Day 12: Tuesday 13th June- Visiting Tagatay

Thankfully Tuesday didn't start as early as Monday! We set off from the homes at about eight, with a short stop at Pastor Ellis' house to exchange some of our money, and picking Richard up on the way.
It was about an hours drive to our destination, a volcano situated in the middle of lake Taal. However we had plenty of entertainment as, as well as the usual accompaniment of some of the housemothers, (which today included Ate Fae, Ate Mai, Ate Janet, and Ate Gina), we were also joined by two of the younger children from the homes, Claire, who is four, and Chelly-Joy (not Cherry-Joy as we first thought- it's short for Rachel-Joy), who is three! Although they slept for the first part of the journey the last part was made more interesting by them singing us various songs, in both English and Tagalog, and by them shouting out of the window. Ate Gina translated for us and apparently they were shouting about it being a beautiful place! Chely-Joy also kept shouting '' every time we passed a cow!
The drive took us up and down hills and through pineapple plantations. When we reached the top of the last hill, before beginning to head down to the shore of the lake, there was a fantastic view down to the lake and the volcano. This was where we picked up the person who would arrange our boat trip across the lake to the volcano, so that we coluld climb up it.
Before crossing the lake we had KFC for lunch, and we discovered that Richard is Superman!!!!! (or at least that he looks like the pictures of superman (from the new film) that were on the cups that we had our drinks in!)
We had to wear life jackets for the boat journey, but they only had one size and the little girls were swamped by them! But they looked soooo cute and we had to take photos!
Once we got to the shore of the volcano the locals tried to persuade us to take horse ride up to the top, or buy one of the many things they had on offer, but we were determined to walk up and we already had everything that we needed!
The children were left at the bottom with Ate Mai, which was probably just as well because it was quite a steep climb to the top of one of the craters! The soil was hot and in some places there was steam coming off the rocks!
It was well worth the climb though, a fantastic view out across the lake, and down into the crater itself. (Sorry! I keep metioning the views don't I? but they are fab!!!!!) We took lots of pictures, (which don't really capture what it's really like), and debated about who had taken the most artistic picture so far!
After a short rest we then climbed back down to the bottom, which took about half the time it took to get up there, despite Ate Fae taking us down the wrong turning! Then back across the lake in the boat, having met back up with Ate Mai and the children, and a short drive to 'The People's Park in the Sky'
This is a park, (surprisingly enough!), which is perched at the top of a hill so that you can see for miles and miles and miles! More fantastic views! From this vantage point we could see, among other things, the volcano that we had just climbed up. There was a children's play park there so we admired the view and waited while the girls had a play. It wasn't long before Richard joined them, chasing them round, and in and out of a giant plastic pineapple! Both Claire and Chelly-Joy found this highly entertaining, (as did we!), even though it nearly ended in tears! (This was not Richard's fault, by the way!)
We did a bit of souviner shopping, and the housemothers brought lots of bananas and pineapples, then we headed back to the girls homes with Chelly-Joy and Claire both sitting on Richard's knee!
Sarah was supposed to have led a devotion that night, but we got back later than intended and so it was moved to another day and we just had a quick meal in the Hebron house (instead of Emmaus like usual), and then went of to bed!
Right! Sorry that took me so long to finish that Sarah has already done Wednesday!
ttfn Becci x