Now, that’s a happy face! Mrs. Eduviges Y. Huang, FPPF Chairwoman, beams as she rides a horse on Taal Volcano Island on the way to the Crater Lake rim. Mrs. Huang led a group of FPPF mentors on an inspection trip for more shooting locations for the Travel Photography Workshop scheduled for launch in September.
The FPPF went up for the second time in 8 days to the Taal Volcano Island as part of the inspection tour for the Travel Photography workshop which will be held regularly beginning in September. This time, the team included Mrs. Eduviges Y. Huang, FPPF chairwoman, and Prof. Cecilia S. Angeles who were game enough and just too happy to mount their horses and enjoy the view.
The FPPF mentors scouted for scenic places that will be included in the travel workshop which will be conducted by award-winning travel photographer George Cabig. The team inspected shooting locations and venues in Tagaytay, Amadeo, Taal town, San Nicolas and of course, the Volcano Island itself. Earlier last week, the team took the route, north of Volcano Island, via Tagaytay and Talisay town down below. From there, it was a short 30-minute boat ride to Barangay Tabla at the foot of the volcano.
This time, the route started from Tagaytay, then we turned left at the Tagaytay-Batangas junction to go down to Taal town via Lemery. From the scenic town of Taal, we proceeded to San Nicolas, south of the Volcano Island and took a 45-minute boat ride to Sitio Kalawit on the east side of the island to begin our trek up the hill to the rim of the Crater Lake.
We went there again, 8 days after our first trip, this time approaching the Volcano Island from the east side sitio of Kalawit. We got to Kalawit by boat from the town of San Nicolas, south of the Volcano Island.
The Taal Basilica, billed as Asia’s biggest Catholic church, dominates the landscape of Taal town, a municipality with so many old houses lining its streets one is reminded how the town would have looked several hundred years before. Taal is described by its residents as Heritage Town.
FPPF Chairwoman Edi Huang shoots an angle from the window of the Ilagan ancestral home, one of many old houses in Taal.
More photos, after the jump.
Veteran travel photographer George Cabig by the window of the Ilagan ancestral house.
Detail showing an antique brass metal knocker at the door of the Ilagan ancestral house.
View at the San Nicolas town pier, takeoff point for boats going to the Volcano Island.
FPPF Project Director Lito Beltran mounts a horse to go up to the Crater Lake rim. This approach from Kalawit is a bit gentler than the approach from the northern barangay of Tabla.
Prof. Cecilia S. Angeles, 76 years young, waves to the camera as she goes up the mountain on her horse. There are some steep slopes along the way where the horse has to gallop in a jerky motion for the climb up, making it quite challenging even for younger climbers to balance, but Prof. Angeles is game. Everybody went up and down the mountain safe and happy.
Professional photographer Amir Alba, left, takes in the view with his camera, while travel photographer George Cabig follows behind him on the slope.
Hello again, old friend! The view from the east side of the Crater Lake. This was taken at about 4pm, with the afternoon sun against the camera. A morning climb on this part would perhaps be gentler to the eyes.
The view from the rim, looking east across the outside lake. That’s Mount Makulot jutting out there, a favorite climb for beginning mountaineers.
The FPPF team who went up the rim of the Crater Lake in Taal Volcano Island. From left to right: Chris Malinao, Arki Culata, Prof. Cecilia S. Angeles, Amir Alba, Lito Beltran, Manny Inumerable, Mrs. Edi Huang, Frando Culata and George Cabig.
The FPPF team earlier dropped by the Pacific Groove resort residences, an exclusive gated community in Tagaytay. Its clubhouse offers an excellent venue for the Travel Photography workshop.
The FPPF team also dropped by the municipality of Amadeo to greet town mayor Albert “OJ” Ambagan Jr, center, on the festive occasion of his birthday and town fiesta. Mrs. Huang is seen here being introduced to the mayor’s father, Alberto Ambagan Sr.
At the Casa Punzalan in Taal town, the FPPF team confers with Dindo Montenegro (2nd from left) of the Taal Heritage Commission, on the itinerary of the travel workshop. The Casa Punzalan is a pensionne house run by local volunteers. In photo (L-R) are FPPF Project Director Lito Beltran, Dindo Montenegro, Manny Inumerable, George Cabig and Prof. Cecilia S. Angeles.
Watch this man, as he puts together the people, places and events that make PhotoWorld Asia 2010 exciting. He is Manny Inumerable of the Zone 5 Camera Club. He is now the Chairman for PhotoWorld Asia 2010, slated for January-February. Details for the annual FPPF event are now being worked out, and this early, we can tell you that the PWA 2010 personalities will include US photographer Kevin Ames, award-winning Filipino photographer Manny Librodo and Bernie Ledesma, the flash wizard who regularly holds the Strobist Seminar. Watch this space for more details.
