A trip to the crater

I have always dreamed of going to places that I have seen on television. Like strolling around the Underwater World of Singapore, climbing the temples in Ankor Wat (Cambodia), riding on a gondola in Venice, shopping in Paris, reminiscing childhood days in Disneyland, Hong Kong and just touring around the globe.

However, one tour changed that dream.

During the first semester of this school year, one of my subjects in MassCom was photography. Because my classmates and I wanted to capture something that we have not yet seen and been to, we decided to have a photography trip to Dumaguete City, Oriental Negros.

We toured around the city. We stopped at Silliman University which almost occupies the whole city; the Silliman Zoo which has endangered species like the warthog and the biggest bat; Sylvanna's Bakeshop which is located near the famous boulevard and sells delicious parties like sylvanna, of course souvenir shops which sell shirts with price ranging from P80 to P150. Our last stop was not in Dumaguete City but in San Jose, Oriental Negros. It was in Lake Balinsasayaw.

Lake Balinsasayaw, according to the caretakers of the lake, is a crater of a dormant volcano. It has a depth of 20 feet. The provincial government of Oriental Negros takes good care of it. One can go around the lake in a boat (bangka), kayak or water bicycle. There is also a hidden waterfall. Going to the waterfall, one should ride a bangka with a boatman and walk along a short footpath.

Due to the inviting look of the lake, my classmates and I took a bangka for one hundred pesos per hour. Our boatman was accommodating so he allowed us to paddle and guided us to the direction of the waterfall.

When we reached the center of the lake, I saw the full view of the crater. I imagined myself in the movie Jurrasic Park 3. Then, when we were near the shore, my imagination shifted to the waterfall. From afar, I could see the trail leading to the waterfall and I could hear the splashes. At first, I was really scared because my thoughts were haunted by the question "what if spirits will play a trick and make us lose our way back?"

Still, I decided to go and see the waterfall. Well, it was not what I imagined. It was a small and plain but could still appreciate its natural beauty. It was pure and clean. However, time did not allow us to stay long. We had to go back or we might be left behind by the rest of the group. Fortunately, we were just in time to catch up with our party.

My memories of the tour made me realize that what I experienced in Lake Balinsasayaw is something I could not have in other places, for there is only one Lake Balinsasayaw, one Dumaguete City, one Oriental Negros and one Philippines.

Now I am still dreaming but no longer of Hollywood, Europe or other Asian countries. I long to discover more places in the land I call paradise - the Philippines.