Hey Volcano!

by Madison Barera

Like any tourist, I really wanted to have in a day to have fun and take a break from my stressed life. No wonder when my relatives came to visit in Albay to spend their vacation period; running away from the city’s traffic and hectic life. The best way to have relaxation is to see the perfect cone-shaped Mt. Mayon. A visit to Albay is not completely worthy without dropping to the iconic Cagsawa Ruins.

Last March 24, 2022 they arrived in our house; my uncle, his daughter and my cousin’s children. While we are busy chatting about our lives, my grandmother suggested taking the visitors to a tour in Albay because they’d just given few days off. My cousin agreed and wanted to see the Cagsawa Ruins. On the other day, the weather was sunny and let us travel like it was giving a warm welcome to the tourists. Cagsawa Ruins is located to Busay, Daraga, Albay. We rode a service tricycle for fifteen minutes. As soon we headed to the entrance, we paid twenty pesos each for entrance fee, except for the children below seven years old.

The funny thing is the first time I came here, I was also with the same people, except for my niece and nephew. As I looked at the alluring ruins, my mind travelled nostalgically to my years as a toddler and as an adult. Then, my four-year-old nephew shouted “Hey Volcano!” as he waved to it like an old friend. I smiled like I saw myself my old self in him. Now the place were less spacious since there are a lot of food stalls and souvenir shops occupied. New attractions like flower garden of sunflowers and lilies. You can also feed the tilapia and koi fishes, which my nephew really enjoyed.

In the centre, were the old church’s tower built, most of the people takes a pictures. Despite the modern era, you can still appreciate the beautifully preserved structure. Since it’s very hot outdoors, we decided to order food to beat the heat. We just enjoyed eating halo-halo, mango shakes, and strawberry ice cream while overlooking the view. We took a lot of photos for remembrance and posted them on social media.

I loved having time to spend it with my family and how we traveled as if were not locals, even though we always have the time to return to Cagsawa Ruins. A simple, yet a worthwhile memory to remember. Maybe aside from the majestic view it is also about the people that you’re with. That must have been the happiest day of my rest day – catching up on old memories with my family.