I can’t end my entry on our Greek travels without talking about one of my favorite parts of the whole trip: the Greek dogs!! Standing guard, walking around, but mostly sleeping; these HUGE (like Beethoven big), somewhat chubby, docile and friendly creatures can be found EVERYWHERE in the country!  And by everywhere, I mean even in friggin boutique stores! Apparently, these guys are every bit as important to the Greek state as its own citizens as they are constantly fed and protected by the local government and shop owners themselves. That’s some heart-warming stuff right there, people! * Outside Zara along Ermou St.

A week after the start of our Greek escapade , from bustling and busy Athens to calm and reflective Northern Greece, to exciting and wonderful Santorini and Mykonos, we finally got around to our whole reason for coming : the wedding of Monicca’s good childhood-friend, Bryn Martinez to Greek-American, John Zavras . When I saw these two back in Manila a year ago, I knew that they would make an excellent match . I can go on about complementary personalities or shared life goals or similar family backgrounds especially in terms of the concept of family , but the fact is,  he’s Greek! You can’t go wrong with the lineage of Leonidas and Hercules , people! * My stunning fiancee posing with the whole of Ornos beach as a backdrop. The wedding was on a hilltop overlooking this fantastic view.

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.