On top of a live Taal Volcano

by Patrick
(Antwerp, Belgium)

Ever since I saw the Philippine islands from the landing plane I wanted to see an active volcano up front.

The most famous one is Taal. Surrounded by a huge lake, you have to cross in one of their famous boats then hike a mountain or rent a horse which was fun. The climb took almost an hour.

Up around the crater it is very windy and cold. Yet from red rocks seeps burning hot steam with the smell of hell. Tourists from all around the world come to shoot pictures endlessly and throw rocks at the lake which is so deceivingly big and far none of the rocks reaches it.

What impressed me the most was the heat rising from the soil beneath ur feet. Try to feel the hot air and u burn ur hand.

Tagaytay is only an hour's drive south of Manila but it is a world apart. It's got the best restaurant in the entire Philippines on the shores of Taal Lake with a casino across the street and luxury houses dotted in a circle around this wide breath-taking panoramic view.

We stayed at this gorgeous colonial style hotel. With no reservation, we arrived very early in the morning and were given this huge bridal suite with roman bath and balcony.

Every window of our suite seemed to wait for the volcano to explode and u know what? A few months after our visit it did!