Taal Lake Volcano
         Steaming Pot

My family went to Tagaytay on a sunny day. From our hotel, all four of us down the slope we gingerly go. Farther down there it was a small single outrigger boat waiting for us. Clear blue sky, clear green lake water at the shore we saw as we approached the boat. A kid no older than my daughter Abby and his Dad to take us over to the Island Volcano. It was quite a boat ride.

Hike up we did the island within the lake! Lots of hardened lava on the way. Bushes as well. And Lo! Yes, there it was the crater rim! The steaming pot! It looked foggy from some distance as you approach the hole. And you hopscotch so you don’t land on any steamy craters. Who knows how thick they are, they could suck you in you could easily end up in the bottom and meet Satan himself! And his fallen angels murmurings we could hear as we walked over.

Steam and bubbles like a huge Geyser below as we look down the caldera. We walked some around the rim, what idiots we were! We saw and could hear the hollow sounds of rocks tumbling onto each other. Scary empty echo sounds. My camera couldn’t see any clear pictures except foggy ghost like images. I took the shots anyway and glad I did– they were ghostly surreal images! I guess you can only get these images from the one and only Taal Lake Volcano and nowhere else in the world. I used slides format as opposed to regular SLR film roll. My Nikon FM almost melted!

Lots of memories with this island volcano. The boat ride to the island and back is a trip by itself. And guess what, it rained, pouring hard on the way back. And the Jeepney that fetched us went straight up the steep hill in no time with all of us shimmering in cold all drenched. It continued pouring and got worse  before the sun showed up again after we reached the hotel.  Just like that. Amazing! A rainbow must have shown up. I’ll have to look for that slide.

Thinking back and looking at what is happening now, all the eruptions and volcanic ash debris raining down everywhere around the Lake area, I couldn’t help realizing how stupid we were endangering our lives, my whole family 38 years ago in 1982. But it was an adventure you can’t resist with nature especially with the enchanted Taal Lake Volcano– the encantadas and encantados of Taal! A Decades Volcano. Ripley’s a lake within an island within a lake within an island volcano. Walked all around that tiny volcano with my family dancing and frolicking skipping over the steaming craters with the Lake gods and angels of Taal. Memories. Mesmerizing!

Loved the food also in the hotel we stayed in overlooking the Lake. I think it was the one closest to the lake, I could be wrong . My kids, young as they were, took everything in – horse riding, participating in the stage dances, etc – part of the entertainment package. They were very much welcomed participating. All for fun, their age of innocence, ours as well. If I remember right Betsy did a tinikling dance but my daughter definitely did. Me, as usual I enjoyed a couple of San Miguel beer. And took pictures. Jason my son was just all eyes.

Salvador Dali-ish backyard! I am just happy now that we have those memories to tell about Her Tiny  Majesty Taal Lake Volcano‘s one  quiet afternoon. With the tantrums she currently exhibiting I only hope she saves enough magmas for her next outburst after a very long, centuries long sleep she takes after this one.

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(c)NDR01.17.2020
Photo: Media Screenshot of Taal Lake Volcano eruption a few days ago. ABS-CBN News