In My Eyes: InMy EyesBy: Chriz ParDay 1 :Explore, Experience,...

In My Eyes: InMy EyesBy: Chriz Par
Day 1 :Explore, Experience,...: In My Eyes By: Chriz Par Day 1 :Explore, Experience,  and Enjoy the Unlimited Stairs of Banaue My story is all about our trip l...

In My Eyes

By: Chriz Par

Day 1 :Explore, Experience,  and Enjoy the Unlimited Stairs of Banaue

My story is all about our trip last August 21-24 2014, since those days are part of holidays and long weekend, we grabbed the opportunity to take at least a three day vacation trip in three beautiful and popular tourist destination in our country Banaue, Sagada and Baguio. All of my comrades in this tour were my girlfriend’s high school friends…J :-D… and it was great experience because I found new amigos and all of them were from Palawan. On the night of August 21, we met @ Ohayami Bus Transit station in Sampaloc, Manila and took a bus bound to Banaue @ 9pm. The journey took about 10 hours including two stop over. I slept uncomfortable because I’m not used to rest in sitting position. While we are still in the bus and sun begins to appear, I look at the window and saw the magnificent, marvelous land formations of Mountain Province. It has been a breathtaking moments every time we seen those perfect creations of Almighty. Such a wonderful experience to witness the great wonders of natures we have. I remembered in my younger years, those mountains were only seen at postcards, magazines and other chart materials, but now it’s been a dream come true. We arrived at Banaue exactly 7 in the morning, due to lock of enough sleep, we need to zip a hot tea or brewed coffee, and eat a light breakfast at People’s Lodge and Restaurant. The temperature was too cold although the weather was fair. We felt figuratively our knees chilled but we still feel the warm welcome of Ifugaos. After breakfast, we took some camera shots and proceed to begin the first point of our tour, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of 1996, also known as “The Banaue Rice Terraces @ Barangay Batad, Banaue, Province of Ifugao. Although there were some terraces already in Banaue, however the famous one is in Batad. We hired a local jeep and took the journey for almost two hours until we reached the saddle point. At saddle our jeep stopped because it cannot pass through, from there we started long journey through walking that took about 45 minutes up to 1 hour before we reach the View Point. While on the track, we met along some Filipinos and foreign tourists. We asked some of them how they find Banaue and they said, “Oh it’s very amazing and we wish to come back”, and some of them quoted the Department of Tourism campaign, “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” with broad grin, which they cannot express into words.

There were some delays in our trek because we cannot proceed without any photo ops with beautiful mountains at our back. Finally arrived in View Point we stopped at Batad Tourist and Information Center to pay for environmental fee worth of 75 pesos. All of us tired tremendously due to long walking and trekking but all of those replaced by extreme joy and stunning emotion the moment we seen the famous Rice Terraces or Hagdan-Hagdan Palayan. We finally witnessed the amazing and pleasing to the eyes of the great Banaue Rice Terraces. On that very moment, I tried to reminisce about how our ancestors did this kind of work of art with the absence of modern equipment and knowledge in Engineering.  Many historians believed that Banaue Rice Terraces was already 2000 years of age and even during that time our Lord Christ was not yet born; the Banaue Rice Terraces is already under construction. It only shows how our ancestors have an ability to build and create timeless structure that will last until hundreds of generation. According to our tour guide Fidel, all fields are privately owned by Ifugao families. It is handed down from thousands of generations. Sadly, to say according to one lady Igorot which I slightly interviewed, most younger Igorot nowadays prefer to go in the city to study and look for much better opportunities. Some sociologist and anthropologist believe that lack of interest in farming right now is just because of Filipino inheritance system.

Last 2008 the Rice Terraces was placed in the list of endangered heritage site in the world, coincidentally it was partially destroyed by typhoon on 2009. But with the help of various private sectors, government agencies, LGU’s, Batad community and stakeholders, Banaue Rice Terraces finally removed from the list. We’d seen some modern houses already built, but the Ifugao homes are still the main attraction.

