Touchdown Australia! The country so vast, it's a continent of its own. Here are some shots of our trip there years ago. Sydney was founded in 1788 as a British penal colony, meaning many of its earliest European residents were convicts! It is Australia’s oldest and largest city , though not the capital (that’s actually Canberra). A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale. S ydney sits around one of the world’s largest natural harb ors:  Port Jackson; and has one of the world's most expensive real estate markets. When you have views like this, you understand why.

Thanks to its prime location on the Neva River, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea, St. Petersburg has become a cruise ship destination hotspot.  And when visiting this majestic city, it is not enough to see the sights from its streets, plazas, and squares; for some of St. Petersburg's most majestic views can only be seen from the water! * A typical St. Petersburg cruise generally starts along the vast and open Neva River, which is filled with water vehicles of all types: rowboats, sailboats, motorboats, luxury yachts, and massive cruise ships.

Before St. Petersburg became what it is today, the finest of all Russian cities full of magnificent palaces, grand churches, and impressive monuments, the center of power lay in the citadel that Peter the Great himself founded, the Fortress of Peter and Paul. It was from here that the Russian Empire exercised its constabulary might; using the island-fortress as a prison for political opponents and execution site for those the empire deemed too dangerous to live. Despite that rather grim reputation; however, the fortress contains what is perhaps the greatest treasure of the former Russian Empire. For it is here that all the Russian Emperors and Empresses, Princes and Princesses are entombed. * And for contemporary standards, there is no more famous Russian royal family than that of Tsar Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia.

Aside form being home to imperial monuments and maritime wonders, Lisbon is also the entry point to several charming towns and sights. And like the rest of Western Europe, roads are organized and well-maintained, transportation is easy to find, and the spirit of adventure is high. * Cabo da Roca, apart from being one of the most dramatic looking coastlines I have ever seen, is more famously known as the westernmost point of Europe.

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!

When  Deal Grocer  announced an all-inclusive  tour of Corregidor  (including boat ride, island tour and lunch buffet) for just  $25  a person, I knew that this was too good a deal to miss! Not only had I never been to this famous key WWII battleground, but this was also to be an excitingly different weekend excursion with my fiancee, Monicca, and our friends, Aaron and Cole. * The tour is operated by  Sun Cruises Philippines , whose terminal is located near the   Cultural Center of the Philippines . To get to the island, we took an hour long, comfortable, catamaran ride.

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 .

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.

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.

After the insane shopping and sight-seeing of Barcelona, the excitement of being in Europe for the first time got bogged down by every traveller’s worst enemy, jetlag . As we started our Mediterranean Cruise, I had to fight to stay asleep. THANK GOD, our first stop was the charming and sleepy town of Villefranche sur Mer . With picturesque scenery (see above) and a laid-back, relaxed vibe, sur Mer was our most hassle-free and uneventful stop in the whole trip, and that’s a GOOD THING .