the (holy) week that was ::Part 7:: (the journey home)

Note: This is a continuation of Part 6

Finally, we left Sagada before 12 noon.

We were taking the same reliable yellow jeepney (right) that we took and through the same route (Bontoc, Banaue and Nueva Vizcaya) that we passed before on our way to Sagada.  The weather gradually became less cold as we journeyed back down to the lowlands.

We had lunch again at Tchayapan Restaurant. This time we had pinikpikan chicken dish with broth and vegetables (left).  And this time, too, we had more time to stroll around Bontoc Proper—visit the local market, chill out and chit-chat.

While walking, we were stopped on the street by a food vendor riding a pedicab.  We found out that her name is Brenda, and that this young lady is also a teacher.  She passes her summer vacation productively (siempre, ininterview namin!) by selling specialty foods like blackberry yogurt, polvoron, and delicious turon made NOT of banana but of glutinous rice (Right Pic) along the streets of Bontoc.  Her enthusiastic spirit and amiable personality (She speaks perfect English, too—ahem!) was so evident that we can’t help but be delighted with her.  All of us gladly bought out all her wares!

SOLD-OUT: An enterprising lady, Brenda, her pedicab, and blackberry yogurt (P25).  Keep up the good work, Brenda, at yayaman ka talaga!

Waah! Ang init nanaman uli!: passing the time by cooling off with some ice cream from Creamline, a Baguio-based company.

We also had another stop-over at Mt. Polis. This time we found ourselves running into a low-lying cloud.  May it be a cloud or fog (later on, we realized that it was actually a raincloud), we felt like little kids again, basking in it, taking pictures and having fun.

We also bought some organic vegetables sold at really low prices:

Lady in the Mist: The Mt. Polis Virgin Mary statue enveloped in the cloud:

The surrounding cloud suddenly felt cold and damp.  I could tell it was going to rain.  And true enough, it did rain the rest of the way to Banaue.

We were supposed to stroll around Banaue while waiting for our 6 pm bus to take us to Manila (we got home on Easter Sunday at 4 am).  But because of the rain, we were forced to sit it out and had coffee instead at Banaue Hotel.

After the rain passed, a rainbow appeared outside the hotel’s window… which for me was a fitting end to our little adventure.

By the way, here is a video of us stopping by Mt. Polis:

Postscript: AND just one more for the road….

The Gang in Banaue   It was a pleasure ‘nature-trippin’ with you all!

Special thanks: to Lori, Melo, Noel P. and Ale M. for some of their pix posted here.  To Violet, our Wildflower tour organizer for a job well-done.  Emj and Zbeth for helping me realize my dream to visit Sagada. And to God, for letting me survive and get away with just a minor scratch—haha!;  for granting us a safe and fun-filled trip; for giving me the chance to meet and gain new friends during this trip; and for allowing me see how lucky we are that we’re living in such a beautiful country like the Philippines.

Here’s to more adventures ahead! Hanggang sa susunod na paglalakbay! Yehey!

 

the (holy) week that was ::Part 6:: (The Last Day)

Note: This is a continuation of Part 5

We were set to leave before noon but there were still some places we haven’t visited yet. So we started out early on Black Saturday morning.

Every Saturday is Market Day in Sagada. Farmers, sellers and merchants would come in from other towns and gather in the main road, set up ‘shop,’ and lay down their wares, such as tea, coffee, fruits like blueberries (for only 15 pesos in a cup!), vegetables, fish, meat, stuff from China, wooden crafts, sweaters, dvds of movies and Cordillera music, etc.

It was 6 in the morning when EmJ, Zbeth and I passed by; some were still in the process of setting up.  We decided to buy a pre-breakfast snack (if there is such a thing) from them—cinnamon bread and hot Sagada brew served in styro cups—to be eaten while strolling along the St. Mary’s Episcopalian Church grounds (left).

Built at the turn of the 20th century, the church pretty much looks the same as it did a hundred years ago (see old pics of it via this vid).

A peek inside: The Church with stone walls and Rose windows:

The church grounds where one can contemplate and meditate:

Then, we went back to St. Jo’s to take our last breakfast of fried rice, and all-you-can-eat danggit. Next off we went to pack our stuff so we can get ready to check out at 11.  But since there was still time to spare, we decided to go for one last trek.