Right after at Viewpoint the real tour is just only beginning, we need to climb those unlimited Hagdan-hagdan Palayan just to reach the top viewpoint where you can even more appreciate the wonders of it. The climbed took almost 1 hour until finally we reach the peak of terraces. I felt I am on the top of the world and I could never imagine nor came into my wildest imagination that one day I will reach the summit of Rice terraces. It’s been a coliseum, an amphitheater and you’re on stage to perform a rock concert. It also looks like a piece of cake with stairs as designed. We shouted our name and listened to its resounding echo. On that very moment, I am cherished God’s blessings by saying a little prayer with thanksgiving in my heart. I felt how wonderful our world is if all of us knows how to care our environment and keep the value of all these things. We spent almost 30 minutes at summit took some photos for FB and Instagram.

Tappiyah Falls

After that astonishing experience, the final leg on first day trip was the Tappiyah Falls, just besides the Rice Terraces, but it takes another one hour of going down of the hill. Since most of us exhausted, not all in the groups had experience to plunge in the hidden falls of Banaue. When we arrived at falls, all of us were excited to swim and replenish ourselves. The water was so very cold and relaxing to our drained bodies. There were also some foreign and local tourists enjoying and swimming in falls. After such kind of experience with nature we need to proceed back again at Viewpoint to take our lunch and merienda as well, because its 2pm already. We take our lunch @ Ramon’s Homestay and Restaurant one available eatery in Rice Terraces, I don’t know if there’s more.  We ate Igorot’s own version of adobong manok together with Ifugao red rice and zipped brewed coffee. Afterwards we went back immediately at saddle to proceed in Sagada. However, there was deterrent in going back at saddle and that was a thick fog, which surrounds the entire Banaue. Because of fog, track going back to saddle is not clear and the temperature becomes colder. Finally, we reached the saddle @ 5pm that all of us tired in this long trip of walking. We changed our clothes and we say goodbye at this moment to Banaue. But I made a promise, that I would love to return once more together with my family someday. Even though how wasteful of energy we consumed but the experience is priceless. No doubt, moments in Rice Terraces is one of a kind experience of my life that I will never forget.

Day 2: Sagada…. Sagad sa Ganda !

             

 From Banaue it took us 3 hours before we finally arrived in Sagada, Mt. Province @ 9 in the evening. The condition in Sagada more coldly compared to Banaue, and as we look at thermometer, the temperature dropped down for almost 13 degrees Celsius. At first, we get amazed and wow, because we felt that we are in Korea or Japan, literally there's smoke caused by cold temperature that comes out in our mouth every time we speak and talk to each other. People in Sagada were friendly, because they treat us more than just a tourist does. We spent our night in Sagada Guesthouse Resto and rest our burned out bodies. We cannot even try to take a bath because though there was a heater we refrain due to extreme cold temperature. We felt the water running in faucet is ice water…hahaha… We cannot sleep smoothly in spite of we were exhausted because of muscle pain we felt all over our body. We need to apply efficacent oil to lessen the muscle fatigue. We woke up at three in the morning because we need to witness the cloud formations @ Kiltepan Peak. At first, no one wants to get up, and all of us demanding of long rest. Since this is rarely to happen, we challenged ourselves, with motto in our minds “mind over matters”. When we looked at temperature gauge, it dropped down into 13 degrees Celsius; of course, we don’t have plenty of time to relax so we took a bath using a heater shower. However, we can’t stay longer in bathroom so 5 minutes is enough. We embark on jeep, brought us @ Kiltepan Peak just at crack of dawn. All of us admittedly still knackered, but right after we get there, it was beyond amazing, the sea of clouds formation in front of us with cold breeze in our cheeks greet us a “wonderful and blessing morning” it means a new day of adventure, welcome to Sagada!

Yes i'm so much blessed and grateful about what I’ve personally seen. I thank GOD discreetly in my heart, because I confirmed His majesty and workmanship. In Banaue, I felt I’m on the top of the world, here in Sagada feels like in heaven. We stayed there at least 1 hour and hopped in Yoghurt House to have our breakfast. We ate Sagada’s own version of tapsilog, scrambled egg, and toasted bread with red rice. Of course, we cannot forget to try their delicacies Yoghurt with various servings that rich in fiber. We also went in one local store to buy some pasalubong and other local products they have. I noticed all children in Sagada collect plastic bottles coming from tourist and I ask one of the locals why they used to collect them and fill with trash inside. She said it is a school requirement for them, because plastic bottles collected with sufficient weight of 1.5 kilos will use as alternative to bricks in building schools and houses wall. According to their own studies, plastic materials will remain century of years before it finally desolate. Igorot people are not only aware of harmful effects of plastic bottles but they know how to remediate it. Nice to see children in Manila including us do the same thing. After shopping, we visited the Echo valley where you can find hanging coffins of their ancestors.

