Bicol Adventure Day 2: Pilgrimage (?!?) to Mayon

Coming to Bicol will not be complete without paying homage to Daragang Magayon. I've only seen this natural wonder in postcards and textbooks. Kahit yung faker version sa Nayong Pilipino, di pa rin.

So we left Naga at around 8:30 AM for a 3-hour drive to Albay. According to some stories, only the "pure"/ virgins are privileged to see the volcano in its entirety. (MAGKAKAALAMAN NA!!!)

Approaching Albay, gray clouds began appearing, threatening our visit (SABI NA NGA BA! CHUICE!)

We slept through most of the trip and this was our first sight of the majestic Mt. Mayon

BUKING ANG MGA PURE!!!

Our driver/ tourist guide took us first to the farthest destination and then worked our way back to Naga. First stop, Embarcadero!

Obligatory tourist pic!

It's like Eastwood City Walk beside the port in Legazpi. Complete with restaurants boutiques, and wait for it, MANGO! Sosyal!!! HAHA. May zip line din! But instead of trying it out...

They spent some time betting on lotto instead. 33 Million din kasi ang prize!

While I got myself busy judging a contest...

CHUICE LANG!

Anyway, Embarcadero had a view of the Mayon Volcano too!

Going...

Next stop, Lignon Hills. According to Manong Driver, it's the best place to view the mountain. Btw, may Php 20.00 pala na Environmental Fee (?!?!)

Going...

And then it started to rain...

Gone. (So much for purity, huh?)

Had lunch at Biggs which is like the Jollibee of Bicol complete with large billboards all over the place.

Last stop is at the Cagsawa Ruins- the famous bell tower. But it started to rain really really hard so we just had to drive through (parang Mcdo)

Taken from inside the van

No tourist pic here. BUT WAIT!! May ibang determinado lang talaga...

Heto akooooo basang-basa sa ulaaahahaaaan!

Back at Happy Side, we played Monopoly Credit card version...

Kubrador ang drama!

... And got our 33 million in cash and property. More friends arrived and we had the most authentic Bicol cuisine dinner at...

Max's Resturant! Bicol na bicol!!! HAHAHA

So our trip to Mayon was a semi-failed one. Little did we know, that day was the start of the torrential rains that lead to a devastating landslide and flooding in the whole of Albay. So kahit di namin nakita nang buo, we were still very lucky. :)

Watch out for Day 3: the Wedding of the Century!

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Photos by Boom Enriquez