On a bad day the mist rolls up the hills from the lake below and engulfs the area of Tagaytay. Driving up the side of the ancient volcano’s crater using the road from Nasugbu, Batangas, on the Philippine’s coast on the South China Sea, to Tagaytay, on the rim of Lake Taal, the air temperature may drop startlingly from 31°C to 20°C and there can be a hammering of monsoon rain for half an hour. The mist rolls thickly across the road and some of the Filipino drivers, unnerved by this, apparently hitherto unknown, phenomenon, pull over to the verges and stop. Only expatriate drivers continue, having experienced thicker fog in Europe. They switch on the headlights and the fog lights, which they may have scorned when they bought the car.
On a fine day, when driving up to Tagatay from Manila, the tropical blue skies and sun reveal yet again the dazzling beauty of Lake Taal with its volcanic island protruding from the blue water.
Taal is an ancient volcano forming part of a chain of volcanoes along the western side of the island of Luzon. It is located about 50kms from the capital, Manila. The Philippines is a part of the “Pacific Ring of Fire”, which comes from Japan southwards and arcs east to the Philippines, Indonesia and New Zealand.
Lake Taal itself is, in fact, in the crater of a larger volcano, with a second volcano, whose short cone protrudes through the lake, forming an island.
This volcano is, by no means extinct. Wikipedia reports that “a notice on 28 August 2008, notified "the public and concerned authorities" that the "Taal seismic network recorded ten (10) volcanic earthquakes from 5:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. today. Two (2) of these quakes that occurred at 12:33 and 12:46 P.M. were both felt at intensity II by residents at barangay Pira-piraso. These quakes were accompanied by rumbling sounds. The events were located northeast of the volcano island near Daang Kastila area with depths of approximately 0.6km (12:33pm)”
Nonetheless, Lake Taal, on a clear day is a very beautiful sight and many trippers come up from Manila to enjoy it. Along the road around the lake, in the town of Tagaytay, there are many good restaurants and hotels where good food in pleasant surroundings can be taken with a view of the lake in the background.
Tagaytay is a very pleasant place for Manileňos to escape to, for a day or a weekend during hot, humid, polluted summer days in the city of Manila. Tagaytay, at an altitude of 600 metres above sea level has an average summer temperature of 22C, with a humidity level of 75%.
The rich volcanic soil, on the sides of the hill up to the lake, make the area a prolific spot for fruit and vegetable growers. Pineapples and sweet corn on the cob seem to be crops in demand. In addition flowers which do not thrive in the lower lands do well in the semi tropical climate and one can see many varieties common to Western Europe, such as Lupins, Dahlias and Foxgloves. The first mile of the hill near Tagaytay is lined with stalls selling fruit, vegetables and flowers, although prices tend to be a little higher than in the usual markets because of the increased demand from passengers on tourist buses, which often stop by these stalls.
Tagaytay was also the drop zone for troops of a US Army Airborne Division in February 1945. The aim of the troops was to secure the ridge against the Japanese forces to ensure the free flow of men and supplies from their beach landing point in Nasugbu, Batangas proceeding to the liberation of Manila.
