Passport 2011: Santorini, Greece

We are celebrating our 10th Wedding Anniversary come December, and what could be more perfect advance anniversary celebration than a weeklong vacation to one of our dream destinations, the ever so beautiful Santorini!

In 1450BC, one of volcanic island in Greece blew apart and what remains is a crescent shaped island they called Thira - now capped with white villages clinging to its volcanic cliffs. It was renamed Santorini (Sto Irini or St. Irene) after Venetian conquered the island in 13th century. Fira is the center and the main transport hub of the island. Yes, it is the busiest place but the best location to see the volcano and famous Caldera – you can enjoy the magnificent views from cafes, bars, hotels – truly unique because it may look packed but everything is in good position. Winding through its steps is an experience itself. Oia (eh-ya) is the most famous among the villages in Santorini because of its calm atmosphere and picturesque view… here, you can see one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. 

What makes this trip truly special is the time hubby and I spent. We’ve been busy the past few months and here, all we have is each other and the beach, sunset, wine and yummy Greek food, adventures and conversations. 

And as for me, another one down from my bucket list. Life is so great.

Passport 2011: Toledo, Spain

Beguiling, charming, beautiful, stunning, picturesque… these are just few adjectives I can use to describe Toledo. 

This old city is another UNESCO World Heritage Site and was once Spain’s Capital. Perfectly sits on a hill and protected by ancient stone wall, this town is saturated with history, spectacular views and awe-inspiring architectures like cathedral, castles, mudejar…etc.

Passport 2011: Salamanca, Spain

Salamanca is one of the most splendid Renaissance cities in Europe, maybe small but it is absolutely gorgeous and is another World Heritage listed city in Spain. This beautiful town has special character that attracts tourists – probably because it’s really old and historically richer or maybe because while it is often loaded with tourists and students, the place still has its very relaxing atmosphere, either I guess.

What I love this tiny charming town is the tiny cobbled streets with buildings that were uniformly constructed using Villamayor stone (it has components that help artisans create intricate designs). I can’t help but devoured on its 18th century architectures, truly a great feast for photography enthusiast like me. Yeah, right! :)

Notable sites are the impressive Plaza Mayor, Salamanca University and The Cathedral.

La Plaza Mayor de Salamanca is another Baroque architecture and is considered as one of the more beautiful squares in Spain, I will agree to that. It is a common hang-out place for tourists and student and around the square lays cafes, pastry and ice cream shops, jewelry and souvenir shops, etc. It’s really a must to stay overnight for opportunity to capture an even more stunning photos and to experience Salamanca’s famous nightlife which I regret hubby and I didn’t do. Oh well.

The Salamanca University is another remarkable monument that’s a must see while in Spain. It is one of the oldest universities in the world. Many students from all over find it ideal to study here because of its outstanding academic program with an opportunity to experience diverse cultures and a chance to learn Spanish at its purest form. Little Trivia: Its façade is famous for hidden frog (they said it will give you luck when you find it) and it’s really difficult to find so be ready when you get there so as not to waste time. 

Salamanca Cathedral is definitely one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen in my whole life! Standing in front of it is just surreal. It is one of the most exquisite examples of Plateresque (rich decorative style), a style that came out during the time Gothic was becoming less popular and Renaissance style was emerging. It consists of two cathedrals built next to each other – the New Cathedral “La Nueva” and the Old Catheral “La Vieja”. La Nueva is known for its height and spiritual magnificence while La Vieja is prime example of Roman Architecture featuring the prospects of Christ and Virgin Mary’s life.

Salamanca is definitely not the place you can just tag “been there, done that”. It’s so appealing that all you ever want to do when you think of it is to go back and discover and experience more. Muy Bien!!

Passport 2011: Segovia Spain

Segovia is a quaint town good for day trip from Madrid. The entire medieval town is Unesco World Heritage Site consisting of 3 major sites – The Roman Aqueduct, Segovia Cathedral and Alcazar.




As you drive toward Segovia, the first thing you will see is the famous Roman Aqueduct Bridge straddling in front of this historic walled town. It is one of the most important and best preserved ancient monuments left in the Iberian Peninsula which was built in the 1st century WITHOUT any mortar and astonishingly composed of more than 20,000 granite blocks stretching 894 meters long and 28 meters tall and has total of 163 arches. It was used to transport water from the small river in the Sierra de Guadarrama and distributed to town which gave Segovian an access to much cleaner water and at the same time Aqueducts helped prevent diseases by carrying away waste.


When you wander through the lovely narrow cobbled streets, you will find spectacular cathedrals. The Segovia Cathedral is one great work of art - the last Gothic cathedral to be built in Spain in renaissance era. Designed by the famous Gothicist, Juan Gil de Hontanon but was executed by his son Rodrigo. As a result, the transition from Gothic to Renaissance style is very obvious. Still, it is beautifully embellished and located in the center of the town fronting Plaza Mayor de Segovia.

As you walk up the hill, you will find the 3rd treasure – the Alcazar de Segovia. It is one of the favorite residents of the Monarchs of Castile, a key place to control the region. Isabella the Catholic was proclaimed here as Queen in 1474 and known to have been frequently visited by other monarchs from other parts of Europe. After reigning as palace, it became a state prison for 200 years then rebuilt to serve as the Royal Artillery School. A horrible fire ruined the roof and badly damaged the structure and after its successive restoration, it now houses the General Militar de Segovia Archive and Museum of the Royal School of Artillery. The Tower has 152 steps and you need to climb through very tight spiral staircase. The reward was the 360 degree view of the town. Notably, Alcazar de Segovia is also known as one of the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle – it truly gives you the feeling of being enchanted in Segovia.

The famous Conchinillo or what we commonly called Lechon de leche or Suckling Pig is not to be missed! Take note, it must be no more than 21 days old! Haha! They are famous for cakes and pastries as well.
Truly, Segovia is a small fabulous town that doesn't disappoint. A must when in Spain.
Note: When in Madrid, go to Chamartin Station and catch Renfe, will take about 30 minutes to get there.