An Island in a Lake in an Island in a Lake in an Island in the Ocean...

N 14 deg 00.560'
E 120 deg 59.780'

It takes some time to wrap your head around this one. Taal Crater is special. As I said in the title of this post, this is where you have an island in a lake in an island in a lake in an island in the ocean. Let's use Google Earth to help explain it.

Here you see the Philippine Sea to the bottom left, then the island of Luzon, then Taal Lake, then the crater that makes an island with a lake in the middle of it. There is a smaller island in the crater lake you can't see from this distance.

Here you see the small center island (only takes one pixel) in the crater lake, the crater and then Taal lake with Luzon just to the left.

Ok, so now we understand what were are seeing, I'll tell you about the trip. After a two hour drive, we get to the dock. To get to the crater we commission a boat to the crater island.





Once you get there, the people that live on the island look very uninterested in us...until they have something to sell to us. I don't think I ever felt more fleeced the whole Asian tour than I did here.

As we walk toward the horse stables, we are approached by anyone that thinks we have money to spare. We are asked to buy drinks. Then snacks. Then drinks again. We were led to the "stable" where we mounted the smallest horses I've ever seen.

The dogs horses that we rode to the top.

As we started along the way, people kept approaching us selling things. Mostly, they were trying to sell us disposable masks to cover our mouths and noses. I didn't want one, but one woman insisted I needed one since it was so dusty. I kept saying no, they kept telling me how dusty it was and how much I'd regret it. Of course, It wasn't dusty at all and I only would have regretted buying it.

Just as I get rid of the woman she comes back demanding 50 Pecos. I told her no, I didn't want one, I owed her nothing. And then I noticed Anna in front of me had one on. Anna though she said 15 Pecos. She took one and told the woman to get the money from me. Irk.

Once the woman got tired of walking along our horses the ride became more peaceful...for a moment. Then my guide started talking. Rather than let me guide the horse or ride one along side me, he was hiking up the volcano holding onto the dog...er, horse's reigns. He was telling me that he'd never gone to the crater before and this was his first time taking a tourist up on his horse. I knew that to be a lie right away. But he thought if he looked more sweaty and tired and was new and out of shape that I'd tip him better. He does not know how cheap my blood runs.

When we reached the top we were again approached by people insisting we buy drinks. I brought my own water knowing I'd be thirsty. So they didn't bug me too much about buying a drink for myself. Instead, they insisted I get a drink for my guide. He was pretty sweaty and and I'm not totally heartless, so I got him a drink and gave him the change from it. He put his hand out to accept the change. Afterward I realized he had his hand out for the change before there was any indication that I would even give it to him.

After the change was in his hand he looked down at it and said, "Tip."

I told him, "Yes, this is your tip."

"No, no, I need tip."

"Um, that IS you tip."

He gave me stink eye. "No, tip, tip."

"We are only half way, you haven't even gotten me down yet."

Silence.

I walked away and made my way to the lookout of the crater and saw the tiny island below and yellow sulfur floating in the water.



I was also approached by a cop asking me if I've ever shot a gun before. I though this was odd, but I answered that I have. Then he asked me if I wanted to shoot some guns and guested to his sidearm. I knew right away he wanted to have me shoot a few bullets and pay him handsomely for it. I grew up in Arizona. Riding horses and shooting guns for me is like eating coconuts for Hawaiians. I declined.

I got back to my guide and he was less than thrilled with me. The entire way back down he couldn't stop talking about his tip and how he deserves more. He was saying how it's not just him, but money for his horse and to feed him, etc. I told him I was no stupid tourist and I knew that he gets paid and does not just work for tips as he tried to lead me to believe. He again didn't know what to say to me...for a few minutes.

Finally I got tired of it and told him if he wants any tip, I'd like to enjoy the rest of my ride down. I also told him how he was rude when I was offering to give him a drink and the change at the top. He should have at least thanked me. He got the hint. But once in a while he tried to drop subtle hints.

We got to the stables again and he kept eying me. It went from desperation and sympathy for a tip to a murderous give-me-your-money-or-die look. When Anna arrived I pulled out some money and gave it to him. I pretty much threw it at him, said he should be more thankful next time and he might get more.

I went to Anna's young guide (about 10 years old), gave him some money and he was elated. The thanked me and put the money in his pocket with a smile. Literally, 60 seconds later he came up to me and then asked for more. He said that money was from me, but he didn't get a tip from my wife. I told him that was the tip from my wife. So then he asked where my tip for him was. I had nothing to do with him on this hike, there was no way I was giving him more.

As we walked back to the docks more people wanted us to buy drinks. We just ignored them. As we were boarding our boat some guy came up to my dad and insisted that my dad pay 60 Pecos per person as a fee for using his dock. His "dock" was a wooden board from the sand to the bow of the boat. My dad was probably as sick of being swindled as I was. He just completely ignored the guy and sat on the boat.

The trip was neat, the sight was cool but I will never return there again. I took a lot of pictures and video so I won't have to. I know they live in meager circumstances. I know they do have a need for income. I know that we are comparatively rich. But the attitude of entitlement and persistent attempts to squeeze every last Peso out of you puts such a sour taste in the mouth of the tourists. I wouldn't recommend this destination to anyone. It would suit them right to chase off all of the tourists and then they might have a change of heart. If they want to make a living off of tourists, they need to learn how to treat them.

But, griping aside, it was a pretty cool tip. And I can now say I've been to the the island in the lake in the island in the lake in the island in the sea.