BICOLANDIA GETAWAY: The Tale of Two Cities and Uncertainty at the Port

I'm back folks.
And where did I left off?

Ah, on to Day Two.

If you are reading this series just now. better if you hop on over to Day One first on this link so that you would be able to follow my story.
Here's the link:
 http://magnetsonmyfridge.blogspot.com/2013/06/bicolandia-getaway-touchdown-in-legazpi.html

We had an early call time despite the fatigue we all experienced from the previous day.
We had to start agad because there was so much non our itinerary and we would not want to miss any of the "must sees".

Four (4) Big Grandia Vans were waiting for us outside our hostel.

Our first stop? Saan pa kungdi sa kung saan ay nagkakasundong gawin at puntahan, PASALUBONG SHOPPING!

Ang saya lang dito.  Hindi pang-turista ang presyo!

As usual, my Mom went crazy buying for pasalubong for the whole barangay. Haha.

Teacher Cecille with the new employees of MALP.
Honggaganda divah?

After spending a considerable amount of time here, we were off to see the LIGNON HILL.

The view from the top of the hill was simply spectacular!
You have  360 degrees view of the Legazpi Airport runway.
If you are lucky enough, you could clearly see how an airplane approaches
the runway or how it takes off.  Breathtaking!

Here's what I gathered from the website itself.

The 156-meter high Ligñon (also spelled Lingñon, pronounced as /li-NYON/) Hill has always been one of Legazpi’s most famous landmarks. For years, Ligñon Hill is known only for the PHIVOLCS observatory located in its flanks and an old lighthouse on its summit. Today, it has become one of the city’s prime destinations for sightseers, adventurers and even fitness buffs.

The new Ligñon Hill Natural Park promises to be the city’s best destination offering sights and activities for all types of visitors. For sightseers, a panoramic 360 degree view of Legazpi City, Daraga, Albay Gulf and the Mayon Volcano awaits at the viewdeck. A landscaped promenade as well as restaurants and shops also cater to guests.

It was just too bad that it was drizzling when we were there.
But we had fun nonetheless.

We bought nga our own sunshine, remember?

We did not spend too much time there and off we went to our next destination, CAGSAWA RUINS.

From the web:
In February 1, 1814, Mt. Mayon began its most violent and deadly eruption to date. During the eruption, some 1,200 people took refuge in the stone church of Cagsawa. Unfortunately, all perished when lahar and pyroclastic flows engulfed the church. Only the belfry of the Cagsawa church remains as a grim and silent reminder of that fateful day. For almost two hundred years, it has withstood the test of time and the elements to become one of the most recognizable landmarks of Albay Province.

This particular site really aroused my interest to the highest levels.

I'm a history buff haven't I told you yet?

This was how it looked like before the eruption.

A peaceful looking church at the foot of a mountain.

And then, boom!

This is what's left of the church now.

Taken on a different angle of course kaya parang umusog ang belfry, hehehe

From my readings, many people were buried alive here.
Just imagine, it happened a long long time ago di ba?
I'm sure people rely on more simple ways or tools to signal danger.
No wonder nilubog ang buong barrion with its inhabitants.
SAD.

Anyhoo, the Teachers were all so happy and thrilled to see the place.

And who wouldn't be?
For so many years, they have been teaching their students this exact piece of history and yet most of them had seen this just now.

Syempre pa, di pwedeng mawala ang mga fantasy shots!

We then proceeded to the nearby Daraga Church

And off we readied ourselves for a bit of  a long drive to Naga City.

We made a pit stop in Cmalig Albay to taste their famous ulam -Pinangat!

Yummy!

We arrived Naga by mid afternoon.

Witwuw, ganda girl ni Teacher Rose!

We proceeded immediately to their famous cathedral.

Before sunset, we made sure to get to CWC for the Wakeboarding experience (or at least a picture of it, haha!)

At talagang hindi nga nagbiro, nag picturan lang talaga ang tatlong
maririkit na Teacher na ito!
Feelingera lang ang peg nila Ma'am.

Magpapahuli ba si Principal Beng? Na-uh!

Just chillin in Camsur. Yeah, yeah. :)

From CWC, dito na nagsimula ang aming kalbaryo.
It rained very very hard.
And we learned that storm EMONG is threatening the Bicol Region.

Papunta pa naman kami sa Caramoan the next day.
In fact, we were on our way to Sabang Port to spend the night para maaga kami sasakay pa-Caramoan.

Tahimik ang lahat on the way.
Too afraid to "risk" their life in the 2 hour boat ride to Paradise yet too brave to give up their dream of seeing the famous island where many a  "Survivor" series were filmed.

By 7PM, we got to Sabang Port and checked in at our hotel for the night.
The Teachers who grew up near oceans checked on the waves that night and all of them weren't hopeful that it would mellow down in the morning.

The boatmen were not encouraging enough.
Sabi nila usually ikakansel yan what with the big waves and non stop raining.

As the group's leader, I met them after dinner and told them about our options.


If the Coastguard okays our trip by 5AM, noone will be forced to go should they feel that it is too risky.
I had set up plan B to just spend another night at the port where there is also a good enough beach.

We prayed really hard for guidance and for discernement.
We have read many stories kasi that the two hour boat ride to Caramoan is usually "maalon".
What more may bagyo pa.

We slept that night with much uncertainty.
We were so near and yet so far from our dream destination - CARAMOAN!

Makakasakay kaya kami?
Titigil kaya ang ulan?
Will our prayers be heard?

Itutuloy.