Day -1: 27 December 2009, Sunday

I took the scenic drive from my home in Mandaluyong to Anilao through Tagaytay and down to towns of Balayan, Tuy, Calaca and Mabini. Bad idea – traffic snarls on the main Tagaytay city street, which took an hour to get away from. There have been a flourishing of businesses along the Taal volcano ridge and there are just no places for the cars to get in and out, and park. Someone's got to do something about this.

Once out of Tagaytay, I was pleasantly back on memory lane, literally. Almost 20 years ago my work took me this route to the Calaca coal-fired power plant of the National Power Corporation (Napocor). We began the community relations program under the leadership of Ernie Aboitiz, who was then Napocor chair. The Calaca plant posed a problem to the community. Tons of coal on the yard was burning spontaneously and ashes and smoke rained on the community around the plant. The solutions ranged from just-in-time processing, to changing the kind of coal (i.e. supplier), tweaking the machines to use the kind of coal delivered, and blowing surfactants on the coal mound. None seemed to work and it was hard for the plant personnel to face angry community members. I was no longer with the organization when the matter was resolved, if at all.

The two huge red-and-white striped smoke stacks dominated the sugar cane-line lined horizon as I drove by trying to remember where the access road to the plant was. There was just green sugar cane stalks and I could not find the sign bearing the plant's name. There was no smoke coming out of the stacks either. Is the plant is undergoing preventive maintenance?

Villa Milagros

The home resort-type place of business partners Ziggy and Dindin is lovely. It is set along the Balayan Bay with a frontage of some 100 meters. The house sits elevated but the draw is the open lanai that overlooks into the bay and into the setting sun. That scene is tranquil and spectacular. The wood, bamboo and mats combination is rustic and reminds me a lot of home and the homes of my grandparents. I am sure that my wife will love the place when she sees it.

Most bring their own food or cook. But spouses Babes and Bro could prepare them for you. Bro told me that they want their guests to be totally comfortable feeling like this place were their own.

Am getting ready for tomorrow's dives. We plan to do two dives in the morning, the first being at Twin Rock, which I had written about the my dive blog. Now that's something to look forward to if I don't dream about it tonight.