I never thought I would be swimming with whalesharks...

...but that's exactly what we did in our recent trip to Bicol--my very first visit to the region.

After 25 years, I finally got the chance to see in person the famed Mayon Volcano at its finest. 

It was also my first time to sit in the car for so long with my parents and two younger siblings.  The 10-hour journey to Legazpi prompted numerous jokes and Karlo's certification of Pa for being a comedian... only to be revoked a couple of jokes later after slipping back to corny.

That was the mood the entire trip, switching between pure silence (with exception to the sound of the car roaring across the seamering pavement) and laughter.

The ride was smooth... with the occassional maneuverings to avoid potholes at the substandard Quirino highway which bypasses the towns of Camarines Norte.

You would know that you're in Bicol when you come across a Bigg's fastfood outlet.  The billboards look inviting but upon our arrival at Legazpi, we opted to have a quick stop at Jollibee for their familiar Chickenjoy and spaghetti.  The Bigg's treat would have to wait the next day for breakfast.

The family met up with the rest of the party, which arrived a day ahead, at Alicia hotel near the airport.  At late afternoon, we visited Cagsawa ruins--site of the devastating 1819 Mayon volcanic spillover which killed thousands and buried alive hundreds inside the renowned church.

The cloud cover didn't give justice to our visit in this renowned site. 

As the sun set in and the ants bit on our feet, the crew decided to head out for our very first dinner at Bicol.

The next day we drove an hour south to Donsol in Sorsogon to swim with whalesharks and unexpectedly sight dolhpins from a few meters afar.  The boat ride cost Php2500 for seven passengers, plus Php300 for a complete snorkeling gear (mask, snorkel, fins).  But I did away with the snorkel and the fins, which was a mistake. 

There were about 30 boats on the site all vying to see the elusive "butandings".  From time to time, we would hear the guides shouting "jump" and the passengers bailing off the side of the bangkas to swim with their orange life jackets to view the creatures underwater.

The local government has set guidelines to ensure the preservation of the whalesharks' natural ecosystem.  This entails swimming four meters away, not using flash photography, and time out for any tourist who touches these fish. 

We did a total of five jumps to chase the whalesharks--with 100 percent success rate of seeing these gentle giants.  It would have been better though if I didn't have to catch my breath on the surface from time to time.

Upon our return to Legazpi, we checked out of the hotel to stay at Tita Emma's place in Camalig with a fantastic view of Mayon from their balcony.  At this vantage point, one could see that Mayon isn't so pefectly coned shape after all, with jagged edges and rugged gullies near the crater.  But nonetheless, it was still a majestic sight.

The party got a chance to drive around the city and stopped by a halu-halo restaurant just across a Gaisano Mall for a treat of the delicacy.  Apparently, the place is a go-to for locals and tourists because of it's unique halu-halo, one that has cheese laden as topping (and minus some of the condiments that you would leave in your glass).

The fowls and ruminants at the residence where we stayed for the night started their chorus at 6am the next day. 

"Kaya siguro maaga nagigising mga tao dito," my dad remarked.

The chicken and lone cow didn't stop their wake up call until about two hours later when everyone was up and about, raring to go for a two-day stay at Camarines Sur. 

After our bid of goodbye to Tita Emma, the two-vehicle convoy drove its way up Mayon to the planetarium situated about half-way up the slope on the north side of the volcano.  The patch of clouds from time to time offered a good glimpse of Mayon at its fullest glory.  The clear day provided a undisturbed view of the slope and gullies that mark the flow of the lavas. 

From Mayon Planetarium, one can see the surrounding mountains and valleys, and the bay off the town of Tabaco to the north east.   

The scene can be likened to the great view of Taal atop Tagaytay ridge...but this was new to me, thus, better.  With its mostly green backdrop, the Albay scenery tells of the bountiful environment of the province.

The structures at the site tells of its age, with paints peeling off the walls of the buildings.  But nonetheless, it was still well taken care of. 

A 25-minute video of the 1993 Mayon eruption is shown at the theater inside the main hall.  At the Starship Cafe, the staff serve cheap but tasteful treats like pancit, hamburger, cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, hotdog, hotdog-in-a-bun, etc.

Then we were on our way to CWC in Pili, Camarines Sur, which deserves a whole new chapter.  But one that will be kept untouched in the eTheReal Saga series.

Watch the video outtakes here, while photos can be viewed here.