I’ve just had one of the most memorable weekends I can recall in a long time...
And the reason for that was because of two fantastic steemians, @exyle and his lovely girlfriend @bkdbkd. My husband and I gave them a personalized tour of “our lives”, from the places we regularly eat at to some cool bars near where we live. But we were astonished as to how friendly and entertaining they were. Up until a few days ago, we had only met them for a weekend at last year’s Steemfest. Yet the way we all bonded together felt like we had already known each other for years. That, I consider something very special indeed. Therefore, I thought I’d post my experience of an unexpected “steemian” friendship.
We first saw @exyle on the first day of the Steemfest. As far as I can recall, we were actually the first ones to arrive at the venue. @exyle was standing at the front entrance, very much looking the part and greeted us on our way in. We assumed he was part of the team organising the event and enquired where to go next. A minute later, he told us he had actually just got there and was waiting for the rest of us “steemians” to arrive. Could it have been fate?
As the afternoon unfolded, we chatted more and more with @exyle and found that we all had a lot in common with each other. Our similar interests in crypto, the enthusiasm of attending such a significant event and just generally looking at life in the same way. It was only natural that so many people flying in from all over the world would eventually form into groups, so this is exactly what happened with the three of us. The buzz off of all the excitement at the fest was exhilarating which only heightened everyone’s enjoyment. I still reminisce about how surreal and unique that experience was. So, before we parted company, we exchanged numbers and contact details for a possible meet up again in one of our own neighbourhoods.
Well, it just so happened that our proposed plan came to fruition as just a few short months ago, we decided upon a designated date. @exyle and @bkdbkd would come visit us from Thursday to Sunday. I would also like to mention that in-between the Steemfest and our London meetup, my husband and @exyle would spend sometimes hours on the phone, chatting away and having a great time. As if they had been buddies for many years down the line.
From the Virtual to the Physical
As I mentioned at the start of my post, they flew in Rotterdam on Thursday last week and pretty much ever since, it had been a roller coaster ride of non-stop fun. We had the pleasure of their exquisite company from morning to the wee early hours at night. Eating, talking, drinking and basically have one of the best times I can remember in a long time. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them again for taking the plunge and help make it happen in the first place. After all, everything was organised with a backstory of only a mere two days of getting to know one another. And yet, that was all it took. I guess that puts to bed the theory of great friendships being built upon a granite foundation of history and time. This was anything but.
Below, I'd like to share some of the great times we all enjoyed together.
The whole point of me expressing myself in my post this way, is twofold. Of course, first and foremost it is to pay my utmost respect and gratitude to them for making the time and effort to come out here and solidify our lifelong friendship with some incredible people. But secondly, to also highlight the extraordinary circumstances that formed the basis of this union of like-minded individuals. Because the bottom line is that we met through Steemit. A simple, social media concept website that is just finding it’s wings and gaining flight.
Other platforms such as Facebook or YouTube are either reliant upon an already existing userbase of friends or videos where the only connections to be forged with the content creators themselves, are through comments or e-mail. The very fact that this meeting even took place is, for me, at the very least, mind-blowing.
I mean, we all decided to take a chance on Steemit by initially signing up and starting a blog of our own, hence setting the wheels in motion. The pathways then began flowing and led us to this unifying point in time. Simply astonishing, I'm sure you'd agree. And I’m also quite sure a story like mine is by no means the end of the road. In the future, many more real-world bonds and friendships will be crafted through the power of community and strong personal interactions with one another.
So, thank you once again @exyle and @bkdbkd for such an awesome and memorable time together. We have already booked ourselves in for the upcoming Steemfest II and look forward to meeting many more of you “steemians” in person too.
Keep dreaming and steemin’ on!
