Mount Mayon Volcano

Mount Mayon Volcano

When we visited the Philippines in 2013, we travelled around some of the northern provinces of  this wonderful scenic nation. We did not have time to visit the southern provinces; we did not get to visit Albay in the Bicol region, home of the magnificent Mount Mayon volcano.

Mount Mayon is an active stratovolcano which dominates the surrounding countryside. It is 2,463m (8,081ft) high.
At a street market in Manila, around Quiapo, we bought a painting souvenir of the volcano. I liked the vivid blue sky in the painting, which now hangs proudly on our bedroom wall. We looked at the painting and resolved to visit the real volcano on our next visit to the Philippines.

 

We returned in February 2016, and based at the family home, we travelled extensively around the northern & south of the  Philippines and one such trip was to Bicol.

We hired a SUV and a friendly helpful driver/guide for a day’s tour  and travelled up a steep twisting road to just above halfway of Mount Mayon.

On each corner of the long winding road, there was a sculpted Catholic Cross to ensure safety whilst driving.

We stopped off for a nice lunch at a friendly deserted restaurant, the weather had closed in and it was quiet, misty and rainy. The top of the volcano not far above us was a shrouded with cloud. The view of the surrounding countryside was amazing then the mist cleared occasionally.

We looked at the observatory and museum which had a slide & movie show about the volcano.

Mayon hid her glory in a cloud cloth for the rest of the day

The next day from our hotel room, nearby Mayon unveiled and we saw the awesome symmetrical cone at its summit shining in the morning sun.

I grabbed my camera and took some photos. Later we did a tour of the countryside and visited the

Cagsawa ruin.

Mayon was a superb backdrop.

Mayon is active and last erupted in 2006 and the next eruption could come anytime.

With the excellent zoom on my camera, I managed to photograph the cone and vapour gassing out, which looked like steam mixing with passing clouds.

As we boarded the domestic flight plane back to Manilla, we took our last look at Mount Mayon and had realised our wish to see one of nature’s wonders.