Bea and Hezron are the kind of people you want to be friends with - warm, welcoming and kind.  I first became friends with Bea after meeting her at The Shala yoga studio (https://theshala.co.za) in Cape Town where Bea was my teacher.  It was not long before Bea started wearing layers of SOUL jewellery!  After 10 years of living in South Africa, Bea encouraged Hezron to move to her beautiful home country, Italy, where they now live.  We soon came to love their story of yoga and music, all woven with Africa as their backdrop, and we especially enjoyed shooting them on Llandudno Beach, a special spot along the Cape Town coast, where Bea practised yoga whilst her love, Hezron, played the violin.

Bea. Please can you tell us a little bit about yourself - where are you from originally, where do you live now and what do you do?I am a little bit of a gypsy :))  my heart is in a million places and landscapes! My roots are in Italy, Rome mainly and a beautiful region called Abruzzo, in the south.Cape Town has been my home for the last 9 years! We are now currently busy moving back to Rome, very exciting.  Think we will be there for a while...but life always surprises you. My career has been also quite multifaceted. I have been working as a camera operator and video editor for quite a few years, I started photography when I moved to Cape Town. In 2012 I started practicing yoga and slowly and steadily it became my life!!! I have been teaching full time since 2015 when I completed my first and favorite Teacher Training at the Shala ... our favorite yoga space :)) The bridge between Visual art and Yoga, to me,  has been that continuous search for raw beauty, truth, authenticity.

What’s your most memorable adventure?Zanzibar , our honeymoon! Endless beach walks free from phones, wallets, distractions surrounded by this vast, clear blue, juicy ocean. We snorkeled, cycled, went SUPing in a mangrove opening into a saltwater lake at dawn ...that was definitely one of the highlights!!  The Kuza Caves, and the spirit that inhabits those turquoise deep waters. When you come out you feel renewed, recharged ...blessed almost.  We were given the opportunity from one of the guardians (and guide to the cave)  to do an offering to the God Kuza, incense, food, and prayers…it was magical.   Jambiani and that side of the cost in Zanzibar is perhaps the most amazing place I have ever been; the people, the colors and flavors are incredible. You just need to go a bit off the beaten track!

How does travel feed your soul?With Food definitely! One of my favourite aspects of traveling is definitely to try spices, dishes, recipes, from different cultures and traditions. Traveling expands your perspective, gives you a completely different take on all that you may have been given for granted in the boundaries of what is familiar. You learn, you get lost, you experience, you discover different aspects of yourself in the landscapes you explore! And it’s a lot of fun!!!

They say home is where the heart is.  What does ‘home’ mean to you?Hezron and my dogs are my home!  The Shala is my home. My grandmother's smile is my home. Yeah and of course my mat is my home :))

What makes Africa special compared to other places you’ve been to?Africa is real, raw, vast,  encompassing,  overwhelming in its beauty. The landscapes are cinematic, the horizon stretches to the infinite, and in that vastness there is a huge sense of freedom. Africa is such a melting pot of culture, religion, languages, it is inspiring in so many ways. Africa will fill your soul and steal a piece of your heart!

What are your favorite SOUL Design pieces to travel with?
My absolute favorite pieces are the Cowrie ring and Cowrie Shell necklace, I wear them every day and they are your best travel accessories.  They look stunning with a long dress and funky with jeans and tees .... also great to smarten up your yoga wear! 

Hezron. Please can you tell us a little bit about yourself - where are you from originally, where do you live now and what do you do?I am originally from Durban, South Africa but I have also lived in Johannesburg, London and recently Cape Town. I now reside in Rome, Italy. I am a musician, songwriter, producer, avid traveler and am always searching for different cultural influences in music around the world (https://www.hezronchetty.com)

What’s your most memorable adventure?My most memorable adventure would have to be when my wife Beatrice and I visited a remote place called Eremo delle Carceri, we meditated in a small room cut from stone that St Francis used to meditate and pray in. The energy in that room was surreal.  It was a very unique experience for me as I was visiting a town called Assisi for some research on master violinist Giuseppe Tartini, who was rumored to have gone into hiding there to escape prosecution sometime in 1700.

How does travel feed your soul?Travel feeds my soul in so many ways. When I return home after a trip, I feel invigorated to write new music, poetry and draw inspiration from other cultures. It also feeds my belly as I love trying various international cuisine!!

They say home is where the heart is.  What does ‘home’ mean to you?Home is wherever my wife,  two dogs and I are. 

What makes Africa special compared to others places you’ve been to? Africa will always have a special place in my heart. What make it special compared to other places is the rhythm and the constant strive to enjoy life wheter the people are rich or poor.

What are your favourite SOUL Design pieces  to travel with?I love the Safari Personalised Bar Necklace and The Alchemist Beaded Necklace is another favorite.