches frame the fountain perfectly. Every time I walk through, I get chills. Cada vez es igual. Just look at them!
“There are things known, and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors.”
-Jim Morrison
13. St. Dunstan-in-the-East, London, England. This historic church is now in ruins after it was bombed in WW2. But the ruins, and it’s gate are awe-inspiring. There is beauty in the face of devastation. New life in wreckage. This doorway brought me to a stop; provoked me to utter silence. I had a moment of quiet reflection just standing outside of this doorway. I’ll never forget it.
14. River Arts District residence, Asheville, NC. Asheville is known for it’s creative citizens, and this door is an accurate representation of how art seems to drip onto every part of Asheville living. These doors were ethereal and evocation of that artsy-fartsy Southern charm that the city has in spades. Loved La Luna y sus estrellas… and the sun shining through the metal cut outs was the cherry on top!
15. Neolithic hut, Stonehenge, England. Some of the first “doors” that we have visuals of. These huts are a recreation of the prehistoric neolithic huts that the builders of Stonehenge would have lived in. They are primitive, and earthen… pero te impactan! Especially when you let your mind’s eye envision them back in time, against the backdrop of the English Countryside. Ugh, so damn cool!
Thanks for taking a journey with me through some of the doors that I’ve fallen in love with throughout my travels. They are each beautiful in their own way because they all tell a story. I think that’s why I’m so drawn to them. Que deseo tengo de ver mas! I can’t wait for the day when travel is open again, and I can go on the hunt for new doorways that tickle me. Hope you’ll come along for the ride, when the time comes!
Stay safe, stay positive, stay strong. Quarantine hugs to you all. Los Quiero!
Con mucho cariΓ±o,
Joana
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