The Cubicle is empty!!!

This is one of those excursions that I’ve been waiting to do for a very long time since I decided to go on this trip.

Mom and dad has a friend from Austin that lives here in Manila for most of the yr. She owns a condo overlooking the lake.

So we met with Mimi at her condo in the city and she drove us to her condo in Lake Taal.

Dad and I took the jeepney from where the condo is to Santa Rosa to look for guides to take us to the volcano. We finally agreed to 2,500 pesos for the two of us. That’s about $50.

We first took a tricicle, with me in the sidecar and dad behind the driver on the motorcycle. The trike ride lasted about 45 minutes. Not only was the road curvacious, but the driver also had to conted with chickens and dogs crossing the road. The concrete pavement was bumpy and there were section of the road where the it was just gravel. About 15 min into the trike ride the sidecar tire blew up. June, the trike driver, just kept on going. Once in a while the sidecar tire cover would snag a rock and would make a loud ping noise that sounds like the sidecar would fall apart. That was a great trike ride experience, but more to come.

We got to the lake and we took a banca to the island where the crater lake was. It was windy today so the lake was choppy at best. Dad and I had to use this piece of hard plastic as a shield to keep us from getting wet. But we still managed to get wet. But the water was on the warm side and felt good. Although people have warned us that is was cold. Huh? After about a 30min banca ride, we rended horses to got to the top. It would have been a 4km walk to the top with at least two steep sections.

I’ve never been on a horse before except for the horse ride in Bay Beach park that went in circles. This was totally a different thing. After we paid, we mounted the horses and went on our merry way to the top of the volcano. Actually we’re on the volcano already. We’re going to see the crater on the crater. Huh?

Along with the horse you get a personal guide that would help guide the horse up and down the trail. The trail itself was narrow, dusty, smelly and crowded with tourists as well. These guides, which ranges in age from 10 to 70, would run or walk in front or behind the horse to make sure your going the right place. They would also make sure there was no traffic jam at some of the narrow paths. What a ride!!!

The view from the tow of the crater was amazing! You can see the sourrounding mountain ranges and about 3/4ths of the lake. It’s all so green. Fish farm occupys some section of the lake. It’s very big business in this lake I guess. We also saw some smoke reeking of sulfur spewing from many spots in the crater. Just an amazing sight and sound and experience. This is an active Volcano and there is actually a volcano research center on the other end of the island. They are probably there to monitor the volcano and warn of impending danger.

The ride back down was just as exciting as the ride up as well as the banca ride back.

I sat in the sun, while the tire on the trike was getting fixed, to dry up. Across the street I saw a sing that said trees and monkeys for sale. I did see the trees, but I did not see any monkeys. But I did see a guard with a submachine guard walking about behing the house. I assume that’s where they keep their monkeys.

The trike ride back was amazing again. We took the back way, it was just a winding as the other, but with more amazing views. June drove us all the way to the condo. This was about an hr ride. Halfway in between he had to gas up. He stopped at this mom and pop store to pick-up coke. No, it’s just an empty 2-liter plastic bottle of coke filled with petrol. Filipino version of quick trip.

Once back at the condo, dad and I feasted on pancit and lechon kawali and lechon asada that Roger, Mimi’s property attendant, picked up for us at a nearby restaurant. The food was wrapped in banana leaves which kept the food warm and delicious.

With our tummy full, we headed back to the big city in the early evening all tired and sleepy. Should be a great sleeping night.

Dad and I just fell asleep in the backseat as we got into the city.

Taal Volcano, there’s no other like it. Gaurantee!

until next time, “bahala na.”

Tags: D 2006 Phillipines Trip, Philippines

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