Friday, July 4, 2008

Sky Watch Friday: a cloudy day in Tagaytay


overcast sky at Taal Lake

view from the Palace in the Sky




Taal Lake is a freshwater lake in Batangas. Within the lake is an island with an active volcano, called Taal Volcano. Volcano Island contains a lake about 2 kilometers across, called Crater Lake. Within Crater Lake is another small volcanic island, called Vulcan Point. Vulcan Point is the world’s largest island within a lake on an island within a lake on an island.

On a clear day, Taal Volcano is best viewed from Tagaytay City ridge, the highest point in Cavite at 640 meters above sea level. The People’s Park in the Sky, formerly known as the Palace in the Sky, stands on the highest point of Tagaytay City. It was built for the official state visit of the former US President Ronald Reagan, but Reagan cancelled his trip due to political unrest during that time. It’s an unfinished 4-storey structure that offers the most spectacular view of Tall Lake and Volcano, Laguna de Bay and Manila Bay. The palace was crumbling the last time I was there---it’s hard to imagine the affluence it enjoyed during the heyday of the Marcoses.

For more Sky Watch Friday photos, please visit Wiggers World.


16 comments:

Linda Reeder said...

This is fascinating stuff! Ronald Reagan, huh. Sorry about that. I'll withhold political comment.
Thanks for the great pics of a very interesting place.

Unknown said...

This place has a great view! very nice!
My Sky Watch Friday posts

Anonymous said...

Very interesting about "world’s largest island within a lake on an island within a lake on an island"! Clever finding the sign of People's Park in the Sky! Very apt for Skywatch Friday! The first photograph is gorgeous :)

Indrani said...

Spectacular views and very informative too.

Pretty Life Online said...

Perfect entry for skywatch... all I can say is that "you'll be the sun in somebody else's sky"...LoL! Mine's up too hope you can drop by...

SandyCarlson said...

Wow. This is gorgeous. Your country is rich in beauty.

 gmirage said...

Luna, I live about 20 minutes drive from there =D

Nice to see the foggy sky again...

Tom said...

This as got to be one of my favourites this week... and it's not the picture butthe facts that have mde it so... Great Sky Watch post...

Snap Catch said...

Great catch for SWF! God and Nature first made us what we are, and then out of our own created genius we make ourselves what we want to be. Follow always that great law. Let the sky and God be our limit and Eternity our measurement.... Happy weekend! Mine's up too hope you can drop by..

George Townboy said...

Amazing shots, thank you for posting them!!

Anonymous said...

Stunning!

Jane Hards Photography said...

Astonishing images. Haven't seen anything as close as this for skywatch this week. Very informative text too. Great post all round.

chanpheng said...

Wonderful pictures. I've been to the Philippines twice but each time it was for work and I didn't get to see much of your lovely country.

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

AnneKa said...

Great sky watch post, still trying to see all the sky watch photos on Tom's blog.

escape said...

never been to palace in the sky but i've been to tagaytay highlands. we tried the cable car and played tennis there. i love the place.

esnorway said...

nice shoots