在Steemit 平台上认识的 @exyle和他可爱的女友 @bkdbkd上周过来伦敦找我们玩，我们度过了一个非常难忘的周末。我和先生尽地主之谊，带他们参观伦敦景点，去泡英国酒吧和餐馆享受美食，让他们了解我们这边的生活文化。就这短短的几天时间，大家无话不淡，仿如是认识多年的好友，事实上我们只在去年Steemfest上见过一次面。有点儿不可思议，对吧？我想这是一种很特别的缘分，所以想在这里和大家分享。
我们在Steemfest的头一天见到 @exyle，还记得当时我和先生是第一个到场，而 @exyle正站在前门，似乎在迎接我们。我还以为他是工作人员，所以一个劲儿地问他，有什么安排，接下来去哪儿。结果一分钟之后，@exyle告诉我们，他也是刚到，正等待着我们其他Steemit成员的到达。这也许就是缘份，呵呵。
在Steemfest 上，我们越聊越投机，发现大家有很多共同之处，尤其是对数字货币的浓厚兴趣，对Steemit聚会的热情，以及对待生活的态度。就这样，来自不同国家的我们三人，很自然地走在一起参加接下来的Steemit活动。在聚会结束前，我们大家交换了电话号码和联系方式。
接下来，我们一直有保持联系，在平台上互相鼓励和支持各自发表的帖子。@exyle和 @bkdbkd来伦敦的计划也是在几个月前才落实的，从星期四停留到星期天。另外，在Steemfest和伦敦聚会之间，我先生和 @exyle有时候在电话里会聊上几个小时，谈论数字货币走向或是Steemit的新功能，仿如认识多年的好友，呵呵。
自 @exyle 和 @bkdbkd上周四到达伦敦以后，我们有如坐过山车一样，天天节目不断，我们也乐此不疲，度过了非常美好的时光。在这里我要谢谢他们，安排了这次聚会。毕竟，我们只在去年见过一次面。所以说，不是所有的友谊都需要时间的见证， 呵呵。
其实我写这个帖子，有两个用意。首先一个当然是感谢 @exyle 和 @bkdbkd，因为他们抽时间从荷兰过来看我们，这是非常难得的友谊。其次，我们是通过Steemit认识的，它虽然只是一个简单的社交媒体平台，却有如此大的影响力，把志同道合的人结合在一起！
其他媒体平台如脸书或Youtube等，要么依赖已经存在的朋友或视频的用户群，因为文章作者与作者之间只有通过评论或电子邮件交流。而年轻的Steemit平台已有自己的盛会（Steemfest）, 至少对我来说，这是非常鼓舞人心的。我们从加入这个平台，发表帖子一直走到今天，都对Steemit充满了信心。我相信像我这样的故事并不是唯一的，在不久的将来，更多现实世界的友谊和强大的人际关系网将会通过Steemit平台建立起来。
所以，再次感谢 @exyle和 @bkdbkd为我们带来了这么难忘的周末。我们已经预订了飞机票和酒店住宿去参加即将到来的Steemfest II，并期待着与更多的“steemians”见面！
Dear Rea, you and @ezzy have no idea how much we already miss your company and London. We had such a lovely time! Best hosters ever, it was fun from the beginning to the end. Once again, thank you guys so much for everything. Can't wait to meet you both in Lisbon :)
Oh @bkdbkd! The pleasure was completely ours! All I ask is that you don't leave it too long until you come back to London so we can keep the good times going. You guys are simply awesome! Steemifest II can't come soon enough. Look forward to meeting you both out there very soon. :)
That will definitely happen! And would love to have you guys over too. That would be awesome :)
this is wonderful! I am so jealous, I hope I get meet my steemit fambam soon. I got distracted with the pizza though. What kinds are those? I make pizza from scratch but those two looks delish.
thank you for sharing, Rea!
Rea!!! It's so good to see that the friendships made in Amsterdam keep getting stronger!! Hope to see u in Portugal 😎
@gargon, awesome in fact! It's meetups like these that make the Steemit such a great community to be a part of.
