Sunday, March 31, 2013

CamSur to Albay via Sangay Joroan Road

CamSur to Albay 
via Sangay- Joroan Road
Scenic Pilgrim Road 
(Bicol Cuaresma Series 1)

Despite the very long non – working holidays
during the Holy Week that begins on Holy Thursday
until Ester Sundays, we are always home
as  we  schedule our summer
vacations two weeks after the holy week...



...as almost all Filipinos are on a vacation mode and
it is very stressful traveling on peak seasons
and nothing beats staying home
for some peace and quiet.


Even eating out is really very difficult
as the restos are teeming of people

 

 

...and hotels are fully booked.

 

The kids weren’t able to wake board as the queue
at the CWC was kilometric even before the long holiday ...




Even Haciendas de Naga ran out of official receipts
and had to close gates in the afternoon
to avoid too much crowd.


So  we stayed put and got to enjoy
the very long week end at home,



...where the kids busied themselves doing whatever
 they can to enjoy the long weekend.



...having home cooked dinners
fit the the season on Lent,






...and  visiting pilgrimage sites.

Two of the most popular Pilgrimage Sites in Bicol
are in Naga City for Lady of Penafrancia Shrine ...


...and  in Joroan, Tiwi, Albay
for the Lady of Salvation Shrine


Unknown to many, these two pilgrimage sites
are connected by a very scenic highway that traverses
 thru the Partido Area in CamSur and exits in Tiwi, Albay


We initially intended to go to Calabanga’s Hinulid but we failed
as  every nook and cranny of the Hinulid Shrine is teeming with people
and it has always been difficult to find a parking space...


...so we decided to have a road trip from  
Naga City to the Joroan  passing thru the scenic
back roads of  Sangay , Joroan, and Sabluyon.



The latter connects two Albay Cities  of Tabacco  and Ligao,
(bypassing the city if Legazpi, Camalig and Guinobatan towns)
where Kawa- Kawa is located and where our pilgrimage will culminate.



We left Naga at about 11 PM and we drove thru Pili diversion,
and passed hr the rustic towns of Ocampo , Tigaon and Sangay.


It was past twelve and we intended to eat lunch in Sangay
but  to our horror we found no decent place to eat-
we have not found a single restaurant in that town
except for small  roadside carenderias.


We decided to drive back to Tigaon and  still found
no restaurant that looked safe enough for young kids to eat,


We  drove to the nearby  town  of Goa and settled to eat
 In the spanking new  Graceland Restaurant.


After lunch we drove back to the 
very laid back towns of Tigaon...


...and Sangay,


and off we went to the scenic mountain road
that leads to Joroan in Tiwi, Albay.

 

 

The highway view 
 is a feast for the senses.


The deep blue Pacific Ocean  
 on one side,


 


...and the green forested mountains 
on the other side.





There were several viewing decks but 
the most popular, the biggest and the most visible 
was the one located in Barrio Patintinan.


The view deck provides  a panoramic view
of the Pacific Ocean


...the popular Agiurangan Island



...Partido’s isolated and hidden coves ,

 

 

...and the beautiful  towering  mountain range 
 on the other side of the road.



Breathtaking is the on way to describe the view
on the whole stretch of this highway-


...which unfortunately punctuated by the
depressing sights of poverty of most of  the
people living there.


Sometimes you get to ponder on the thought of
why could something so beautiful be so destitute?




The beautiful view could be seen 
all throughout the highway-

 
....until we  arrived  at the 
Lady of Salvation Shrine in Joroan.


We stopped for a while 
to light candles and pray.







We continued our journey 
to the resort town of Tiwi,




...this time the Mayon Volcano  was already visible
it still shrouded with a curtain of clouds-






...but the view became more breathtaking
when we arrived in Tabacco.


We took the rustic Sabloyon Road  which had
 the magnificent view  of Mayon Volcano on one side


....and various interesting mountain ranges  
 on the other side.



Sabloyon Road also serves a a gateway to
the Mayon Rest House view deck in Tabacco.

 

From Sangay to  Joroan to Ligao
this road less traveled indeed has the most
exhilarating countryside view in the region.








When we arrived at 6: 30 PM in Kawa- Kawa
just as the sun  had set and  the hot and humid air
 has dissipated in the late afternoon dusk...





...a weather perfect for a night time station of the cross
and leisurely walk at the beautiful Kawa Kawa Hill.


We returned to Naga City by the Maharlika Highway
Past 10 PM and had a late sumptuous dinner 
at the Macagang Diner in Nabua,