A Sidetrip To Albay

OUR DESTINATION WAS THE ISLAND OF MASBATE BUT THEN WE COULD NOT PASS UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY THE SCENERIES OF SOUTHERN LUZON. OUR ROUTE ENTAILED TRAVELING VIA BUS FOR 12 HOURS FROM MANILA TO SORSOGON. ALONG THE WAY, WE HAD TO PASS BY THE PROVINCE OF ALBAY.

Contents
1 NATURE ADVENTURE
2 FOOD TRIP
3 LOCAL FINDS
4 BOARD AND LODGING
5 GETTING AROUND
The perfect cone of Mayon Volcano is what comes to mind when Albay is mentioned. With Mayon, one of the most photographed tourist spots in the country, our background we had planned on spending a couple of days in this part of Bicol to fully enjoy not only the majestic volcano but also the sights and scenes around it. We started off with the rich heritage and spiritual trail that markthis province Legazpi City, the capital of Albay sits at the foot of this volcano. One of the sights worth visiting in this city is the church across Plaza Rizal, the San Rafael Church. Interestingly, the altar of this church was made from a volcanic rock that was taken from Mayon and weighed 10-tons. The next stop of our tour was the town of Santo Domingo (jeepney ride from Satellite Bus Terminal), This town is also the home of Potenciano V Gregorio, the renowned Bicolano composer of Sarung Banggi. The Santo Domingo Church, completed in 1832 is one of the famous landmarks of the town. The church has two symmetrical bell towers beside its facade. While the interiors of the church are already modern, in front of the church stands an old monument of Gregorio and Andres Bonifacio. Most of the churches (Sto Domingo, Bacacay, our Lady of Mount Carmel in Malilipot, Tabaco) that we visited next had already been renovated except for their facades which has remained as imposing and as magnificent as when they were first erected. Jeepneys, buses and minivans are the modes of transportation available to get to these towns. From a series of church visits, we proceeded to the town of Guinobatan where the structures and architectural designs of the buildings are very much reminiscent of the Spanish and American colonial periods-very colorful and lively After Guinobatan, our group went to Camalig, located at the Northwestern part. of Legaspi. If commuting from Legaspi this town is accessible viajeepneys and minivans on their regular trips. Upon reaching the Camalig church or San Juan Bautista Church, we saw that unlike the churches that we visited earlier, this one can be considered as one of the most well- preserved churches in Albay. Except for its floors, the interiors of the church are still intact, and so is the area of the convento. From Camalig, we finally trooped to the second most recognizable structure in Albay, the Cagsawa Ruins (ifcoming from Legaspi, ride the jeepney bound for Daraga, Php 30.). History books have told the story of how the perfectly shaped Mayon Volcano unleashed its wrath in 1814 and wiped out the towns of Cagsawa, Budiao and Camalig. The top portion of Cagsawa is the only remaining survivor of this catastrophe. At it is part present, of a very picturesque site with the Mayon Volcano looming in the background, The last in our list ofchurches to visit-the Our Lady of the Gate Church in Dang. This church,built by the Franciscan monks in the 18th showcases the Baroque style of century, architecture. While the inside portion of the church is already modern, the facade still has a very elaborate design, reflective of its former grandeur.
NATURE ADVENTURE

climbing the perfectly-shaped cone of Mayon Volcano (2,462 m) is probably one of the most adventurous experiences offered in Albay. It is advisable though to first contact the Provincial Tourism Office (tel. no. 052-820-6315) so they can provide you with a guide and information on traversing its slopes. Two days of trekking is required to get to the highest point that is still considered safe (up to 2,000m). The starting point of the climb can be found in Tabaco, Albay (PHIL OCS Office). The first two hours of the climb involves trekking through a forest to get to the grassland and a little bit further from this clearing is what trekkers call Camp 1. This is where you can rest and eat or pitch your tent for an overnight (bring provisions for two days, including warm clothes. Once well rested, you can proceed to Camp 2, another two hours of climbing through rocks. Afterwhich is the knife edge, or the peak of the climb. Other adventure sites in Albay include the Hoyop-Hoyopan Cave in Camalig, where ancient pieces of pottery were discovered Admission Fee is Php 150) and the Calabidongan Cave, also in Camalig
FOOD TRIP

While in Legaspi, tourists have several restaurants to choose from Waway's Restaurant located in Penaranda St. serves authentic Bicol express and fresh seafood while Biggs Diner at Rizal corner Maria Clara St. offers a variety of cuisines including international dishes. In addition, guests can drop by Small Talk Café at Dona Aurora St. to treat their palate to delectable pasta dishes. In Tiwi, try the Halo-Halo at DC to cool down from all the church-hopping. If you're on the way to Guinobatan, the local delicacy macapuno rice puto is also a delicious treat.
LOCAL FINDS

Home decors, native handbags and baskets made of bacca are the things that you need to bring home to your family. You can also buy some pili nuts and other ceramic wares. You can buy these from the marketplace or local souvenir shops such as the Satellite Market in Tahao Road (across Legaspi City terminal) and Albay Astrodome compound. Get enough of Bicol by also buying some Bicol Express and Pinangat, a dish made from shredded taro leaves, pork abdo, shrimps, ginger wrapped in whole taro leaves, then cooked in milk coconut or gata as filling.
BOARD AND LODGING

Albay provides a variety of tourist inns and lodges for the quintessential traveler. If you want to stay at a pricier hotel, you can do so at Hotel Venezia (Rennaissance Gardens Washington Drive, tel. no. 052-481-0877), Hotel Villa Angelina (F Aquende Drive, tel. no. 052-481-0877), Alicia Hotel (Aquende Drive, tel. no. 052-481-0801) and Pepperland Hotel Airport Rd., tel. no. 052-481-8004) with prices ranging from p 1,500 to Php 4,500 a night. For budget hotels, you can also stay at Sampaguita Tourist Inn Rizal St., tel. no. 052-480- 6258), Magayon Hotel (Penaranda St., tel. no. 052-214-3121) Legazpi Tourist Inn (Lapu-Lapu cor. Quezon Ave., tel. no. 052-480-6147) which would cost you below Php 1,000 a night.
GETTING AROUND

In Albay, the available modes of transportation include jeepneys, vans and tricycles. Buses also ply the route for long distance travels. POSTSCRIPT: To get to our port of destination- Bulan, Sorsogon it took another 2 hours of land travel using a van for hire. Shuttles and public buses are also available (Php 100-200) at the Legazpi Bus Terminal.