A year ago, I was blessed to be able to celebrate Good Friday at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem . It is thus only fitting that I look back and reflect on what is undoubtedly the holiest place in all of Christianity , and my pick as the most beautiful church in the world  (Italy, France and UK included) in terms of ambiance , history and sheer spiritual weight . * View of the Holy Sepulcher from the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) . The beautiful blue dome definitely complements Islam’s Golden Dome of The Rock  and helps give Jerusalem its ethereal vibe.

After Barcelona and the Mediterranean Coast, our adventure continued on to Paris where I was totally stoked to spend 5 full days exploring the city. Having grown up with images of Paris from books, movies (with Da Vinci Code and Taken as my personal favorites) and stories from friends and family who have gone before me, I was fully prepared to absorb as much history, sightseeing, culture, arts and culinary delights as I could in those 5 days. Leave the shopping for the ladies of the group, I was here to get my sensory overload fix ! * The EasyJet terminal in Barcelona kinda reminded me of one of our own airports here in the Philippines, NAIA 2 ; not the run-down, “world’s worst airport” yet strangely charming (in my opinion) NAIA 1.

The final stop on our week-long Mediterranean Cruise was the ancient Roman City of Pompeii. Partially destroyed and buried under 20 feet of ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, Pompeii was rediscovered 1500 years later and is hailed for giving us a detailed glimpse of what life was like during Roman Times. Having seen Rome with its majestic arcs, temples and forums, I was very excited to see the other side of the coin, that of the quaint, provincial town far away from the capital. Maybe it’s the Cebuano in me talking, but being here made me feel nostalgic for the good ol’ days before Manila, when the pace of life was more steady and chill. * One of the many courtyards in town. The Romans sure loved their open-areas! You can feel how much they must have appreciated the fresh air and cool breeze.

Our relaxed visit to the Amalfi Coast , gave us the opportunity to savor some of our favorite Italian dishes . It felt refreshing to actually eat in our own time (unlike in Florence and Rome where we were in a hurry) and to eat such quality food (unlike the unlimited food on our cruise ship which was definitely more about quantity than quality) . * My mind still keeps coming back to this place in Sorrento whenever I have my morning cup of Joe. When you mix awesome ambiance with Napoletane guitar music and a smile-y barista; what you get is a credible claim to have the best damn Cappuccino , not just in Sorrento, but EVER.

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.