By Maria Athanasopoulou

For about a month now, like most of you, I’ve been living at home due to the global crisis of Covid 19. My daily routine has changed dramatically. I don’t go to the office anymore. I have canceled most of my professional projects for the next few months. Tourism has been hit hard by this crisis, and we are all wondering what the next day will be and when it will come.

But I do not forget the taste of life

I do not forget my love for travel. No matter how much time will pass till the next day, my memories of the trips I have made and the beautiful moments I have spent, will always keep me happy! These memories still touch my feelings, make me recall the trips I made and at the same time make me want to travel again as soon as this crisis is over.

I do not forget the taste of life

I don’t forget the Greek salad I tried an afternoon at a small restaurant in Arcadia. Arcadia is a beautiful mountainous region in the region of Peloponnese, in Greece. I still remember a meal with friends, a summer afternoon. I still remember the taste of tomato, olive and feta, which were very delicious during this meal.

I do not forget the taste of life

I do not forget the frozen Greek frappe coffee that I enjoyed a sunny morning on a beach in Halkidiki. Halkidiki is a beautiful area, with mythical beaches, in northern Greece. I still feel the taste of the coffee in my mouth, and at the same time I think that I hear the waves crashing on the beach

I do not forget the taste of life

I don’t forget the cappuccino I tried in Milan, next to Duomo, in a small cafe in the Gallery Vittorio Emanuele II, overlooking the elegant shops, sawing the bustling people, coming in the Gallery for shopping. I do not forget the beautiful Italy, and I want to visit it again, as soon as we overcome this difficult situation

I do not forget the taste of life

I don’t forget a dinner with friends one night in London. I still remember our laughs, our conversations, our promise that we will all meet again next year! London, this beautiful metropolis of Europe, is there and it is waiting for me!

I do not forget the taste of life

I don’t forget a trip to beautiful Barcelona, ​​Spain, where I tried local delicacies trying to figure out what the waiter was telling me in Spanish (I don’t know Spanish, but we managed to get along)

I do not forget the taste of life

I don’t forget the sweets I ate at a Vienna’s patisserie in the old town, accompanied by two girlfriends. We laughed, we teased each other, we made plans for the future and I thought nothing would change in our lives. Vienna is there waiting for me, and I dream of the next time I will stroll in  its beautiful streets again.

I do not forget the taste of life

The taste of life is all the above experiences together and so many more. They are the places we saw, the conversations we had, the food we tasted, the wine we enjoyed, the coffee that woke us up, the drink that relaxed us…

The taste of life is all these beautiful experiences that our travels have given to us so far. The taste of life is the new images, the new flavors, the people we met, the people who traveled with us!

No crisis can make us forget the most beautiful taste of all, the taste of life! No crisis can make us forget our desire to travel even more, to meet new places, to taste new cuisines, new wines, new flavors, and to feel new emotions.

No crisis will make us forget how beautiful it is to travel with your loved ones, to travel to meet business associates, to attend business events, conferences and meetings.

No crisis will make us forget the taste of a smile, the taste of joy, the taste of a hug and the taste of a kiss. No crisis will keep us away forever. No crisis will make us forget everything we have experienced until now. No crisis will stop us from dreaming.

So, don’t forget the taste of life!

Stay safe and healthy, stay home for as long as needed, but dream of the next day. The day we will do everything we want again! There are thousands of beautiful destinations out there waiting for us!

Happy World Food Travel Day! #WorldFoodTravelDay

Maria Athanasopoulou is the founder of Respond On Demand Ltd , Chairwoman of the World Food Travel Association’s Board of Directors, serves as a Certified Ambassador in Greece for the Association and is a Master Culinary Travel Professional.