A bit of Albay

Oct 23, 2010

If Pinatubo became beautiful after the disaster, Mayon will always be the disaster-threatening beauty of Albay. It is the constant view that no one can escape from. Always there. Always a welcoming sight.

Along with my sisters Cha and Loi, we had a quick stop in Albay before heading to our own province, Catanduanes. We arrived in Bicol with clouds scattered and some isolated showers.

We asked the bus driver to drop us near the Cagsawa Ruins entrance. The trike ride from the main road to the main entrance is P7. And the entrance fee inside is P10. Quite a cheapo but still got me thinking what that fee is for. Some things didn’t change in Cagsawa Ruins. The ruins, the boulders, and the vendors. They are still the very usual sight since my last visit. It got me thinking again, has the place gone old and weary?

Our next stop was the Daraga Church. I’ve always thought that it deserves a good space in my Philippine Churches Album. But unfortunately, there was an ongoing construction on the church’s facade when we arrived. But still, that church brought a lot of good memories to me.

What completes a good travel is a foodtrip.

Whenever I’m in Albay, there are two places I would usually go to indulge in my decadent call to eat—Biggs and DJC Halo Halo. Because of time constraints though, we only got to dine in Biggs in this last visit. Their Student Meal P79 is always what I go for. I don’t know, but I think it’s the only meal I can afford way back in college so I kind of got used to ordering it until now. For those who wanted to go to Legazpi, the food places I can suggest are Biggs, Small Talk Cafe, and DJC Halo Halo. Oh how I miss Graceland and Benjos.

The roadtrip from Daraga to Legazpi is something that I miss. I was glad to see the Sta Rafaela Students’ Home (my college dorm), Bicol University and Albay Cathedral.

Albay will always be a second home for me.