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Introduction to Cruising
I grew up in provincial Philippines where the concept of travel was a far-flung dream. Yet as I got older, the reading that I did began to occupy my thoughts more and more until eventually in 2000 I moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Since then, Travel has become my overriding passion and I have now visited 52 different countries on different continents. I became so enthused that having kept notes and taken many photos I wrote and published my own travel book in the hope that I could inspire others, especially from the Philippines to be brave enough to travel – particularly to those who wants to travel solo.…
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Church of Saint Sava Belgrade
The Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade is a Serbian Orthodox Church dedicated to Saint Sava, who is the patron saint and the founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church. It is the largest Orthodox church in the country. It is one of the largest Eastern Orthodox churches and ranks among the largest churches in the world. To me, visiting the Temple of Saint Sava is one of the highlights of my travel to Belgrade. The church beautiful, especially the interior. You can also visit the lower level and the Crypt area which is richly decorated. ***
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My kababayans on a cruise ship
During my recent travel to Greece on a cruise, I did not feel lonely at all especially since there were hundreds of my kababayans working onboard the Celestyal Olympia cruise ship who made me feel at home. They took care of me and even spoilt me throughout my journey. Most of all, especially since I travel solo on this trip, there is nothing like conversing with your fellow countryfolks using your local dialect on foreign land, and in this case, on a foreign sea. Maraming Salamat po sa inyong lahat mga Kabayan. Mabuhay po kayo Thank you Celestyal Olympia for the unforgettable and awesome experience from the time I checked…
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Ichthys or ichthus souvenir from Athens
I got this ichthys or ichthus souvenir during my visit to Athens, Greece. During the time of the Roman Empire, when the early believers were persecuted for being Christians, they adapted a way thru symbolism to identify and communicate with each other. They used the “FISH” as a secret symbol. ἸΧΘΥΣ (IKhThUS) in Koine Greek its acronym translates into English as ‘JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, SAVIOR’. Nowadays it is known colloquially as the “sign of the fish” or the “Jesus fish”. ***
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Areopagus sermon by Apostle Paul
During our stay in Athens, being one of the most important historical sites to visit, we also went to the Acropolis with a prebooked tour guide. While we were there, at some point, I could only imagine the challenging times when Apostle Paul visited the city and when he eventually delivered his message in Areopagus, in the year 51 about the worship of the true God in relation to the many gods and goddesses that were venerated in Athens at that time. Here is the passage from the Bible in the Book of Acts 17:16-34 New International Version (NIV). “In Athens: 16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens,…
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OXFORD – The City of Dreaming Spires
Oxford “The City of Dreaming Spires”. The University of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England is known and believed to have been teaching as early as the year 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world. According to the 2023 Times Higher Education Rankings, the University of Oxford stays as the world’s top university for the seventh straight year. A note to myself: “I wish, hope, and pray that someday I will be able to study in Oxford (or in Cambridge) University. Joan, do not be ashamed to announce to the world and declare your seemingly foolish wishes. Remember, some of them in fact have already come true. Amen” (That’s…
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First time Cruise ship experience
Just a few days after getting my Schengen visa through Greece, or the Hellenic Republic Consulate, I decided to travel to Athens. There are low-cost airlines from the United Arab Emirates that land directly on some famous islands such as Mykonos and Santorini, but I preferred to go directly to Athens. As we all know, Athens is the country’s capital city and the most convenient destination, especially for first-time travelers to Greece, where you can arrange your onward travels to any of the touristy islands and ancient historical sites. Luckily, within a short period, I found an attractive deal that included airfare from Dubai via Emirates Airlines, with 2 nights…
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Gobustan Day Tour (Mud Volcanoes)
The original plan for the day was to go to Gabala, but for some reason, that trip was canceled. With the recommendation of the Baku City Tours company, I joined the Gobustan group tour instead. The Gobustan group tour package is a whole-day activity headed by a professional tour guide and includes pick-up and drop-off in shared transportation by air-conditioned minivan, as well as entry tickets to different sites. For lunch, we were taken to a countryside restaurant that served local cuisine. This part added value to our tour as we had the experience of having our meal with some locals that indicated we were indeed having authentic Azerbaijani food…
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Miniature Book Museum in Baku
I enjoy reading books and I would always keep copies of those that I have read. I have been collecting for many years, and so far I have accumulated around 300 books. I could say that I have already read 50% of them and would definitely re-read some of them. Also, I have got a pile of to-be-read pieces. I got most of these books at bargain prices such as from the flea markets and second-hand shops. Although some are new pieces bought from legit bookstores, and some are presents that I received from Richard during my birthdays and at Christmas. Having accumulated hundreds of books seeded the idea of building…
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The Old Baku City guided tour
The tour includes pick-up from the hotel which took a few minutes to drive to the main entrance of the Old City where our walking exploration began. The Old City, or Inner City (Icheri Sheher) is surrounded by walls and is said to date back to at least the 12th century. The Old City is the most ancient part and is considered the historical core of Baku. It includes the Shirvanshah’s Palace and Maiden Tower, which became the first location in Azerbaijan to be classified as a UNESCO World Heritage. Apparently, a lot has changed within the Walled City since the 1800s during the occupation of the…