We passed beyond the church grounds to see the cemetery and as shown on the right, the big cross at Calgary Hill (which was ruined because of a hideous communications tower said to be from Globe built behind it):

Watch your step!: Just the previous night, there was somebody who fell down around these parts. Fortunately, he survived.  A local manghihilot was all they needed to patch him up.

And then, off we went for a short hike towards Echo Valley, so-called because it is where you can hear echoes of your own loud shouting and screams (and yes, we tried it, of course!).  And from our viewing point, one can see from a distance, the Hanging Coffins of Sagada (the unique burial custom of the locals) at a limestone cliff (pic courtesy of Lori B):

The last thing we did was visit the Ganduyan Museum.  Here, we found out that before the Spaniards came, Ganduyan, was the original name of Sagada.  Artist and owner/curator, Cristina Aben (at left), showed us around and gave a very enlightening talk about Igorot history and local customs, as well as indigenous artifacts and items in her collection displayed in her museum. A small monetary donation is asked of you in lieu of an entrance fee.

Travel tip no. 3—make it a point to visit a local museum or attend a cultural show every time you travel.  If traveling in Sagada, I recommend to include Ganduyan Museum in your itinerary.  I found it a very informative and worthwhile experience that capped off our Sagada vacation perfectly.

Just one more… Part 7 (The Journey Home)

 

The (holy) week that was ::Part 5:: (A Good Friday PM)

Note: This is a continuation of Part 4

Afterward, we went to Sagada Weaving. Here, one can watch the skillful weavers (but no pics allowed) make the durable Sagada cloth that are made into bags, wallets, purses, and even shoes and in turn are sold in their store:

Oops, there goes my budget: I bought a backpack for P520 and a wallet for around a hundred pesos (right)

Next, we dropped by The Orchard, a garden restaurant and café where you can pick fruits (if in season) and pay for them later but there were none when we arrived…. So we just lounged around and chillaxed a bit. We liked the flowers most especially the lady slippers adorning the entrance (left pic).

Native baskets are hung from the ceiling in the restaurant, adding charm to the interiors (at right)

For lunch, we went back to the town.  Four of us chose to eat at Masferre Restaurant. We ordered and shared home-cooked style Pinoy meals: papaitan, chopsuey, and adobo (Cordillera-style). By this time we noticed that there were so many Holy Week tourists (local and foreign) in Sagada, it was like being in Baguio (well, almost).  This wasn’t like this 5 to 10 years ago, I heard.  The town then was quiet, and charmingly quaint during the Holy Week.  Now, inns were fully booked that some tourists had to be turned away.

Meantime, I was a bit nervous about the next activity we were going to have in the afternoon. We were going inside Sumaguing Cave.  I heard stories how difficult it would be to explore it with super slippery trails.  I was bracing myself for an arduous adventure ahead…

We were advised to wet-proof our gadgets and cameras. I chose not to bring mine since it was also advisable to keep your hands free while spelunking.  The  cave’s snapshots shown here are some that I grabbed later on from my tour-mates’ FB pages (thanks to Lori B. and Alejandro M!).

Some of the cave formations that we managed to see…

Well, what can I say… Frankly, it was a bit nightmarish for me. Some parts of the cave were smelly (with all the bat poo and stuff) and slippery.  Plus there were so many people inside that it caused ‘traffic jams’ (pic at left). The place was crowded and brightly-lit by the kerosene lamps held by cave guides, that somehow, I feel like we were inside a mall or something.

The inside of the cave was enormous.  And some of the paths were scary and steep. I was too preoccupied with trying NOT to fall that I found myself not enjoying the cave and its natural wonders anymore.

Then, someone said “I can’t go in any further” (I swear it wasn’t me).  Someone agreed (again, not me) and before we know it, majority of us did not want to venture forth anymore (and that included me–ashamedly).  I can’t say I was disappointed that the spelunking was cut short–I was also tired.  But looking back, I wished that we DID finish it—we could have seen the unusual cave formations ahead and the underground river.  Oh, well. Maybe if I was a few years younger…this would have been a cinch for me. But at that time in Sumaguing, I was only dreaming of a long hot shower to get of rid of the guano stench.

Light at the end?: Travel Tip No. 2 – Before you try spelunking inside Sumaguing, BRACE yourself for a difficult (and dirty) ordeal.  Don’t go in if you think you can’t do it.  And if you do, FINISH it. Don’t give up.  It’s also embarrassing to your spelunking mates who may want to reach the end if you give up.  Some paths are hard but you will survive.  Promise.

