red's alimuom.atbp

my hometown is this rustic, faraway place in Albay, i know only a handful strangers would hear about. but it got some attention recently due to Jessica Soho's blah-blah show episode.

our town is home to that Nag-aso Boiling Lake and the Bac-Man Geothermal Plant.



"Nag-aso" literally means "steaming" and the lake is boiling at 180degrees: heated by underground magma vents. i still dream some enterprising soul would develop the area into a spa, much like the Japanese did with their hot springs. progress is very slow in these parts, which can either be a blessing or a curse.

there's a lot more uncharted areas in our weeny town. so here's some of them that i'm hoping to revisit soon:

Kamanitohan River



the river is home to freshwater mollusks and shrimps common in the region, and endangered flying lizards so rare you wouldn't find them easy nowadays. heavily silted since the landslides of 1994, it has bounced back gracefully since.

Cawayan Beach



the shoreline around Mayon Volcano is normally black, except for pristine Misibis (open only for the ritzy ones) and our Cawayan Beach. a no-frills area (not even a cottage is nearby) if you're looking for the sun, the sand, the sea and dramatic blocks of stones.

Scenic Pier (beside the Boiling Lake)



the pier was built as an easy access to the Boiling Lake. with a view of Legazpi Bay and Rapu Rapu islands (home to the infamous Lafayette copper mine). you can dip into the pristine waters, fortunately shielded from the mine tailings spill scandal by the Rapu Rapu islands themselves (the mine is on the Pacific side). it is a pier, sure, but you're lucky to get a boat ride from here.

Mayon Volcano from the pier



our town is 42 kms. from Legazpi City, with at least 15 minutes of bumpy road. there are no hotels available but I'm sure you'd get lodging from any of the townfolks. better yet, look for me or my family and we'll welcome you in our house anytime.

see ya!