Days Batangas

... this chance to buy fresh, clean fish. Though they're really small. Nobody was ready until past 9am, so we left for the volcano already with the sun glaringly hot. It was almost 45minutes of boat ride I guess. Though it was the Taal Lake, I noticed that it was wavy. There was one point when we had to get slow so as not to get turned over. They say the water is like this because during long time ago, this part of the Philippines was connected to the Pacific Ocean. But when Mount ...

... in the waiting room overlooking the bay. and there I sit watching the waves crash over the concrete piers.

After 45 minutes (was told when we parked that the ferry would be leaving in 15) still no ferries at the dock, waves crashing, I have to pee but don't want to leave my dive bag or I may never see it again. Finally a ferry docks and just getting the people off is an adventure; it's a small wooden gang plank and ...

... boat "Banca"to transport us directly to our hotel at Sabang,Puerto Galera. In total, a 4 hour trip. Cost of private transportation was around $160US and that would include up to 3 people. Public transportation would have been alot cheaper but would have taken alot longer, you would deal with your own luggage and it may not have been as safe. We did the same on our ...

... 3 weeks exactly got up and went out on veranda and Sherwin said "guess what, your Mum didn't call but there is post for you at the post office!!!!" MARVELLOUS!!! It was a lovely day sun was shining, so got tricycle to Puerto and collected the post, all the time thinking what if they do not let me have them... But got them and got back, went to shop bought some matador for the staff at the resort. Sunbathed and eventaully it was beer o Clock Showered used internet spoke to ...

... s Grill for some pinoy snack. I remembered in the past few years, I only get to see Sherlee and Maricel for they're the only ones I've got contact with and the rest I've already lost contact. But thanks to the emergence of technology that we found the others online - through yahoo groups and friendster in particular. I received a text message from Victor that Bunny and him are just having some snack at Jollibee so we went there to meet up with them. Too bad Sherlee and ...

... Hurray to Francis for having a friend who owns a house here, so we were able to get in (it's an exclusive membership resort). We did not stay at his friend's house though, but in one of the casitas. The place is very well-maintained and the views of the beach are just oh-so-breathtaking! Especially at sunset. Of course, the place wasn't called Punta Fuego for nothing. And the infinity pools! Oh, i love them!

... Boulevard, which overlooks the bay. Here I ate an amazing supper with the sound of the waves crashing against the Promenade. The next day was quite exciting as I finally went to Taal Volcano. First off, I went and dropped Leo off at the Mandarin Hotel as he was conducting some interviews for Unliever there. Then, Pepe and I headed off to the city of Tagaytay, which is about 2 hours away from Manila. It was raining pretty hard in Manila and I was worried that this would ...

... manageable because of my vast knowledge of Beatles and Michael Jackson lyrics. And when I say manageable, I mean for me, for those in the know would describe my singing voice as 'tolerable' at best. One hour into the hike, we reached the peak. Relaxing at the adhoc outpost on the saddle of the trail, we were all too quickly approached by a local Filipino offering the best thing to catch our breaths- drugs. Not willing to miss an opportunity when I saw one, I quickly declined the ...

... taking steep winding corners at 60km/h at 4 am really 'rocks' you to sleep). The scenery here is breathtaking. The city is nestled in tight mountains layered in rice terraces. Being here starkly reminds me of Sapa in northern Vietnam. Just amazing. Tonight Jean Michel and I are hiking to the town of Batan- perched in a box canyon of rice terraces, this city has no electricity, no metal buildings, but supposedly stunning views (and it is only a two hour hike from here!). So far, this ...

... the whole place! That was probably because it's the rainy season and all of the guests are probably resting in their cottages. So anyway, we were walking along the beach. We saw that you could rent boats of any kind. They even had one of those water tricycles, you know with the big wheels and pedals. We crossed this stone bridge heading away from shore and sat in this nipa hut-type ...