After showering (I stayed in the bathroom for an hour!), EmJ, Zbeth and I went and got the steaming arroz caldo porridge we had been craving for since the previous day.  We got it at Strawberry Café (left).  With pinikpikan chicken, boiled egg, and dayap juice, this comfort food (for 60 pesos) hits the spot alright! Yum!

b (=^‥^=) d ﾆｬｯ！purr~~

And then, for one last craving, off we went for a slice of lemon pie. But again, we were disappointed to find out that Lemon Pie resto ran out of pies, and so we settled for lemon tea instead. Anong lasa? Lemon siempre!

We tried to finish shopping for souvenir items like shirts, blueberry jam, oatmeal cookies, ponchos, caps, mittens, scarves, coffee, tea, etc. before the curfew starts.  Then, we had our last dinner in Sagada (since we’re set to go home tomorrow). We had sisig, and onion rings, and strawberry wine at Alapo Inn’s resto (left pic).

Meanwhile, outside, there was a semi-full moon over at Mt. Ampucao.  I took a picture of it with my cellcam, and this is the only clear shot of it:

Good Friday moon with a mysterious shining cross: We stood and wondered where the cross was coming from. Other people saw it, too, and took pictures of it.  We surmised that it may be coming from a communications tower at Mt. Ampucao.  This coincidence (it was a Good Friday—the day Jesus was crucified on the cross) made us say a little prayer and reflect: Ayan tuloy…Di naman dapat puro good times na lang kami! Magdasal at magpasalamat naman sa matiwasay na byahe at masayahing bakasyon!

I also prayed for a safe journey home for the next day…

To be continued… Part 6 (The Last Day)

 

The (holy) week that was ::Part 4:: (A Good Friday AM)

Note: This is a continuation of Part 3

“Mas mataas pa tayo sa clouds! (We’re higher than the clouds!)”

Excited voices woke me up at 6 am on Good Friday.  Apparently, my fellow travelers staying in the other dorm rooms at Alapo Inn were already up and about; thrilled about whatever they’re seeing outside. I got up, too, went to the window, and this is what I saw:

A Sagada morning (above): Are these clouds or just a foggy morning? Being lowlanders all of our lives, we couldn’t tell (hehe, that’s how we are–we even get easily excited at the sight of a mere pine tree).  Whatever it was, it made me want to shower and dress up quickly.  No time to waste… there’s a long and bustling day ahead!

Breakfast awaits (at left): Included in the organized tour that we availed of were daily breakfast meals at the nearby St. Jo’s Café. We were served skinless longganisa, omelette and native fried rice, plus ‘bottomless’ Sagada brew. A perfect hearty meal to face a grueling day. Carbo-loading ito!

Then we were off to our activities for the day–nature trekking, cave exploring, and more (!) picture-taking and eating (^o^)丿だー:

Grab on!: this is what they call ‘top load’ traveling (literally meaning, riding on top of jeepneys while traversing across rough terrains). Only for the fit and super-adventurous. And that doesn’t include me. No freakin’ way.

Into the woods: We passed different kinds of pine trees along the way to our destination. I heard that 10 years ago, there were not enough modes of transportation to help you go around the place–one had to just walk and hike. Now, vans and jeepneys can be rented for around a thousand pesos (including the driver’s fee).  The roads are still rugged but that’s just part of what this place is all about.

Care to take a dip?: Wha-? Brown water at Lake Danum? They said it’s usually blue but since it rained the previous day, it turned brown.  Oh, well. We took pics of it, anyway.

The view during the hike on the way to the falls.

The rice field terraces up close: young green rice plants. So this is what they look like…

We trekked across the fields and muddy trails.  Since I was afraid of slipping, falling and landing on my butt, I grabbed at whatever sturdy branches and leaves as much as I can.  I was able to manage much to my relief.

At last, we reached a small waterfalls. Whew! The water was so cold, almost icy to the touch.  It was tempting to take a dip or explore the area a bit more but we still had places to go to:

Next, we visited a viewing point that took our breath away:

Wow! Now this was more like it!: “Profile Pic! Profile Pic!” we exclaimed when we reached the viewing point. There was another magnificent view at Mt. Ampucao but going there would require a lot of huffing and puffing since it was higher in altitude.  This one may not be as high in altitude but all the same, we were immensely ecstatic about it.

Umaga pa lang yan pero ang dami na… at meron pa…

To be continued….Part 5 (A Good Friday PM)