Bicol Road Trip 1

It happened last summer when we decided to go on a road trip to Bicol (Bee-col) Region. Commonly known as Bicolandia is located in the southernmost tip of Luzon Island, the largest island in the Philippine archipelago. It can be reached either by plane, bus, train or cars. We chose to take the car so we could do town hopping in the region and visit some interesting places. It was a long drive but my eyes were filled with so many wonderful things as we travel along the road.

The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear Bicol is the majestic Mt. Mayon, the pride of the Bicol region. The picturesque volcano rises 2,462 meters above sea level and can be found in the province of Albay. "Magayon" in Bicolano dialect which means "beauty",  ranks second in the
12 Most Amazing Volcanoes on the Planet because of it's perfectly conical shape. As we travel along the circumference of Mt. Mayon, I noticed that the towns we passed by were gifted with verdant atmosphere as if the place was painted green with all the lush and big trees along the way. The sight of clear skies with soft clouds which sometimes hides the volcano makes a perfect subject of art.

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Mt. Mayon is the most active volcano in the Philippines having erupted 49 times since records began in 1616. The most destructive recorded eruption was in 1819, when the entire town of Cagsawa was buried under 30 feet of  muds, rocks and volcanic ashes leaving 2,200 dead and only the bell tower of the town church was left standing. I only see this view in postcards, TV programs, books and that time I was speechless. There is the volcano sitting quietly right in front of me, spewing smoke as if watching me gaze.

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The remains of the bell tower in Cagsawa has been the favorite destinations of local and foreign tourists and is always the most photographed structure. Being the foreground of Mt. Mayon it tells a story on how furious this beauty can be to mankind. Before leaving I offered prayers to those who perished and was buried underneath the ground where I am standing.

Thank you for reading.
This is posted for Our World Tuesday and Scenic Weekends!!