Where do I begin?
The butt-numbing 14-hour road trip. Lia’s record-breaking, three-day, in-car vomiting spree. An epic fail of a trip to Pilar, Sorsogon. Major facial sunburn.
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| Sumlang Lake, Camalig |
They are misadventures, alright. But they are misadventures I love to keep, because they were found on a land that tugs the heartstrings in all the right places.
I don’t know about Xian Lim, but to me, Albay is one of those places that keeps surprising you no matter how many times you’ve been there – and one I’d be more than happy to promote.
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| Matnog fields, Daraga, Albay. |
It’s a bewitching province that’s perfect in every sense. It’s cold enough for the summer, yet distinctively tropical in charm (read: sprawling grass and coconut trees everywhere). In each town, there’s a natural attraction or two tucked away from mass consumption; yet they’re accessible and near each other, it won’t pain you to get there from point A or B.
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| Joroan Church, Joroan, Tiwi. |
And, and, whether you’re in the city center or in farther Camarines Sur-bound Tiwi, you’ve got captivating Mayon in the blue horizon.
While I’m still swimming in my daydreams of perfect cones on sunny afternoons, here’s a sampler of our recently concluded 6-day jaunt in the province of the most magayon.
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| View from roadside view deck in Tiwi. |
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| Foothills of Mt. Malinao. |
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| Vera Falls, Malinao. |
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| Life on the field, Matnog. |
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| Quitinday Green Hills Formation, Camalig
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| 9th Station of the Cross. ‘Round the rim of Kawa-Kawa Hill in Ligao. |
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| Sunset at Kawa-Kawa Hill to cap off a trek. |