Thank you for taking us all along for the meetup, @rea! As said, awesomeness! :)
Thank "you" for taking the time to read through. :)
Someday i will be joining you too there - From Virtual to physical :)
Hey there, @gargon! How are you, friend? Yes, the propagating effects of Steemfest just keep on building. Had a great time chatting with you then and look forward to seeing you again very soon. :)
What an amazing post! Thank you again for the awesome time you guys have given us. Can't wait to meet again Lisbon in 2 months to continue the good vibes!
Well, most of the thanks goes to you for helping to make it happen! Unforgettable times and the way it all came together is even more amazing. Thank you, dear friend! Steemfest II, here we come! :)
Nice I Wonder when was the last time Facebook had a meet up
Lol, I'd love to know that too. :)
The picture with @exyle is priceless. You look like a giant my friend!
lol! I love that picture too man!
Lol, he is a big guy... But I'd call him a gentle giant! :)
A pretty impressive encounter for you. I can imagine, your meetings are filled with pleasant talks to tell your loved ones. Congratulations for you @rea, @bkdbkd, and @exyle.
It was awesome and very enjoyable. :)
What a lovely post. It's so good to see people trying to know each other personally then just being on social media and knowing by thr handles.
Good going and hope you guys make lot of friends.
If you let me
Despite a glance
I'll prove it to you
I have a taste
The love I hold
I did not have time to say
Because you have chosen
Closing the door of your heart
Let me prove
This is the sincerity of taste
Let me Love You
My dear oh
Listen to my heart
My love oh
Listen to my heart
If love can not unite us
If we can not be together
I still love you
My dear oh
Listen to my heart
I love you
Let me prove
Jajaja en la primera foto el de lentes se parece a pique el esposo de Shakira... Que buen post gracias por compartir. Saludos
Surely this is a moment that disturbs you, can gather with "Steemian" to exchange thoughts, sharing, sometimes by gathering with friends complicated problems can we discuss with friends, who understand with our circumstances feel. @rea, your pastries are almost the same as my past 2 days, if any of my time you can visit and see my post "https://steemit.com/steemit/@munawar1/meet-up-for-the-umpteenth- Time-and-self-introduction-of-newcomers-in-steemit-2017816t2739324z ". Now I follow your account on steemit platform
It's really amazing! You met your steemian friends and reporting for us clearly. Yoi told us about the meet up in detail. It was very important to build a strong community to gain a better life. Thanks for it.
Regard from Aceh.
I Agree!!!
I really wish there was a way we could find Steemians near us. It would be cool to create multiple meetups and collabs. I think it would solidify the Steemit community even more!
Me too!
That's a great and innovative idea. Maybe a future implementation for the Steem Dapps team? :)
Ahh I miss you guys!!!
Hey @beanz! We miss you too, of course! but luckily we get to meet again at the next Steemfest. So not too long now. Hope you are doing great. Give my best to @demotruk too. :)
haha @exyle your Chinese intro is cute! by the way you are 2 meters tall? Gosh! ....
to @rea, do leave a space before account names to make it blue. nice to see you guys hang out and hope I can gather some and do the same in Taipei soon!
Hey @deanliu! Yes, sorry for the space issue. I already changed it. Otherwise, thank you for the nice words and would be awesome to see a similar post from you. :)
This is sooooo damn sweeet !!! Before you said it i was actually thinking the same thing... facebook is a platform where its abnormal if you are chatting with a facebook user outside your RL circle !!!!.. here... steemit is connecting people together through their common interests and blog posts!!! This is very lovely to see. I would love the same with many I chat with.
& what a lovely steak may I add!!!!! Yummy!!
:]
Spot on, @aineyaa. I believe we are witnessing a brand new phenomenon not only in the world of crypto but also in the social media arena. Imagine future connections via Steemit? Marriage? Kids? family reunion? Lol, you never know... Thank you for the great comments. :)
A world of possibilities my Dear.. been my pleasure.
Nothing more refreshing to see such lovely friendships been formed worldwide... when there is so much sadness all around us, its great to see unselfish acts of kindness <3
Looks like a great time you guys had. Pizza looks lovely
Thanks, @ace108! Stone oven-baked pizza! Mmmmm... Good!!! :)
You're welcome
Hey Rea, nice to have bumped in to you and your visiting friends last weekend!
