“And if travel is like love…it is mostly because it’s a heightened state of awareness, in which we are mindful, receptive, undimmed by familiarity and ready to be transformed. That is why the best trips, like the best love affairs, never really end.” ~ Pico Iyer
As I’ve earlier blogged, I never grow tired of Tagaytay. Neither of Taal Volcano. Whether it’s viewed from the lakeshore in Talisay, Batangas or from the Tagaytay Ridge. With guests, we drove south from Manila at exactly 8am and back by 1pm. Just a short 5 hour day trip to view the world’s smallest active volcano.
The lakeshore scene from Club Balai Isabel included men fishing out seaweed from the waters by the shore. And then plunking them back down somewhere farther. Don’t ask me why. But it made for a lovely morning vista for city people like us. The men were still there even while we had a simple lunch of bulanglang soup and club sandwiches at the Club’s Terraza Cafe.
It’s always good being back here. I so love the place here I’m longing to spend a long weekend with my family here again. Yes, again. And again.
Soon after lunch, we negotiated the 9 kilometer uphill drive towards Tagaytay City. This time, we entered the Taal Vista Lodge for the view of the same volcano from the ridge. Hard to imagine this ridge used to be part of the volcano which collapsed in a major eruption centuries ago. By this time, so much has changed in Tagaytay. I long for the rustic feel which is fast fading — what with all the high rise structures under construction.
So, let’s hope the local authorities in Talisay, Batangas and Tagaytay City remember to preserve the charm of these small city and town. I’d be terribly saddened to see these places ruined as they are being “built up”. Taal Volcano may look the same, but the “old charm” adds to the ambiance, the romance of viewing this small monster from the lakeside and from the ridge.
lifeisacelebration 