Mt. Mayon "Sadok of Luzon" - Luzon Leg Part 5

I don't want to confuse my readers. I am back in Manila now. In fact it's been more than a week since I got home. In between though some articles had to be prioritized and my kids recently started their new school year. Though the sequence of my blog has been altered I intend to post the full version of the snippets I have kept throughout my road trip at that time and hopefully get you all back in the time line I originally wanted to set.

Salakot Photo courtesy of Ninh Nguyen's blog

Sadok - is the Sorsogon Province's term for the Filipino word Salacot. Neither “hat” in English nor "sombrero" in Spanish will ever translate to Salacot. Much would be lost in the translation if these two words were used. Salacot is never an English cap or a Spanish gorra. Salacot refers to the peculiar broad-brimmed headgear, mostly conical in shape, worn by Filipinos as they work in the fields and the sea. Lacking words for it, Salacot is already in Spanish and English dictionaries as filipinism, or words they borrowed from us ( Source Elmer I. Nocheseda - avid Salacot collector ); Sadok is also one of the most popular restaurants serving batchoy ( hot noodle soup popular in Ilo-Ilo City ) in my Hometown "Cannery" in South Cotabato, Philippines.

Sadok is what came to my mind the first time I saw Mt. Mayon suddenly bursting into view as we were headed to Legaspi from Naga. Maybe because I was headed home hence the restaurant's logo which is this headgear, popped in my head. I have no idea if the Salacot or Sadok was patterned after this perfectly shaped Volcano because you would see workers by the roadside planting rice wearing Salacot. 

 

Bettina: "Most Unforgettable!"

Ever reliable Roland

The symmetry of Mayon, rather (risking reverberation and cliché here), the perfection will surely take your breath away! The road ahead of me suddenly had numerous vehicles parked on the side of the road with passengers taking countless photos. The smiles were of genuine awe. In my daughter's words even if we weren't even half way of our journey, "Dad, this is the most unforgettable part of this trip!". I have seen this Volcano many times, even at night with flowing lava aglow but every time I can't help but feel so proud that this stands on Philippine soil. The Cagsawa Ruins will be a few kilometers before you reach the city of Legaspi. This is the perfect spot for taking pictures. There's even a river just before you reach the ruins that adds more beauty to the natural setting. The road leading to the ruins is narrow and could easily be missed despite the numerous signs before it. Best to be here early before the souvenir stores open or else you will be pulled in all directions except the view of the ruins itself. Don't bring a drunk friend or a war monger because they sell bolos, balisongs or batangas (butterfly blade popular in the Philippines), and itaks here. These are all variations of knives that are actually sold sharp! A bit of trivia on the etymology of balisong: "While the meaning of the term balisong is not entirely clear, a popular belief is that it is derived from the Tagalog words baling sungay (literally, "broken/folding horn") as they were originally made from carved carabao and stag horn. These knives are also referred to as "fan knives", "click clacks" and "butterfly knives". (Source: Ever reliable Wikipedia - the blogger's best friend).

The Cagsawa ruins is what is left of a Franciscan church destroyed in an 1814 eruption of Mt. Mayon. Yes this beauty is an active volcano and can be very destructive. Contrary to popular belief it did not bury the whole church nor is this a really tall bell tower. See an attached photo again from our reliable source Wikipedia. The facade is clearly shown with the church entrance still both very visible. 

This is a place to visit at least once in your lifetime especially if you are Filipino. Showing this to your kids early on will also instill in them appreciation for our own natural wonders and that God did not only bless the countries that National Geographic, Discovery and History Channel keep on featuring.There is something about natural wonders that stimulates the soul and refreshes the weary. Couple it with viewing the ruins and you will surely get the message that you are not gonna be here for long. So better get started with that bucket list.


Back to Sadok my favorite restaurant growing up, I also remembered my good friend Kimo the eldest son of the owners Nonoy and Lucy Pido, who was one of my childhood best friends. On the road I kept on chuckling with the thought that he would would have enjoyed FaceBook and all new social media the most. He died pre-ipad, pre-iphone and pre-facebook. But he was most active during the VHF radio days. He would drag me late at night to meet new found friends on what used to be called eyeball sessions. I was really easy to convince because his Dad's batchoy was really delicious and getting it for free doubly so! He was deft in coordinating/operating communication traffic on a fairly limiting technology of PTT (Press-To-Talk) and two-way communication. Surely he would have been an early adapter of new social media. 

