Atlantis -- Santorini! (Part I)

The next port of call on the cruise was Santorini, which was even more beautiful than I expected. I had no idea that Santorini is actually a small circular group of volcanic islands surrounding a central lagoon. (Something else I didn't know is that the huge volcanic eruption that created this caldera around 3500 years ago may have also been responsible for the destruction of the mythical city of Atlantis--how cool is that!?!)

We took a bus tour of the largest island, Thira, which included a wine tasting tour at this incredible winery with breathtaking views of the lagoon.

After the wine tasting, we visited the city of Oia at the northern tip of Thira. As you can probably tell from these pics, Oia is breathtaking.

How cool is it that this cliffside hotel has a pool that actually continues right into the main building?!

Atlantis -- Santorini! (Part II)

More photos of gorgeous Santorini!

The inside of the church in Santorini town.

Miguel and I had dinner in Santorini town on a restaurant terrace with sweeping views of the lagoon.

All these pics were taken right from our table. (That's our cruiseship in the background.)

The sunset was simply spectacular!

Taking the tender back to our ship at twilight. You can see the main town of Fira on top of the cliffs.

Atlantis -- Charo & White Party!

We totally tore it up for our last night on the ship, kicking it off with a concert by none other than the legendary Charo herself! I was shocked by how smart, funny, hip and talented she is, and who knew she's a kick-ass flamenco guitarist??? Cuchi-cuchi!!!

Charo leading a conga line across the stage.

After the concert, we continued on to the White Party.

Would you believe Boa Man just jumped into this picture from out of nowhere?

Me and Adam (Sarah's sister)

Mykonos! (Part I)

Mucho sadness as we prepared to disembark in Mykonos. :-(





But our fabulous room at the Harmony Hotel helped alleviate some of that sadness. We had great views over the Aegean Sea and of the town of Mykonos from our little balcony.

Mykonos Town

Super Paradise Beach

Damn, I look butch!!! (Or as butch as a gay guy can look in clamdiggers and a baby blue T-shirt.) This was just after I had a little "incident" with my scooter and completely threw my pelvis out. But I'm a trooper! (By trooper, I mean I made Miguel get up the next morning and refuel my scooter and return it for me, so I didn't have to get back on it again...)

Ilia Beach

Mykonos! (Part II)

On account of my "incident" with the scooter, I had to take public transportation to get to the beach the next day. (Miguel kept his scooter and met me at the beach.) After taking a bus from Mykonos town to a nearby beach, I transferred to the boat/water taxi that would then take me to Super Paradise. It was actually really nice to get to see the island of Mykonos from the vantage of the sea.

My eyes are sorta closed in this photo, but it's the only one of me on the boat, so I had to include it here.

Approaching Super Paradise Beach (you can even see the really steep road where I had my scooter incident)

Miguel and me with some of our new BFF's at Pierros, the biggest gay bar in Mykonos town.

Miguel with an extraordinarily affectionate nurse from Bologna whose name I've already forgotten...

Straight chicks invade the Pines -- film at 11

This past weekend, the Pines witnessed the much-anticipated arrival of Stacy and Cara -- high-powered corporate litigators by day, and shameless little minxes by night. We also swooned over the long-awaited return of K.C. ("Korean Christine") to the house, who coaxed her friend Sara to pass on the O.B. ("Ocean Beach") and rock out at Tea in the Pines. Naturally, Sara worked very hard to miss every water taxi heading back to the O.B. that night so as to extend the festivities as long as possible (and we're so glad she did!). All in all, the straight girls made a great showing, forcing the indigenous male population to bare chests and more in an effort to reassert dominance. I'm looking forward to the rematch!


Stacy casts a spell without spilling a drop.


Miguel trying his darnedest to look respectable -- it's not working.


Stacy moves on from spell-casting to hypnosis, Cara's trying to look respectable and it's not working for her, either, and I'm mostly trying to avoid contact with all the bodacious tatas.


Me and Florentino -- damn, we'd make a hot couple! If only we weren't so...ahem...incompatible.


Erin and Miguel reenacting a scene from Suddenly, Last Summer.


Sara and Christine rocking out amidst a sea of sweaty male torsos. These girls know how to party!!!


Doug, Miguel and me: well-done, medium and rare.


Miguel has made a new friend -- or a couple of new friends, it seems. Don't ask what he had to do in exchange for the beads...

The debauchery continues!