Europe in the summer: Alando's European Encounter - Transatlantic jet-setting from Ja to Europe

In this week's profile travel feature, we join the esteemed attorney-at-law Alando Terrelonge, from law firm Bailey, Terrelonge Allen, who will be taking us on an interesting monthlong European Encounter throughout the grand boulevards of Paris, into the town of Tallinn, Estonia, to the skyscrapers in London, and then some.

My days don't usually start with a bottle of Chateau du Tertre, 2007, 5eme Grand Cru Classe Margaux, Bordeaux, but I suppose flying first class from Miami to London on British Airways, this ought to be expected. Thus began my usual yearly monthlong sojourn back to Europe, the continent I consider my home away from home. From the ruins of ancient Rome, to the museums, churches and grand boulevards of Paris, I have a love for Europe, its culture, languages and peoples, second only to my love for Jamaica.

I arrived in London on August 2, after a most comfortable transatlantic flight. Within hours of settling in, I met up with my old friends from Warwick for drinks at Boxpark in Shoreditch, which has become the pulse of East London since the Olympics last summer. It's hard to imagine not having any need to venture into central London for exquisite nightlife anymore, as Shoreditch offers everything.

Luckily, my esteemed friend Gaile Walters, who was able to secure reservations for us to dine at the exclusive Duck & Waffle, housed in the Heron Building (now the tallest building in London). With an amazing view of the city, overlooking the Gherkin building, Duck & Waffle is one of the Heron Tower's sky-high restaurants, accessible only by a private glass lift, that takes seconds to transport guests to the 40th floor. The Heron's other sky-high restaurant is the rather chic Sushisamba on the 38th floor, which I promised myself to make time for when next I visit London.

London to Paris

The journey continued as I made my way from London to Paris, undoubtedly my favourite city in Europe. Within about two and a half hours after having left St Pancreas International, my train pulled into Gard du Nord in the centre of the city. It's quite a hassle to fly to Paris from London these days, and I suspect that the average "travel insider" knows better. I vividly recall marvelling at the grand boulevard that is Les Champs-Élysées, on my first trip over 13 years ago. Even with my countless visits, I am still left in awe after each visit to the Louvre museum. With masterpieces such as Da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa'; Antonio Canova's 'Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss'; and Michelangelo's 'Dying Slave', the Louvre merits multiple visits. But, sadly, not this trip. This summer, my friend Elise and I decided to take leisurely bike rides around the city each day, just to enjoy the view and the wonderful weather without the inconvenience of long tourist queues or the usually crowded metro. Paris by bike is actually quite interesting, a must-do if anyone should ever venture into the fashion Mecca.

The city has 'velibe' bike stops all over, and one simply has to rent a bike for less than €2 each day, with the catch of dropping it off every half hour at another bike stop, and taking another one immediately or after immersing oneself in an activity, so as not to incur a penalty charge. It's a great idea really, and as Paris is a small city, one can enjoy the Notre Dame, riding to La Place de La Concorde, or just taking a break from it all and having a picnic along Les Champs de Mars, the well-manicured lawns around the Eiffel Tower.

Of course, Paris has a splendid assortment of restaurants and brasseries serving fine bottles of Bordeaux, poulet and escargot, but these days, when I am in the city, I much prefer the company of friends, partying outdoors in the garden and switching between languages as we ply ourselves with fine vin rouge and dine beneath the stars.

Au revoir Paris and hello Estonia

After a wonderful four days, it was time to bid Paris adieu as I flew further east to my friend Miiko and his wife, Aile, in Estonia. I arrived in Tallinn on August 7, three days ahead of the World Championships in Moscow, and I was met at the airport with Miiko waving a Jamaican flag, signalling to all in Tallinn and Eastern Europe that the Jamaican invasion had started. Upon arrival, we immediately headed to the old medieval centre to have dinner and drinks among the 14th-century ruins in old town, which was declared a UNESCO world heritage site, since around 1997.

Being my third time in Tallinn, I admire its old-town setting seeing that it is a charming little city, one of the best preserved medieval cities I have ever laid eyes upon in my travels throughout western and eastern Europe. Taking a walk through the narrow-cobbled streets, one could actually feel lost in time, and with just the right imagination, you can transport yourself to Tolkien's 'Middle Earth' as you gaze upon the old Kiek in the Kok tower and walk by the ancient city walls, which stand as majestic as they did in the 13th and 14th centuries. Tallinn isn't just about history, however. Club Hollywood is a fave among the locals, while The Bar With No Name is a hit among the tourists. When I was there last in 2009, the sounds of Brick & Lace and Sean Paul made me feel quite at home.

A first for me this trip was getting tickets to attend the Euro Basketball qualification match between the home-team favourites and the Dutch team. The game was rather exciting, and having lost the lead to the Dutch team in the third quarter, the home team showed true grit as a stellar three-pointer and few epic throws in the last two minutes saw them retaking the lead and beating the Dutchmen. What was most memorable about the game was how Estonians supported the entire team. For the duration of the match, no one shouted "go number 5" or screamed Tanel Sokk's name, who was by far the most valuable player. For them, one man doesn't make a team and national pride dictates that no one person be singled out, a philosophy we could all emulate.

To complete my trip this year, we went to a party at a cabin along the Baltic Coast, less than two hours outside the city with the sea on one side and the high woods of the forest on the next. With a live band playing, it was magical in every sense. The only thing missing was the Appleton rum, and I was chided for coming all the way from Jamaica to party with them and walking with a bottle of Chianti instead of a bottle of Appleton. Truth be told, I did take a bottle, but Miiko decided it was just for him, and it was left at home while I braved the angry thirst of the locals with just a bottle of wine.

Privet Russia!

Catching up with old friends is always great, but it was soon time to head to Moscow and catch up with team Jamaica at the world championships. From the excitement of the games and team Jamaica"s stellar performance, I took a break between the races and headed to the beautiful city of St. Petersburg. There I explored its canals, Corinthian style churches, and the treasures of the Hermitage museum. I"ll share these tales and more of my travels on the next leg of this summer"s European adventure, as I now jet to Riga, then onto Vienna, before returning to London to join Gaile and the posse for the Notting Hill Carnival. Until then, Dasvidanya!