Melo Villareal
Bohol and Albay: Among World’s Best Tourist Spots
You have probably heard of Murad Osmann, a Russian photographer based in Moscow. With his wife, Natalia Zakharova, he started a project, entitled “#FollowMeTo.” Since the world has become smaller due to latest technology, people love to travel to the best places. Since the year 2011, the couple has been gathering global attention. They have travelled to both famous landmarks as well as lesser known places around the globe for their project.
Arrived In Albay And Bohol
The dynamic couple then landed in the Philippines and took a trip to Albay and Bohol as they searched for the best scenery in the world. With the thousands of photos taken from various spots and places, two photos have become viral gaining nearly 200K likes, as of presstime.
- First photo – showed the well-known pose of Osmann with Zakharova leading him hand-in-hand toward a picturesque perfect cone of Mayon Volcano and devastated Cagsawa Ruins in Albay. The caption of the first photo says, “The volcano was amazingly beautiful but unfortunately this time, the top was covered with clouds.”
- Second photo – showed the couple’s posing towards the “magic island of Bohol” showing this island as one of the best tourist spots.
“One of the loveliest sunsets we witnessed there was later that night,” reads the caption of the second picture.
Albay: Its Grandeur And Ruin
Albay is located in the Bicol Region, southeastern Luzon, Philippines. All iconic images of Albay always show the towering, nearly-perfect cone of Mayon Volcano. You can travel anywhere in Albay and the grandiose Mayon Volcano will always appear in the background of your photos. This perfect-shaped volcano stands for magnificence in Albay.
The centerpiece in Cagsawa Park is the Cagsawa Ruins in which tourists can have a complete scenic view of the volcano. Bicol’s rich history is symbolized by the ruins that stand for the fortitude and flexibility of its people in facing catastrophes from Mother Earth. The greatest adversity happened February 1, 1814 when Mayon Volcano erupted and buried Cagsawa including the nearby areas. More than 1,200 perished who found sanctuary in the stone church. It is considered the strongest eruption recorded to this day.
Bohol: The Magic Island
Bohol is located in the Central Visayas region with Tagbilaran City as its capital. It is famous for its Chocolate Hills that are a geological formation where over an area of more than 50 square kilometers are sprinkled with 1,260 to 1,776 hills. The hills have green grass covered during raining season that becomes chocolate brown during the dry season, hence its name. Loboc River is one of top destinations in the island province of Bohol, and of course, the Tarsiers that are deemed one of the smallest known primates, no larger than an adult men’s hand.
The “#FollowMeTo” famous photos of the Osmann have been published in 2015 in the book “Follow Me To: A Journey around the World through the Eyes of Two Ordinary Travelers.” After traveling around the world, they agreed that that Albay and Bohol are among the world’s best tourist spots.
