Wandering all over Luzon, Philippines

Our visit to Luzon, specifically to Naga City and Legaspi, was not about bagging the biggest and best sights. It was about introducing a new son-in-law to a grandmother eager for great grandchildren. It was about learning the effects of World War II and the Marcos regime on the family. It was about stuffing ourselves silly with whatever delicacy my wife's childhood nursemaid whipped for us.

It being Christmas, we spent a lot of time getting together with family and a lot of time in the car going from relative to relative. This allowed us to see a lot of the beautiful countryside, the trademark rice fields and lush mountains. One thing we noticed was the large number of half completed residences. I guess a lot of people run out of money halfway through construction.

During the course of the week we got accustomed to the rhythm of the town – The rooster crows at ungodly early hours, the mid afternoon merienda (snack), and the late night warbling of the neighborhood karaoke bar.

The moment I remember the most, was realizing that the little boys and girls who took my hand were not looking for goodies or money, but looking for a blessing from an elder.

Quick Tips:

Relax and go with the flow. No one is in any hurry, so don't give yourself a corollary.

Best Way To Get Around:

Since we were visiting family, we were driven around by the family driver. The locals got around by car, bike, jeepneys (the colorfully personalized jeeps retrofitted to serve as public transportation), or trimobiles (motorcycles with side cars).

Flight schedules are more like suggestions. Give yourself some time (a day if possible) when flying in and out in case flights get cancelled.

North of Legazpi, and standing at 8,075 feet (2,460m), Mayon and its near-perfect cone are truly spectacular sights. I'm not about to open up the debate to whether it is more symmetrical than Mt. Fuji.

Legend has it that a long time ago, there lived a very beautiful princess with her uncle, Magayon. His wrath and possessiveness were such that no man dared court the princess. One day, a brave warrior was so enraptured by the princess that he disregarded the danger and convinced her to run away with him. As they fled from the enraged uncle, the lovers prayed to the gods for help. In reply, the gods buried the pursuing uncle under a landslide and it is his rage bursting forth in the form of eruptions.

With 50 eruptions in the last 400 years, Mayon is the most active volcano in the Philippines. Its most destructive eruption occurred on February 1, 1814, and the lava flow buried the town of Cagsawa killing 1,200 people. The church bell tower is the only thing that remained. In fact, the ash flow was such that only the top was left exposed. The picture below shows a tree still growing at the top of the tower, where the soil level was. The tower was disinterred during the Marcos regime. Mayon’s most recent eruption was a recently as 2001.

At the Cagsawa Ruins Park you will also find a vendor stalls with varied handicrafts as well as a café.

Dhio Endeka Resort is on the side of a beautifully lush mountain. The lushness emphasized by the light mist on the day we visited. The spring resort has a picnic area and playground for kids.

The many pools are feed by natural springs and are adorned with whimsical and fantastical creatures: dragon, elephants, mermaids, and the like. The weirdness comes from the fact that grounds are dotted with religious statues of Jesus and the Virgin Mary and a path with the twelve stations of the cross. You put those two together and you get a rather surreal and odd combination. We amused ourselves by taking it a step further by imagining a religiously themed water park called Holy Water. I would recommend it because of its kitsch. But don't go out of your way to visit it. There is a small admission fee, but our guide got us out of it since it was raining.

In need of a diving fix, I was hooked up with the Steady Eddie dive club for a day of diving in Pasacao.

I was picked up at home (in Naga City), and the dive master and I drove the 45 minutes to Pasacao. The first stop was at the local market, where we picked up some fish and other fixings for lunch.

We drove to the beach, where we took a small boat to the sites. To be honest, the diving was nice, but it was the dive master's knowledge that really made the day memorable. His day job is in fact with the Wildlife and Fisheries Department and revolves around working with local fishermen to explain the damage caused by unsustainable fishing practices and how some species, like mantas, are more valuable as tourist attractions than as delicacies. I really enjoyed my day.

Oh, I almost forgot, the best wildlife encounter was with a sea snake. Scary but way cool!

One of Patricia’s titos (uncles) invited me to a cockfight. I know I shouldn’t have done it. It’s cruel and unnecessary. The fact that it was the December 24 didn’t win us any points with the aunties. Still, I had a morbid curiosity to satisfy, and they would hold the fight whether I was there or not. Right? I’m so going to PETA hell.

We drove to the edge of town and pulled up to the Caceres Sports Arena. As soon as you stepped out of the car, you could hear the yelling from inside. In we went, up rickety metal stairs, squeezing through yelling patrons, and finally making our way to some empty seats at the top, where I proceeded to sit on rooster droppings and bash my head on a low hanging metal rafter. Let the bloodletting being!

It basically went something like this: the roosters wearing sharp metal talons are brought out by their trainers. Another rooster is brought in to peck at them and make them mad. While this is going on, bets are being taken and the crowd is whipped into a frenzy. The roosters are let go and the fight goes on until one of the roosters is dead (or as good as dead). I thought the fights were short and not as gory as I expected. I then realized that the feathers of the roosters I had seen fight so far were red and, along with our high vantage point, masked the blood. It was then that I saw a long, bloody battle lost by a white rooster.

My wife's family comes from Naga City, a small city in Luzon. There is not much to do, and most activity centers around family and family gatherings.

But, a drive around town will give you a sense for the place. There are nice churches to visit, venerable schools, and the prerequisite market.

As far the nightlife goes, there is a row of restaurants, clubs, and coffee shops on Magsaysay street. Here is where the young go to eat, dance and be seen.

The big festival, which happens in September is the Peñafrancia fiesta, held on honor of our Lady of Peñafrancia, Patroness of Bikolandia. Traditional events which are the Translation and the fluvial procession along the storied Naga River.