We also visited the Lumiang cave where all other ancestor’s coffins located. All coffins there made in finest wood they have, so coffins still exist and become tourist attraction. The reason they called it Echo valley because literally you can hear your echo once you shout.  The last destination in Sagada was the Sumaguing Cave. In Sumaguing Cave according to our local tour guide, it is 300 meters below so going down is not quite easy. We need to equip ourselves with proper shoes or sandals fit for caving, in order to avoid accidents. Inside the cave you will feel the excitement with fear because once you fall either you have a fracture or permanently lived there… just kidding. But going down to cave without experience and practice is pretty much difficult. There are many slippery rocks due to mud. But with motto “mind over matter”, we overcome all those barriers… we are the champion! There were so many rock formation caused by running fresh water inside. The astonishing feeling was great to remember always. It took us 45 minutes before we reached the final stage of cave. Inside the cave, we did everything like photo ops and plunging in cold water because we don’t have plenty of time to venture.

However, there is still part of cave still undiscovered and yet restricted to visit due dangerous trek.  At 12 noon, we need to say goodbye to Sagada. We hurt to say so but we need to that because our last trip was Baguio, which is the last leg of the tour. Even though we want to explore more places in Sagada time is not ours.

Before we left Sagada, I tried to talk different people there, and observed their customs and traditions. They still wear their traditional clothes and chew Betel nuts. They could even speak more than four languages since their place is a tourist spot. I dream of someday wish to buy a parcel of land in Sagada to serve as my family’s rest house. Sagada offers a lot of adventures and challenges to all risk takers. I’m proud Sagada survivor!!!

Day 3: Baguio “City of Pines”

From Sagada to Baguio, travel took 6 hours. We arrived at Baguio City @ 7:30 in the evening but before we go to transient home, we went first @ SM Baguio to take our dinner. In SM Baguio, they were not using air-conditioning unit since temperature is cold. Baguio is already populated city like Manila with different business establishments and hotels open 24 hours. Since Baguio became popular in our country every summer, the economic activities rise up and more people in other places started to migrate here. It is also 4-hour travel back to the Capital city, so most of our fellow Filipinos want to live and stay here compare to Banaue and Sagada. Despite the growing number in population, the climate in Baguio remains at its best. After we took our dinner, we went in Lyn’s transient home and spent our last night of our tour.

At Baguio, we slept perfectly and took a long rest because we’re not obliged to wake up early. There we feel the comfort of sleeping with moderate coldness. We woke up @ seven in the morning, and prepare for a heavy breakfast. We first visited the PMA and took some photos at the quadrangle and other military vehicles replica. Right after we went to Burnham Park, Camp John Alley and The Mansion “President’s Vacation House”. We also went to Botanical Garden and grabbed the opportunity to have photo shots with Igorot Elders. At 12 noon, we’re still energetic so we decided to proceed at Mines View Park to see the whole City of Baguio. Mines View Park seems like Divisoria in Tondo that you can avail things you want to buy before go home. We shopped different pasalubong like lenguas, strawberry jam, ube halaya, and other Baguio’s products. We took our lunch at 50’s Diner and finally we visited our last two destinations, the Chinese Temple and Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad, Benguet. 

Due to off-season, we were not able to try how harvesting strawberries. After these three day long journey what I noticed was there’s improvement happened, that is we had never seen any betel nuts or “nganga” that looks like a bloody stain in all the roads from Banaue to Baguio, I’m happy for them. We proceed to Victory Liner right after our dinner to end our three-day package tour. Even we feel tired, exhausted, and almost knocked out, those memories and experiences we had, refreshed and re-energized our depleted bodies in NCR’s pollution and toxins.