Not far from the former  US naval base of Subic Bay , is SM Development Corp's premium resort-themed condo-tel,  Pico De Loro . Thanks to the fiancee's family, I was able to join them in experiencing the relaxing and steady vibe of this place. Located on   Hamilo Coast , Pico De Loro prides itself in being an environment-friendly refuge for people living in Metro Manila; which is only fitting since this area around the complex is protected as a  wildlife sanctuary  for various species of land-based and sea animals. * The scene outside our condo-tel. I was hoping that there would be activities on this lagoon/lake such as fishing, kayaking, stone-throwing, ANYTHING!

While  Buckingham Palace  is designated as the  Monarch's official residence , the current Queen,  Elizabeth II , usually  spends her weekends in Windsor Castle . Built by  William the Conqueror   (the same guy who built the Tower of London)  in  1080 , the Castle is the  longest-occupied palace in all of Europe   whose purpose was to guard the Western approach to London with its strategically important location along the River Thames. * To get to Windsor, one has to take a  30-minute train  ride to the  county of Berkshire  via the  London Paddington Station . Thanks to the  London Pass , we didn't have to worry about any lines or payment! Paddington is also the line servicing the cities of  Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea, Oxford and Worcester , thus making this a very busy place for travelers. 

The second stop on our whiskey tour was the   Glenlivet Distillery , producer of the renowned Glenlivet single-malt (duh!). Known as the  "single malt that started it all,"  Glenlivet is currently the  biggest selling single malt brand in the US   and is personally my favorite single-malt scotch. * This sign goes to show how all of our beloved scotch whiskey brands are just literally,  neighbors .

After 13 hours, 3 movies, 5 TV shows, 2 full meals, 1 in-flight magazine (read from cover-to-cover) and numerous conversations with my colleagues, we finally arrived in London.. just in time to catch our connecting flight to Scotland! * Thank God for the gift of   aisle seating  as I had the chance to stretch every few hours. I could have happily walked for miles upon arriving in Heathrow after that grueling flight duration.

A week after the start of our Greek escapade , from bustling and busy Athens to calm and reflective Northern Greece, to exciting and wonderful Santorini and Mykonos, we finally got around to our whole reason for coming : the wedding of Monicca’s good childhood-friend, Bryn Martinez to Greek-American, John Zavras . When I saw these two back in Manila a year ago, I knew that they would make an excellent match . I can go on about complementary personalities or shared life goals or similar family backgrounds especially in terms of the concept of family , but the fact is,  he’s Greek! You can’t go wrong with the lineage of Leonidas and Hercules , people! * My stunning fiancee posing with the whole of Ornos beach as a backdrop. The wedding was on a hilltop overlooking this fantastic view.

Much more than just a shopping town, Mykonos also offers something for history junkies, such as myself. A short boat ride away lies the island of Delos ; famous for being the birthplace of the twin gods, Apollo and Artemis , and for being one of the most important archaeological sites in all of Greece. Of course, no trip to Mykonos would be complete without seeing some of its world-famous party beaches , revered the world over by clubholics. * The fiancee and I posing by Mykonos Port before boarding our ferry to Delos. We were extremely fortunate to have seen the official island mascot, Petros the Pelican , the night before. (See previous entry)

After our stop in fantastic Santorini , we made our way to the equally awesome island of Mykonos  for the wedding of Monicca’s childhood friend . Legend has it that this island is the site of Zeus’ battle against his father, Cronus, and the Titans . Today, Mykonos is known as one of Europe’s clubbing and nightlife capitals (along with Ibiza) , and also has the distinction of being THE ultimate gay destination in Europe . * Taking the Catamaran (a really fast sea vessel) to Mykonos from the port of Santorini took around 3 hours , which I happily took to do some leisure reading.

Our Santorini adventure continued on as we explored Santorini’s other, more well-known, and visited town , Oia . Taking the bus in the island is the more fun and hassle-free way of getting around as it can get rather expensive to rent a car (especially if you only plan to explore the towns and not the beaches), and taxi cabs are few and far between . * While Fira is Santorini’s capital and busiest town, Oia is where all the tourists and couples flock to experience Santorini’s picturesque beauty .

As I was getting my cultural and historical fix in Athens and Northern Greece , I knew that for Monicca, this whole trip was leading up to her personal highlight, Santorini . Sure I knew from all the pictures and movies shot here how beautiful the island is; but what got me really excited was when I read that the Legend of Atlantis was actually based off of this island! To get a chance to explore the so-called most beautiful city in antiquity, destroyed by the gods because of its citizens’ hubris ? Count me in! * The departure gate at Athens’  Eleftherios Venizelos . You know you’re going to have an epic time when all your fellow passengers are wearing shorts and sandals .

