TRAVEL & TOURISM
Mesmerising Mayon
Favourite tourist attraction puts on a show
WORLD-famous Mayon volcano in the
province of Albay in the Philippines
erupted recently, attracting not only
volcanologists around the world but also
tourists eager to watch in awe as ‘The
Perfect Cone’ spewed ash and molten lava.
Even as reports of mass evacuation of
villagers below the Mayon ran across the
world, little stories of human interest filtered
out.
One news report was about an “eerie
photograph of ash cloud formations”
around the erupting volcano which
appeared to resemble two people
embracing has triggered a viral
online debate over whether it was “a
representation of an ancient myth”.
Pictures above are the image of a
photograph by Filipino photojournalist
Ciriaco Santiago III taken from a vantage
point in Barangay Tagaytay, Camalig, Albay,
and an illustration of ‘Magayon’ and her
lover by artist Kerby Rosanes depicting the
ancient and tragic tale of a woman called
Magayon (beautiful) who ran away with her
warrior lover to escape an unwanted suitor.
The tale goes that when her lover is shot and
killed by an arrow as the couple try to flee
her father and tribesmen, Magayon
commits suicide by stabbing
herself.
Santiago’s picture went viral on
Facebook.
But other locals suggested that
the picture of the cloud formation
represented the virgin Mary
cradling baby Jesus.
Still others panned the
interpretations as “pareidolia,” a word
defined in the dictionary Merriam-Webster
as “the tendency to perceive a specific,
often meaningful image in a random or
ambiguous visual pattern”.
Mayon rises 8,077ft and is located in the
island of Luzon about 210 miles south-east
of Manila. It is the country's largest and most
populous island.
The volcano is famous for its 'perfect
cone' because of its symmetrical and conical
shape.
It is one of the most active volcanoes in
the Philippines, erupting twice last month,
with further major eruptions and tremors
imminently feared as magma continued to
pile on its summit.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology
and Seismology earlier in January increased
the alert level for Mayon to three on a scale
of five, indicating an increased prospect of
a hazardous eruption “within weeks or even
days”.
Lava flowed at least half a mile down
a gully from the crater and ash clouds
appeared mid-slope as lava fragments rolled
down, according to Renato Solidum, who
heads the volcano institute. n
Mayon volcano eruption scene at night time.
One shot from becoming Cancun’s CEO
A SYDNEY SOCIAL MEDIA FLYER WITH AMBITIONS TALKS TO MARCO SELORIO
CHEEKY Australian-Filipina travel
enthusiast Leanne Melody is on target
to become Cancun’s next ‘Cancun
Experience Officer’ (CEO) as the face and
personality of Cancun, that beautiful
tourist beach resort destination in
Mexico.
Here’s the interview:
MS: What is your background,
Leanne?
LM: I’m a western Sydney-based travel
enthusiast. My life consists of working,
saving, travelling - repeating. But before
getting into social media I worked as a
professional makeup artist in weddings,
film & television.
MS: How did you become a social
media influencer?
LM: Throughout my travels over
the years I’ve always made my own
personal travel content like vlogs, journal
entries and photos. Last year I won a
viral competition for ‘The Best Job in the
World’ with Busabout and that gave me a
platform to put all those skills to good use.
MS: What got you hooked into it?
LM: I travelled across 20+ countries
in Europe and shared my journey with the
world. After a job creating content and
16
sharing so many great experiences abroad
I knew for a fact I couldn’t go back to any
normal job when I got home. So now I’m
hooked to find a way to turn this into a full
time living!
MS: Tell us about Cancun and the
job you are applying for. Why are you
going for it?
LM: Cancun is looking for a Chief
Experience Officer by living, breathing
and immersing themselves in Cancun for
six-months, the CEO will help Cancun.
com showcase the beauty and wonder of
this tropical paradise and show the world
FEBRUARY 2018 | AK NewsMagazine, Vol 8 No 5
why Cancun is a must-visit destination.