TRAVEL AND LIFESTYLE DIARIES

OMG – I couldn’t believe this news! Should I say FINALLY?! Foto courtesy of Jetfotos.net After 6 years (international) flights begin at Manila’s Terminal 3 The brand new international airport built 6 years ago to replace the decaying and embarrassing old Manila Terminal (NAIA – Ninoy Aquino International Airport) where all the international commercial aircrafts from all over the world land filled with excited tourists and willing investors only to be welcomed by an ancient, rotten, and dingy airport has just been opened. It took 6 full years after completion. A couple of years ago, I had a business trip with my previous boss here in the Netherlands in Manila and Cebu and I still could not forget his look when we landed passing through the stained moldy corridors to a much disappointing sight in the arrivals to get our bags – Is this the Philippines’ airport? And he had to bloody pay for the trolley but the wheel got stuck because of corrosion while mine made funny rickety noises. N...

Santorini is a very windy island and the motorbike is not really encouraged at all but many locals use this transport because the island is so small and riding around in a motorbike is the easiest and most efficient way of reaching point A to point B. Right in the middle of the island stands this white mountain and from a distance it looks like a mound of salt or a whipped cream topping. White is theme of this place. A white village. White houses. White roads. White staircases. White walls. Yes, this is a white mountain village and everything is white here. Moi in sitting in front of a Greek Orthodox Church. On the second foto, the little white crop mountain from a distance is Pyrgos. So we checked the map to see the name of the village. It says Pyrgos. The little unspoiled white town with 500 inhabitants used to be the capital of Santorini. Upon closer look, I noticed that the stonewalls rounding up the mountain resembles that of a wreckage of an ancient castle. The village was ...

We rented a scooter and this is what you will see when driving around the island -- white washed houses. I think there is a strict regulation that you cannot paint your house with any color other than white, or any of the pastel colors allowed. On the way to Perissa which is another beach stretch in Santorini with our Peugeot scooter that looked more like a huge motorbike really, we saw a sign on the main road that said – Greek Traditional Village: Megalochori I told Dutchman we should go there one day and indeed the next day we did the village visits to Pyrgos which will be my next entry and Megalochori. The white and quiet narrow alleys of Megalochori. This bell tower gateway gave an authentic and charming feel. The village also has a few churches. Typical white traditional Cycladic houses in Megalochori with blue doors and windows. Greek salad for snack and this bread is really delicious. I love dipping bread with olive oil mixed with balsamico + salt + pepper. Megalochori...

The Black beach of Kamari behind the mountain where the ancient settlement of Thira (Santorinis old name) is situated. As this was our summer beach holiday, we stayed nearby Kamari Beach in Santorini Island. Due to the island being what now remains from a massive volcanic eruption during the height of the Minoan civilization sometime 3,600 years ago, the beach stones and sand are black. When you dip in the water, you don’t feel stones and sand tingling under your feet but huge slabs of compounded stone that solidified throughout the ages on the shore. In Kamari, the Greek colors of white and blue are also plenteous. And a picture of a typical Greek Orthodox Church. The beach is 3-kilometers long filled with parasols and sun beds that can be rented all day. It is located in the south of the island nearby the airport. Everyday, every hour, we could see the planes go down, so near that the beach area is a perfect place to sit down with a glass of cold drink and airplane watch. Other...

We had our lunch in Oia. In a lovely tavern overlooking the Caldera. Santorini salad and yoghurt with honey and walnuts for lunch at the Strogili tavern. I forgot to take fotos of the views down to the caldera from our table. We ordered the usual Greek yoghurt with honey and we tried a different salad this time—the ‘Santorini Salad’ which was garnished with with fresh spring onions and topped with the local Santorini cheese. I ate them the spring onions gusto because they were chunky and sweet. I thought the feta cheese was a cross between an Emmental and a Comte. After lunch we were back to trailing the marble and volcanic cobblestone pathways. Oia is just so lovely, you cannot simply tire from adoring it. It is like a fairtytale place during the time of the Greek gods. Because of its popularity, the little town is literally flooded with tourists. It is nearly impossible to get a good shot without someone sneaking you’re your picture. People are walking everywhere. But as you walk far...