Not just known as the title of Linkin Park’s epic second album, Meteora , (translating to “suspended in the air”) is home to one of the most important and beautiful Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Greece. On day two of our travels across Northern Greece , we actually went up a couple of these monasteries to experience this extraordinary early Christian site and get a glimpse of the lives of its inhabitants. * Made by the same natural forces that shaped the Grand Canyon and Petra , the scenery of Meteora is dominated by six monasteries that are built on top of  natural sandstone rock pillars .

Having already written about the Plaka area of Athens (including Monastiraki Square, Ermou Street, the Ancient Agora and the Metropolitan Cathedral) and wanting to save the Acropolis for its own post, I decided to give you this Top Ten list of other places to see in Athens!! 1. Temple of Olympian Zeus * The colossal and enormous Temple of Olympian Zeus , dedicated to the King of all Olympian gods , was once the largest temple in all of Greece. While the building of the temple started in the 6th Century BC , it wasn’t finished until 638 years later , in the 2nd Century AD . Talk about procrastination!!  

Being a fan of the 90’s  Three Musketeer films (which starred Chris O’Donnel , a sober Charlie Sheen , and Jack Bauer himself, Kiefer Sutherland ; and later on Leonardo DiCaprio ), I always wanted to see where the Musketeers had faithfully served the King and fought against the forces of the evil Cardinal Richelieu , as masterfully played by Tim Curry . That being said, I was thrilled at the chance to visit the Chateau de Versailles , one of the most beautiful and famous palaces in history. * A statue of Louis XIV on horseback can be found on the very front of the castle grounds, looking all gangsta and victorious . Louis XIV, known as the Sun King and Louis the Great , was the King of France and Navarre for 72 years:  the record for longest reign ever! He was so old when he died, that his great-grandson inherited the throne as Louis’ son and two grandsons were already dead! Having won three major wars (against Germany, Spain and the Dutch) , Louis was king during Fra

Frequented by the likes of Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Salvador Dali, Amedeo Modigliani and Piet Mondrian , Montmartre is Paris’ artistic quarter . An area bustling with poets, street performers, musicians, young lovers, philosophers and gypsies; it seems that one could come out of this place a little bit more creative and reflective just by breathing the air. Definitely a MUST for every traveller in Paris, Montmartre is where one would go not to admire buildings, works of art or masterpieces; but people and the creative spirit. * Coming out of the Abbesses Metro , one can’t help but feel cozy walking along the streets of Montmartre. So this is the real charming part of town.. no grand museums or monuments to kings, no outward displays of religious art; the most interesting part of this area is the people itself. Just charm, pure charm.

One usually thinks of the Holy Land as a place for prayer, reflection and soul-searching. However, it is also very much an entertainment mecca, historical time-capsule and religious Disney Land all-in-one; where instead of rides, you have places that you have only read about growing up. Check out these amazing activities: 1. Go boating in the Sea of Galilee. A charming wooden boat + cool and windy weather + lively Jewish music + dancing = Relaxation

One of the highlights of the cruise was getting to dock on the world-famous Amalfi Coast . Compared to the hectic, run-and-gun tours of Florence and Rome, our visit here was very relaxed and pleasant as we really got to take our time and sight-see, enjoy the food, sip some coffee and people watch; the way the Italians love to do! Easily, the Amalfi Coast is one of the most incredible locales in all of Italy . And that’s saying a lot since almost every city in Italy has it’s own character and charm! What it lacks in history (Rome), art (Florence) and majesty (Venice), the Coast makes up for with sheer breath-taking beauty! * The town of Sorrento , where many artists and poets have found love and inspiration throughout the centuries.

The second stop on our cruise was the glamorous Monaco . Known as the playground of the rich and famous, Monaco is the smallest country in the world next to the Vatican.  But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in style with almost everyone wearing something branded , including the police! Like sur Mer, this was a light, relaxed day, which really helped with my jetlag. Well that and all the cappuccinos and espresso shots that my cousins and I were taking! The only downside to this stop was that it was raining non-stop the whole day. Ergo, I couldn’t take pictures of the beautiful parks, architecture and cars to protect my camera from the elements.  And when I say cars, I mean cars like the Bugatti Veyron which is apparently a common sight in this place and NOWHERE to be found back home in Manila. * Casino de Monte Carlo  which I mistakenly thought was the setting of my favorite James Bond movie, Casino Royale (sorry Skyfall fans!!)  Too bad it was raining pretty hard;

Before I continue on the Eurotrip, I would like to write a special thank you to our cruise liner and it’s staff, Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas , for taking excellent care of us on our Mediterranean Cruise . For the whole week that we were cruisin, I was pampered, fed (A LOT) and treated very politely by everyone on board.  So Kudos to the Captain and his mates! * The Barcelona Pier is just awesome, looking a lot like an airport terminal complete with restaurants and souvenir stores, which my dad (guy on the right) took advantage of.

Definitely my FAVORITE mountain!  (This is the mountain where Christ was tempted by the devil for 40 days & nights.)