Eye in the Sky: Pico de Loro - Glass Chapel by the Hill and Breakfast Buffet

Mornings in Pico de Loro are mild. It's also the best part of the day to get the perfect shot for the westward sprawl of the lagoon - with its sun-kissed reflections and mirror images of the white-washed tenements. I decided to check out the chapel by the hill.

Enshrouded by a sea of vegetation, the chapel seems protected by the rich foliage. From the beach, I walked the wooden plank until I saw the wooden stair that eventually lead to a chapel with walls made of glass - and a roof that looked like it was going to rocket into the sky.

With a 360 degree view of the green surroundings, I was impressed by its concept of being open or "bare". It would be a perfect place to get married in. Marriage after all shouldn't be anything else.

The chapel probably has a capacity of 200, 250 tops. The altar was decked with poinsettias. Imagine if you wanted an intimate wedding, this wouldn't be a bad place to hold it in.

VERANDA

Of course the best part of the structure is the sprawling veranda outside providing lookout point to the scenic Hamilo Coast and some parts of the mountain. A flight of stairs below is a small holding area with a couple of rooms, probably for when you require dressing rooms for events. Or storage of goods.

After the chapel visit, I went back to Pico Sands Hotel for breakfast before it closed at 10. Buffet breakfast is included in the hotel booking. While last night's dinner was a disappointment, this breakfast more than made up for it, mostly because there's a limit to the concept of breakfast food you can serve. But, yeah, I was more than happy with their breakfast. I initially tried their restaurants near the Club House, but they were packed and I didn't want the circus atmosphere. I was referred instead to the Baia Ballroom (below).

Pico de Loro is close to perfection where retreat and relaxation are concerned. There are areas that may benefit from improvements (like their food) or looking into (like their chaotic check out). But on the whole, it's a great place for a visit.

This is the Eye in the Sky!