I then realized that indeed in any trip, it is the journey not the destination. Driving on a long stretch of road with natural wonders around you, you also travel down memory lane further enriching the experience and the pictures can't even tell half of the story!

Naga/Pili's Field of Dreams - Luzon Leg Part 4

The first time I went to CWC (CamSur Water Sports Complex) was two weeks before the First Philippine Wakeboard Nationals. It was such an exhilarating experience I made sure I went back to witness the historic event. That was almost 5 years to the day. The 6th Nationals to be held soon will now be in a new complex much nearer to the Capital at Nuvali in Santa Rosa Laguna managed and develop by the same people namely Governor of CamSur Lray Villafuerte and team. The CWC though will always remain a testament to the Governor's vision and unwavering belief. He single-handedly built Naga or technically Pili's, Field of Dreams. It was exactly that but not in film but in flesh. Who would have thought that people would endure 8-10 hours drive or bus ride to visit the complex? Granted that there were flights from Manila but at that time the servicing airlines never thought it wise to reduce their horrendously high fares. But people came in droves. Apparently many wanted to try walking on water and some even manage to walk then fly in style over a man-made lake. And the complex was not just a me-too design. It was and is world class. The most modern in the world at that time. Imagine most modern in the world and Philippines in one sentence! Boy did it make dreams come true. Rockstar boarders flying over to show their stuff, MTV marketing, top-notch service and quality accommodations. Now the once sleepy agriculture based city is no longer just known for its Pili nut delicacies and proximity to Mayon volcano but a top-draw tourist attraction. I could go on and on talking about CWC but I think a full paragraph would be enough to convince you that if you plan to take a road trip from Manila to Mindanao you better make sure you stay a night. I wouldn't be surprised if you just opt to stay in the complex instead because at the very least it will invigorate you for the remaining endless hours of driving ahead of you.

That's me on the right and Bettina beside her Uncle Noel

It is the perfect pit stop. There is the pool that would surely relax you right away. The beer is always cold. The waiters are dying to serve you like royalty. The food choices are diverse. And the best part about this place is it won't cost you an arm and a leg. Unlike other self-contained resorts this place will not make you feel like an exploited detainee. World class amenities and service with Provincial pricing, perfect formula for those with champagne tastes but beer budget.

If you still have energy after the long drive you could wakeboard, wakeskate, ski, bike, run, swim and more. Check in after sunset and the cable park would still accommodate you. Embarrassed that you're a newbie? They have a separate area for training beginners.

Roland our family driver was so tired sitting as my passenger for almost 8 hours he needed a massage. He got one for 300 Pesos roughly 7US$ by the lakeside where you could watch the intermediate boarders strut their stuff.

We chose two tiki huts for our accommodations. 1,100 Pesos per unit/night around 24US$. Each air-conditioned unit could accommodate two adults. It's not their premium room. In fact I think it is the most basic. But it faces the main pool and the cable park. All the other accommodations they have can't beat the view. Downside is you have to share a common bath/comfort room. You'd be lucky like we were if it is off season. You would end up with a comfort room 4 times the size of your own tiki hut. Be warned though that they close the lights around 2 a.m. and if you get the urge to go take a leak after that time better not be afraid of the dark. Better yet bring your own arinola (that's Filipino for portable potty) and pray you or your roommate will only need it for peeing and not for #2. If you're interested to know what an arinola looks like check out the Parokya ni Edgar video that follows. Chito Miranda the lead singer is holding on to it the whole time in the video. If you're reading this with your kids the Music Video is rated PG.

Me and my pretty blogging sidekick

Ok enough of portable potties and back to the trip. Wake up early on day two of your road trip. Try to leave CWC before 6:30 a.m. If you need to blog and catch up on your email, facebook or G+ get up at 5 a.m. The rest of the guests will still be snoring or nursing massive muscle pains from boarding the previous day. You won't be hearing chirping birds or crowing roosters here but the enveloping silence and the site of a huge body of water while the sun gently rises will have more kick than a dozen cups of coffee. I assure you the place will be clean. No leftover dishes or beer bottles here. It's like, the night before, the personnel prepared the place for the inauguration of the complex. Leaving by 6:30 am or earlier will assure that you would be in the Cagsawa Ruins near Legaspi City by 8 a.m. That would give you enough time to appreciate one of the best geographical wonders of the earth the Mayon Volcano and ample time to look for McDonald's in a city that would be fully awake by then. However, the beauty of Mayon deserves its own blog so tata for now!