A Volcano in a Lake, in a Lake, in a Lake

One of the best parts of Manila was getting out of it for a day. It was a cramped, three hour ride in the back of a little truck, but we arrived safely and with plenty of time to see the volcano that we had set out to see.

 

A volcano in a lake, in a lake, in a lake.

The Philippines is not all sandy beaches and palm trees. The islands are diverse and include an array of places to discover from caves to rice terraces. On one of our first days in Manila we decided to venture over to Tagatay to see the Taal volcano (mostly after many prompts from yours truly about the amazing volcanoes that make up the country). For those of you who know me well, geology is my favorite subject that I didn’t study, specifically vulcanology. I am obsessed with volcanoes and was really excited to visit such an active one.

 

From the city center we hopped on a modified tricycle and headed towards the first lake. 

 

After the tricycle ride, we had to take a tiny boat to get to the volcano. Again, Abueng was a little nervous with the water, but I think she was still happy to be there.

 

We got pretty wet on the ride over, but it was quickly forgotten once we got to the island and saddled up on our horses. 

It took some tuff negotiating, but the horses were the fastest way to the top. My horse’s name was Cybershot!

  

 

From the top you could look down at Vulcan Point, "the world’s largest volcanic island within a lake on an island within a lake on an island.” 

There was also evidence of some geologic activity with a twinge of sulfur in the air and in the water. I was very excited to see that because everyone knows, Geology Rocks! (I will never get tired of geology humor)

    

The way back was just like the trip there, but in reverse. Instead of the tiny truck, we were able to hop on a bus for the ride home and I even got to try some Buco pie (Buco = coconut). I’m a giant coconut-NUT, but I wasn’t terribly fond of the Buco pie. The thing that threw me was that it was fresh coconut… not something usually found in the desert or South Korea for that matter.

 

Anyways, I would have to say this day was one of the best days on the trip. It is difficult for me not to have a GNIESS day on a volcano (tee-hee!).

Partying & Puka Shells

 

Boracay Continued

Like I said before, two days was not enough on this beautiful island. New Years Eve was a blast at Cocomangas, where if you drink 15 shots, you are rewarded with a really ugly t-shirt. 

As an indicator for how the evening went, I am now a proud owner of one of these ugly shirts. To be honest though, between shots 11 and 15, things got a little fuzzy and it is quite possible that I had some help.

 

The first shot was a Canadian Prairie Fire, which is tequila with a healthy dose of Tabasco sauce. It tasted like hell. My favorite shot was called the Screaming Green Lizard and was made of Kailua, Baileys and Green Crème de Menthe (I know this because it is written on my cool new shirt). 

After that, I just remember a lot of dancing, a brief count down and waking up on my friend’s porch with close to a billion mosquito bites.

The next day there wasn’t much time to recover. I wanted to squeeze in everything that I possibly could before catching my plane later that afternoon. A quick bit to eat and wardrobe change into my swimsuit, and I was on the road to Puka Beach.

 

Puka Beach is on the other side of the island, but is much less crowded than the trendy White Beach. There were only a few local kids swimming and playing in the sand when we got there. The water was crystal blue but a little harsh as the tide was on its way in. 

        

I took a final swim, perused the street vendors for some last moment souvenirs and enjoyed a few minutes sipping on a coconut.

 

Now that I’m back in cold, snowy SK, I am really missing Boracay… guess I’ll just have to go back with more time!

Island Hopping

Boracay can be summed up with one word, Paradise. From my first glimpse of it from the airplane window, I knew it was a mistake only planning to spend two days there.

 

For the geographically challenged, Boracay is a tiny island about an hour south of Manila by air (don’t feel too bad… I had never heard of Boracay before booking my ticket either). To get there, we took an equally tiny airplane to Caticlan (a nearby, larger island), and then a 15-minute boat ride to Paradise. Walking on the tarmac and riding in a puddle jumper was a bonus for me. Something about little planes with less than 20 passengers screams, “I am going to a remote location, way off the beaten path… If I get lost, don’t come trying to find me!” Who wouldn’t be excited about that???

 

 

Two days was not a lot of time, but I managed to cram a lot of fun into the few hours I had. One of the highlights was an island hopping trip, where we took a bangka out for a good part of the day to explore caves, snorkel and eat! 

Abueng even ventured onto the boat, which I was impressed with since she never learned to swim. Personally, I have no idea what that would feel like, but I imagine being surrounded by water would be a little intimidating. Especially with the weather we had, the waves were pretty big and there wasn’t a dry seat in the house (I promised Abueng that we would find a pool somewhere in Illsan so I can give her swimming lessons ASAP).

    

Anyways, the first stop on the boat was just off shore to snorkel. I quickly jumped in the water and transformed into Dory (the fish). Ironically enough, remember the scene in Finding Nemo where Dory is stung by jellyfish? Well, my transformation was so uncanny that I too became a jelly magnet. Shortly after diving in I felt my arms and ankle burning, but in true Dory form I said to myself, “Just keep swimming…” 

 

It wasn’t terrible and no one had to pee on me, so I still had fun! Snorkeling is one of my favorite beach activities! Obviously, scuba diving is even MORE fun, but I haven’t had a chance to try it, YET. While we were swimming around I saw a ton of fish, sea urchins and I even found a starfish!

 

Crystal Cove was the next stop. It was a little island with some interesting rock and seashell mosaicked buildings and cool caves! The first “cave” was more like a blowhole with a spiral staircase to get into it.

    

The second cave was my favorite because you had to crawl on all fours to reach it. At the end of the tunnel it opened into a roomy nook with a great view of the ocean and some nice spots to strike a pose!

 

Once we were back on the boat, it was a short trip to lunch! The boat stopped at an adjacent island where we dined on traditional Filipino food (pork, chicken, rice and fruit). Yummy!

After waiting 20 minutes, it was safe to get back in the water and I didn’t hesitate. Meanwhile, the other passengers on the boat not swimming had a chance to enjoy a fresh coconut (one of my favorite things about tropical areas). I was amazed at this guy who pulled right up to our boat on his surfboard-looking rig, balancing numerous coconuts and a machete. Crazy talented and entrepreneurial if you ask me.

Between the rough waters and cloudy sky, everyone on board opted to return a little early to shore. I didn’t argue because next on my agenda was a massage on the beach (my first massage EVER). I figured it would be a great way to get me geared up for some New Years Eve celebrations… and did it ever.

To Be Continued…