My husband and I have been celebrating Valentine’s Day together for 7 years. We’ve had romantic dinners, we traveled, watched concerts, and went on staycation – and every year, I’d always end up being the receiver of everything nice and fancy.

In reality, the idea of demonstrating “love” during Valentine’s Day means big business, as couples spend a huge sum of money for one day alone (sometimes, for even just a few hours). Does that mean the more you spend, the more meaningful your celebration becomes? Not really. I’d rather spend money wisely and have my date’s five hours of quality and undivided attention, than spend Php 4,000 (or more) on the usual romantic dinner date, surrounded by other couples in a restaurant.

Our fifth morning in Paris was a bit melancholy, for we have to bid adieu to 1st Arrondissement. We were flying to Dubrovnik in the afternoon and by the time we go back to Paris, we'd be staying at a different hotel and location. As always, Paris morning was as confused as ever, unsure if the cloudy skies would give way to Mr. Sunshine.

Instead of going to our usual boulangerie at Rivoli Cafe, we opted for McDonald’s at the corner of Rue de Rivoli and Rue de l’Échelle. Inside McDonald’s is McCafe, which was somehow packed with people in the morning. Queuing at the cashier took a long time because of the amount of people grabbing their breakfast before going to work. Plus the crew had to manage the cash register AND make coffee and hot chocolate herself, which took a tedious process far from the instant serving of hot beverage we're used to (talk about multi-tasking!). Nevertheless, it was worth the wait because by the time my husband got his order, he was given freshly baked croissants straight from the oven.

After a quick lunch and stroll at 5th arrondissement (Latin Quarter), our next destination was Trocadéro. Even when we’ve been here the day before, my husband and I ventured to this place once again, for the time we had yesterday was too short. The views would also be different this time, as we went out during the day towards Tour Eiffel.

We hopped on the Big Bus Paris’ tour bus going to 8th and 16th arrondissement in Paris before hopping off at Trocadéro. There were many people enjoying the view of the Eiffel Tower at this time of day, grabbing the opportunity to take fantastic photos while the sun’s still up. It’s only apt that we do the same too, so we set-up our very useful tripod for our couple shots around Paris.

It was a jam-packed day for me and my husband on our fourth day in Paris. The weather was favorable and a bit sunny, so it was a great day to go out and enjoy the city. After grabbing our usual breakfast of viennoiseries, coffee, and hot chocolate at Rivoli Cafe in Rue de Rivoli, we walked towards Pont des Arts and sat on one of the benches to enjoy our scenic breakfast view. We loved our simple yet charming breakfast as the sun was gleaming over the Seine and as we watched people cross the bridge, debating whether they’re locals or tourists like us.

After finishing my last bite of croissant, my husband and I rode the Big Bus hop-on, hop-off bus to Notre-Dame Cathedral. I’ve been here before so I became my husband’s personal tour guide. I only went inside the cathedral (free entrance) during my first visit, but I wanted to climb the towers this time. Since the weather was good, I believed getting on the rooftop of Notre-Dame was the perfect opportunity to witness a spectacular view of Paris from one point in the city.

We climbed the steps going to the second floor of the bus and sat at the very front so we can get the best views of Paris (and so that we don’t get wet!). The bus left the office past 9:00 AM and the first stop from the information center was the Louvre Pyramid. The bus also stopped at Pont des Arts, though we didn’t stay that long as there weren’t any tourists waiting at the bus stop.

Wide awake at 2:00 AM on our second day in Paris, my husband and I were ready to head out the hotel by 7:00 AM. We planned absolutely nothing for the entire day, but the weather forecast made it easy for us to decide what to do. Since the app said it’s going to be cold and rainy from noon onwards, we decided to spend half our day at the Louvre Museum.

We still have plenty of time before Musée du Louvre opens its doors at 9:00 AM. And so to fulfill one item in my bucket list, my husband and I walked around 1st Arrondissement to find the nearest boulangerie (bakery) for our breakfast and do what the locals do. One of the best things about Paris is that though it’s an expensive city, you can always have freshly-baked breads in the morning for at least €1. I can’t stop eating croissants on a daily because these ones from Paris (and from small boulangeries on street corners) are the best way to enjoy classic French bread and pastries!

An autumn day in Bosnia and Herzegovina is like being inside the Beast’s castle – fascinating, magical, and a little bit lonely . When the majority of tourists leave and continue their lives in their respective countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina moves to its slumber until the next wave of peak season arrives.

Having spent three hours on the road from Dubrovnik, crossing the border took some considerable time. Unlike in Montenegro where the stamping of passport was quick and casual, the border guard at B&H personally went inside our minivan to check the faces of individual passengers, despite conversing with our licensed driver and tour guide with all papers presented. It might just be a common protocol, but stamped on the faces of people in our group were worry, confusion, and a bit of tension.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a Balkan country bordered by Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, and the Adriatic Sea. It has a long history of being a war-torn country and until now, people are still struggling to survive. Imagine half of the population without a permanent source of livelihood 20 years after the war. And to top it all off, B&H has three presidents – one Bosniak, one Croat, and one Serb – who rotate within a four-year term.

After our morning tour at the old town of Kotor and climbing the walls leading to St. John Castle, our next destination was Budva. Contrary to Kotor as a cultural and sightseeing location, Budva is well-known to be Montenegro’s center of vibrant nightlife, jam-packed beaches, and luxury living. It has become the new “it” destination in Europe.

Before going straight to Budva old town, we stopped by a viewing point that overlooks Sveti Stefan, a high-end, 5-star island hotel resort in the Adriatic coast. Since the 1960s, Sveti Stefan has been the playground of the rich and famous, such as Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Naomi Campbell, and Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. It was also the wedding venue of 2014 tennis champion Novak Djokovic. Sveti Stefan was formerly owned by Radenović family for forty years, but now it’s being managed by Aman Resorts – the same luxury hotel group that runs Amanpulo island resort in Palawan, Philippines.

A small country in Southeastern Europe, Montenegro is an Adriatic gem that travelers both within and outside Europe begin to explore. Majestic mountains, medieval towns, Mediterranean views, untouched coastline, rich history, multiple cultural influences, and UNESCO approved sites – there’s nothing short of amazing in this country also known as the “Black Mountain”.