Hey there, @modusoperandi! Hope you are keeping well! Always good to have a catch-up, even as brief as it was. :)
WoW very nice..Thanks for sharing your moments @rea
Great group!!
superb job man thanks !!
thx for sharing
it's interesting to see how real friendship can be forged on steemit. Thumbs up!
It's unbelievable, but in fact now a reality. :)
Man.. that steak from the Flat Iron Steak looks outright delicious!
Thanks for the cool pics and the #original-cotent!
Ps- I'm new to Steemit and I just clicked on trending posts and found yours
nice post, the food makes me hungry!
Great team team. Very nice and informative post, thank you to share. Keep up the good job! Greetings from Ha noi, Viet Nam! @rea
I have posts my post . Please vote
Hope we can like ur day...enjoy with others..#fully enjoy
Barcelona España 🇪🇸 está siendo víctima del terrorismo apoyo a las victimas @
Some steemers should meet up in Cleveland to become the Cleveland Steemers.
👍
谢谢O哥！
Only read this made me feel great. Cheers.
when we will have that in Romania...
Mingle with like-minded Romanians and it should only be a matter of time. :)
That was pretty neat. Thanks for sharing your experience. I can't wait to go and travel around. For now, my wife and I are doing the Dave Ramsey plan to get out of debt so we can travel and upscale our life...debt free. Thanks again for sharing. I enjoyed your photos!
Thank you for stopping by, @bobthebuilder and best of luck with your travel plans. :)
I upvoted your post plz upvote me back! That's nice. Good post, I will follow you and I hope you follow me too; Greetings.
好棒呀💖
是啊，下次伦敦聚会叫上你？
If you like cats, spend your time here. These are my cats. 100% real content. No scam. No trap. No bot. All manual. Just my cats. https://steemit.com/photography/@gr3g0r/5rinaz-simplifying-the-news follow me!
I just realized this reading a comment on one of my posts. I felt an instant connection to the commenter - someone who just joined the site.
As someone who uses social media quite often for his business, etc. I can honestly say I've felt very little honest connection with others in most cases.
But here on Steemit, it's the norm. Amazing people are currently the majority here. Either that or Steemit is bringing out the best in us all. :)
I just found a baby swallow and posted a story about it. Check it out here!. Or don't. It's cool. :)
Exactly, @oddnugget. Steemit is very unique in that sense and, as far as I can see, a definite cut above the rest. All this after just over one year of going live. The mind boggles. :)
Haha, definitely mind-boggling
Muy buenas tus fotos....
I wish everyone has given a chance to meet each other in person! Like what you guys did, it's a small group but it deliver a big impact to the whole community.
You're right. We were a smaller close nit group but the connection was on a more personal level. Steemit lay the foundation, Steemfest was the catalyst and our meetup was the end result. Awesome! :)
Its always heartwarming to see people make their life richer through technology!
嗯，大家都希望能够在这个平台上找到更多的朋友，一起发展进步。 谢谢你的分享
同感，谢谢支持！
Yes! I am organizing the first Steemit gathering here in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in a couple of weeks and I'm so damn excited about it. :)
Great initiative. I wish you the best of luck with organising it! Steem on! :)
哇，真的很难得，可以一起聚会
是啊，如果有机会和有条件的话，参加11月份的Steemfest II 会更棒哦！
nice to see Steemian hanging out, support :)
谢谢支持 @nicolemoker! 你们香港的聚会也办得很成功啊，希望我下次去香港也能碰上你们聚会，呵呵。
enjoyed reading and looking at this photos :)
That's great! Hope we can have that too here in the Philippines. :)
Pretty amazing, alredy living the Steemian-Preneur-Lifestyle!
Nice food :)
没有叫上 @justyy , lol.
嘿，@justyy 也在伦敦？
他在英国，伦敦附近吧。哈哈。
From Virtual to Physical
Fantastic !!!