It was summer, and the world smelled of roses and jasmine. The sunshine shimmered like powdered gold on the edge of blue wildflowers and over the verdant mountains. The days were long, stretching into one another, motionless and quiet. Everything was on pause and yet happening at the same time.

And in every breath you took, there was a sense of excitement, a feeling that anything was possible. It was in summer that we sought our escape and dreamt of distant worlds, nostalgic places and cozy dwellings.

As Mother Nature once again ushers in summer with heavenly shining light, blue skies and blooming green forests, we celebrate this season that always brings the best of what might be and its long-anticipated stretch of lazy, lingering days, free of responsibility.

As ever, in this issue of Beyond magazine we don’t feel the need to explain; rather, we convey impressions and tell stories with images and colors. I hope that this summer edition brings you the kind of emotional satisfaction that you cannot find elsewhere and that you find the experience enjoyable.