After catching a glimpse of the elusive Mount Fuji in Japan last year, my husband and I had no idea that within months we would be setting our sights on another peak: Mayon Volcano.
I remembered our brief encounter with Mayon when, early in the new year, I read reports of heightened unrest including rockfalls from its summit, prompting warnings that entry into the 6-kilometer permanent danger zone is prohibited.
Our main purpose then for visiting the province of Albay was not to see the world-famous volcano (and, on the side, to savor authentic “Bicol Express” and “pinangat”). We made the trip for the two-day dragon boat race in which my husband participated. But we couldn’t help but marvel at how Mayon seemed to be visible at nearly every angle, even if its visibility largely depended on weather conditions. Still, getting even a glimpse of its perfection was quite thrilling.
Upon landing at the airport, we spotted a portion of Mayon’s tip through the clouds that shrouded its majestic form. We thought that was our only chance to see it, as weather forecasts indicated unpredictable conditions in the coming days due to a low-pressure area, the southwest monsoon, and a possible tropical storm approaching. (It even rained hard in Manila the night before our departure for Albay.)
“At least we got to see it!” we told ourselves, careful not to expect much given that our itinerary centered on the dragon boat race. Little did we know that we were in for the breathtaking experience of seeing the volcano in nearly its flawless form at some of the places we visited. As in our experience with Mount Fuji, we seized the moment before it disappeared in the blink of an eye.
There are many stunning photographs of Mount Mayon. I also had the chance to capture some images of this Philippine wonder. CS
