Sorsogon, deep down Bicol region is where my dad grew up so he makes sure we keep it close to our hearts the way he does. He's been successful with this, having spent most summers of my life in Sorsogon. I've grown attached to his hometown to the point of feeling like I've lost a limb each time I come back home to Manila. It's probably because I've been leaving pieces of me there in the past couple of years. Now every visit turns to a trip down memory lane - and when you revisit the past, especially the dwelling place of your childhood summer memories, it could be really difficult to leave.
It's not an easy journey as it takes 14 hours to get there by car from Manila. For someone as impatient and easily bored as I am, 14 hours on the road seems like an eternity, especially if for the most part all you'll see are mountains and trees. The endless stretch of green could also get tiring. I never got used to it. We could opt for air travel but taking a plane to Bicol was an option we never chose. The thought of it is tempting when I think about skipping all the boring parts of the ride but I just really couldn't give up our usual stops and neither does the rest of the family. It usually takes us 18 hours or even more on the road because of stopovers.
Since the summer we discovered CWC in Cam Sur, we always made sure to stop by. This man-made paradise is a delight to watersports enthusiasts. I've been here no less than thrice and I've been dying to try wakeboarding but circumstances always stop me short - like not being able to bring a rash guard (but most of the time it's really just because I feel intimidated by wakeboarding pros doing exhibitions on the course)
Since my ninong and his family came with us this year, we had to take detours to go to his suggested places. He recommended this halo-halo place in Tiwi, Albay. We've never been there so we had to use the GPS. The GPS' suggested route to Tiwi was shady. We crossed mountains for an hour and a half and there were no other cars taking the same route. Too much effort for just halo-halo but what the hell. It was worth it. Not just because of the halo-halo, but because of the scenic beauty from the mountains. On our way, I saw the most beautiful panoramic view I've seen in my life. I realized we were driving along a good vantage point and there it was - islands, mountains, giant rocks, streams, and that picturesque sparkle from dews with the help of the afternoon sun. Pure, unadulterated nature. We wanted to step down our vehicles to take a photo but the road seemed unsafe. The locals appeared to be taken aback that there were cars passing by and they looked bothered by it. We didn't want to impose and I was scared it might turn into a scene from that horror movie Tarot. Haha. Sorry *chills*. I feel bad that I wasn't able to capture it but maybe it was meant only for the naked eye. Sappy. But really, it had that "Garden of Eden" vibes. The residents probably don't even know what they have waking up every morning witnessing God's raw creations.
The plan was to stay in Sorsogon all week but we got there midweek already so we just had to make the most of the remaining four days.
On our first day, we went to Mateo Hot Springs. We never miss this place everytime we're in Bicol. It's in Irosin, a town situated at the base of Mt. Bulusan. The hot springs are natural and Irosin boasts of that since they lie at the foot of a volcano. If you've got muscle pain and aches in your joints, this is the remedy.
On our second day, we went to a beach. In Sorsogon, there's a beach everywhere and I'm not exaggerating. You can be on foot and reach a beach resort just ten minutes away or you can bring a car and drive through Sorsogon and you'll surely see a vast expanse of blue every few minutes. Sorsogon even covers all varieties - gray sand, white sand, surfing spot, you name it. But somehow, we drove all the way to the very edge of Luzon to visit this one. The town is called Santa Magdalena, better known as "Hidden Paradise". They weren't lying about "hidden" because I was close to having an anxiety attack seeing the road we had to take to get there. All those landslide prone and desolate areas were too much for me, but the good news is they defintely weren't lying about "paradise", because my anxiety got wiped by the time I set foot on this place.
The place was so serene. It's actually owned by a family friend so we had the entire place to ourselves.
And since we did have the entire place to ourselves, I had to do yoga poses and jump shots. It had to be done. :))
The weather refused to cooperate the day after. A storm was already brewing. Trust me, everybody loves the good old beach until there's a typhoon carrying storm surge warnings.
Just look at the calm before the storm. Treacherous.
We drove back to Manila last Sunday, but for our one last hurrah, we dropped by Cagsawa Ruins in Daraga, Albay.
Apart from the magnificent view of the perfect cone-shaped volcano, Cagsawa has an interesting history. Everyone believes it was buried in lava when Mt. Mayon erupted in the early 1800s, but an article rose recently claiming that it was destroyed years after the eruption. Eitherway, what's left of Cagsawa Church is its bell tower and right now I can only descibe it as a tragic beauty.
I went straight to work with no sleep after that 14-hour trip home. It's taking a while for me to re-adjust to the daily grind. I kind of miss waking up in the morning and walking to the balcony overlooking mountains and seas. Bicol just never runs out of breathtaking surprises.
But for now I have to remember that this is what I'm accustomed to - buildings and traffic jams. Oh, Manila.
No comments
Post a Comment