I like taking photos when I am traveling and have always tried to get some clear shots when I’m on-board a plane, trying to identify certain landmarks like volcanoes and bodies of water or perhaps roads that I could identify from above. Aerial shots are quite tricky with a point-and-shoot even though one can have the benefit of zoom and other pertinent functions digital cameras have these days. On one particular trip I had the fortune of being able to take photos of Mayon Volcano while in another, I was able to take a photo of Taal Volcano. I missed one opportunity to take a photo of the Chocolate Hills of Bohol in one return flight from Mindanao.

The following photos were taken during one flight when the conditions were just right for some clear pictures of roads and then some familiar places as our aircraft approached NAIA.

Roman Highway in the Bataan peninsula – there are many industrial estates and plants along the highway, most having their own seaports.

Ortigas Avenue Extension with Cainta Junction on the upper left of the photo – one of the busiest roads connecting Metro Manila to the eastern province of Rizal, this avenue is often constricted due in part to varying road widths between Rosario and Junction and undisciplined public transport drivers stopping just about anywhere along the road.

Close-up of Cainta Junction, the intersection of Ortigas Avenue and Imelda Avenue (formerly Felix Avenue) – this intersection is usually congested even during weekends as residents in Rizal with workplaces or schools in Metro Manila have steadily increased over the years.

Manggahan Floodway – along the west and east service roads flanking the floodway are thousands of informal settlers. Notice the haze in the background?

The high-rise buildings of Bonifacio Global City and the Makati CBD – Market! Market! is on the right side of the photo. While the photo seems clear, one can see the haze, probably from pollution, in the background and obscuring the buildings further away.

McKinley Hill – development west of Bonifacio Global City and beside the Philippine Army Headquarters. Buildings in the City of Manila are visible in the background/horizon despite the haze.

Philippine Army Grandstand and Parade Grounds at Fort Bonifacio. What looks like a wide green area between the Fort and the Makati CBD in the photo are actually parts of exclusive high-end residential subdivisions (i.e., Forbes Park and Dasmarinas Village).

SLEX, Skyway, and the East Service Road – that’s the conspicuous TESDA building on the right with its inverted pyramid feature.

View of the NAIA Terminal 2 upon touchdown – also known as the Centennial Terminal, this is used exclusively by Philippine Airlines for both international and domestic flight.

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