Déjà vu: Mt. Pinatubo Trek

Aerial view of the Mt. Pinatubo lake.

I don't intend to pose an entire photo album in this entry hehehe. I just can't help but share my awe about the magnificent view of the infamous Mt. Pinatubo. Who would ever forget the most catastrophic event of the 20th century that took lives and had left thousands and thousands homeless.

That was June 1991 when everyone was struck by that atomic bomb like sound and shook the central part of Luzon. Afterwards, a form of cauliflower clouds filled the sky. Out of ignorance all the students were jumping in glory as if there were celebrities performing, when all they've been waiting was for classes to be suspended. (I think I'm guilty of that hehehe)

I was 14 years old when Mt. Pinatubo gave it's series of eruption. For a kid who had an actual experience of the incident, I thought it's going to be the end of the world. In a sense that the day turned out night and there was non stop rain of ash, sand and stones.

Now, after the devastation that almost erased nearby towns and provinces on the map, even spreading volcanic ashes and pyroclastic maover the neighboring asian countries here's what it looks like. The once dreaded and feared Mt. Pinatubo, now resting and giving you a piece of cinematic approach to entertain your naked eyes.

Despite of it's beauty, this should still remind us of what nature is capable of.

Looks like you have just been warped (hehehe). It really is on the Mt. Pinatubo site, the aftermath that is. After my sister saw the picturesque scenery, she uttered in amazement, "I thought it was in Canada or in Hawaii" (hehehe). It really is amazing.

And it looks like I was just standing beside a painting.

The skyway that day was not passable because of the previous monsoon, this is the reason we took the long way. For first timers, going up will take roughly 3 hours and 30 mins. That's because as you go along, you can't help but stop, look and take shots of the mountain like formations of lahar.

Like in any hiking adventure, climbing up is the BIGGEST challenge. So before you take a stride, check first if there's no weather disturbance around the area. Otherwise, you'll just gonna waste your time. You may not even make it to the crater like what happened to others. Department of Tourism will not allow you to trek as the place will completely not passable. And even if they will, hiking will be a lot challenging. So better check the forecast before you set that date.

We're all set. This is the drop off point and the meeting place back when done trekking.

And I'm getting ready for that BIG step of my life.

After 5 mins of walking hehehe

My arthritis is starting to feel it..LOLs

I think this is where the idea for the ice cream flavor was taken...
Very Rocky Road.

Reaching the crater lake entices you to take a dip... it's blue-greenish color appears when it's receiving that much rain. According to our guide, the algae microorganism is so much alive.

I was afraid at first because I thought it has sulfur. But eventually, I felt I was being drawn by it's beauty. Then what the heck...despite of my worries of changing or rinsing after, I took that plunge. It was very deep, peaceful and very cold. The complete opposite of the once angry and ravaging crater 17 years ago.

feeling wow, looking wow....thanks to arthricin...hahaha

Here's the hard part for me. I don't know where to change... there's no fresh water available. So I just brought my stuff back with a small itch in my butt (hehehe)

We can only stay for two hours because the sun is starting to set. These months has shorter daylight so we have to catch up before we crawl in the dark.

Whew!!!! At last... Reaching the meeting place safe and sound. DOT even sent a group of Army soldier to standby just incase an unfortunate situation happens. Good thing we're all A-ok.