Travel Blog
Our Mission and Motto is “Herbs for The Healing of the Nations”. We strive to connect and impact individuals globally with our products and services. In order to provide our customers with the best quality products and services we will travel near and far to explore high quality herbal products, remedies, and services. It is very interesting to see how various nations tend to their physical, mental, and spiritual wellness. Follow AToE on this blog as we share our experiences delving into various holistic health practices and products around the globe!
🇯🇲 Jamaica 🇯🇲
Over the years AToE has built a solid connection with the island of Jamaica. Did you know all of our wild crafted sea moss is sourced here? Sea Moss has been used in Jamaica for centuries. Often traditionally prepared in a beverage containing stout it was used to enhance the male’s libido and sex drive. During our latest visit to Jamaica the AToE team was able to further explore options for wild crafted sea moss as well as other herbs such as sarsaparilla, moringa seeds and pimento seeds; each of these items were sourced and are now available on our A-Z Herb List . We also sourced the highly desired Blue Mountain Coffee and will consider it's use in future products in our body care line hint: a coffee body scrub. This experience in Jamaica included accommodations with The Luxury Bahia Principe. The staff at this resort were very warm and welcoming in particular James took very good care of us during our stay and assisted with sourcing high quality pimento and moringa seeds. We were provided fresh green jelly coconuts from the tree which are the perfect form of hydration and essential minerals when in the hot sun. We enjoyed water aerobics daily as a fun way to remain physically active and a lot of laughing in the water. Our experience at the Luxury Bahia Principe also included a fire dancer show. I was amazed to see the dancer spewing fire and twirling flames but it was also a very spiritual experience to witness. To see how he has connected to the flames, something that most people would veer away from. Fire is one of the 5 spiritual elements and it represents power, passion, transformation and life. If you’re considering Jamaica we recommend giving the Luxury Bahia Principe a try, the food was very delicious also!
🇨🇷 Costa Rica 🇨🇷
As you are probably aware by now, we view health holistically at AToE. We packed our bags and headed for a random trip to Costa Rica this week. Our focus was one thing; relaxation and rejuvenation! We should all strive to make sure we are well not just physically but also mentally, spiritually and emotionally. We traveled to Costa Rica for our first ever AToE wellness retreat. It felt so wonderful to be wrapped up in the natural environment. To see all of the wildlife, the beauty of the flora and fauna of the rainforest was amazing. However, the highlight of this adventure was to visit the hot springs and RELAX! We were fortunate enough to host our wellness retreat at Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa. Tabacon is a beauty and a must for the nature lovers. We were interested in hosting our retreat at this resort because the natural flowing thermal from the Arenal Volcano flows directly through this resort. Did you know that natural hot springs are filled with tons of minerals such as iron, zinc, fluoride, potassium, boron, sodium, magnesium, sulfates, silica, calcium and many more…well now you do! Check out this list below to see some of the health benefits of the hot spring experience.
Some benefits of natural hot-springs:
- Injury recovery and muscle relaxation
- strengthens bones and teeth
- Aids in brain function
- Pain and stress relief
- Aid in healthy skin, hair and nails
- Elevates the mood and produces a sense of calm
- Can improve heart and kidney health
- Boosts the immune and digestive systems
In addition to the healing effects of the hot springs, we enjoyed a day of yoga and massages at the Tabacon Spa. The spa treatment begins with a warm cup of tea and a shower to relax your body; you are then provided robes and sandals to maintain the cleanliness of the facility. I was able to zen out and become fully relaxed, shortly afterwards my masseur escorted me into the rainforest to a secluded area where the massage table was awaiting. The massage was awesome, I’d rate it a 20/10 if I could. After the massage you can spend the remainder of your day in the spa eating fresh fruit, drinking smoothies and of course we enjoyed our Herbal Tisane while soaking in the hot-springs. If you’re looking for the ultimate relaxation trip, Costa Rica is the place and Tabacon is a must! You can find out more about this spa and resort here.
🇮🇹 Italy 🇮🇹
AToE took Italy and it was nothing short of amazing! While in Italy our focus was to identify high quality oil that could be used in our Herbal Body Elixir We figured Italy should have some high quality olive oil and they did not disappoint! Your skin is your largest organ; what you place on your skin is just as important as what you place into your mouth. Everything you put on your skin is absorbed into your body. This is why we recommend using natural body care products which include quality herbs and oils, such as our Whipped Body Butters and Luxury Cold Pressed or Premium Herbal soaps. While in Italy we were able to source some of the best extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and yes, it “Denominazione di Origine Protetta” (DOP) certified. We will use this oil to enhance our body care line of products. Check out some benefits of using EVOO on your body below.
Benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil:
- It protects and hydrates even the most sensitive skin.
- It helps to repair damaged skin tissues.
- It revitalizes and strengthens skin's tonicity.
- It is an antioxidant ally to combat aging.
- It is a gentle and effective makeup remover.
Tips for purchasing high quality olive oil:
- Look for the words “Extra Virgin “on the label.
- Make sure the oil is stored in a dark glass bottle.
- Look for the DOP/DPO certification for Italian brands
🇨🇴 Colombia 🇨🇴
AToE took to Colombia for a multi-city excursion that was life changing. Our Colombian experience included Cartagena, Medellin, Bogota and a town called Guatape…each city may need it’s own summary but here you go…in short, it was amazing! I must say the entire time I was on the look out for Soursop. Our experience began in Medellin, the focus here was to relax. Since it was near the height of the pandemic we weren’t able to explore as much but our flat included a roof top Jacuzzi and that was enough for me lol! We coordinated a “in home” spa day where we had massage therapist and nail technicians care for us.
I traveled to Bogota to experience the city and this is where I finally located soursop in local market which was surprising to me because Bogota has more of a city feel…anyway, it was there. The problem was this was not a soursop that I could just pick up and take with me. This thing must have weighed about 12lbs…it was huge; so I had to leave it behind. I had never seen a soursop so large but this experience gave me exposure to the varieties that grow in different areas. I had only been familiar with soursop in the Caribbean until this point. Some other highlight of Bogota included Plaza Chorro de Quevedo, what’s debated to be the founding square of Bogota. There’s a a church there (Ermita San Miguel Del Principe) and it’s just the tiniest and cutest little church I’ve ever seen! We got those steps in by talking a long city walk to Monserrate. After the 20 minute walk to arrive we decided not to trek the stairs but to take the tramway up to the Santuario de Monserrate. For many Colombians, completing the 3 hours hike to the top is known to be a spiritual journey. The views once you reach are incredible and the architecture was beautiful. A mass began while I was admiring the interior so I decided to stay and enjoy the service (definitely had me brushing up on my Spanish skills, which are near nonexistent).
We later traveled to Guatape, the city of color to experience El penol. This was a mental, physical, and spiritual experience for me. Having to climb over 700 steps to reach the top but I was determined to make it and once I arrived to the top there was a spiritual message for me in the form of a butterfly. I felt a sense of peace and gratitude after the trek.
I would have to say the overall highlight of my Colombian adventure was my experience going “Glamping”. We visited Bubble Sky and enjoyed a night camping in nothing but pure style! The team at Bubble Sky know all about excellent customer service, they were so kind. The experience was like none other. Sleeping in a transparent dome; watching the sunset, stars, and sunrise as you lay in your bed was beautiful to me. I enjoyed the telescope that was included in my bubble as well as the hot tub. The shower was an experience in and of itself. It’s like you’re showering outside but they’ve constructed everything so well that your privacy is still maintained. I would have to rate this experience a 10/10 and I can’t wait to return. Want to try glamping in Colombia? I highly recommend Bubble Sky
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