Two Trips Up North (Part 1)

This is a year late.  Anyway, today I think it is time I write about it.

Last year we went to Laoag, Pagudpud, and Vigan. It was a very long trip as our first destination was Laoag.  The Sunshine City as Laoag is tagged is about 2 hours away from Pagudpud to the north and 2 hours away South to Vigan.   However, we had expected Laoag to be about 10 hours away from Manila so we opted to take a quick stop at Vigan to have lunch.  Bad decision I guess because we left Manila at about 5 am and reached Vigan at nearly 4 pm.  Of course we had underestimated the travel time.  It was the holiday season and the traffic was just so bad.  It was my intention to see Vigan at both day and night but not for us to be starved.  Yup we were all starved when we got there.  Our breakfast was 7 hours earlier and at Tummy Talk it took nearly an hour for our food to be served.  The holidays took a toll on us as there were so many people in the area and we had to go resto hopping before we even got a place.  Then, after that, there were so much food for the resto to cook that it took even more time for them to hand our fare.  It's probably because Tummy Talk was not as popular as Cafe Leona and the other restos that we were able to find a place to sit.  Of course there was the usual empanada at the Plaza which later I found was just about 100 meters away from where we were but it was our first time in the area and we didn't know where to go.  Plus I didn't have the energy to look for my companions any longer.

Vigan is a city but it is also rich in culture and history.  In fact it had been declared a UNESCO Heritage Site as it looks and feels like you're taken centuries back when you're there.  Calle Crisologo is a street where most buildings and housese had been preserved.  Though most have been turned into stores and shops, the owners retained the stuff that reminded the visitor of the heritage and culture that influenced ours.  The capiz-shell windows were there, the cobblestone roads, the lamps, the solid wood huge doors that mostly the affluent had in their homes.   Even the shops sold more antiques than anywhere I have ever seen.  The only means of transportation allowed to ply the length of the street were the calesas (horse-driven carriage). The one thing that turned me off were the small piles of trash that the unmindful tourists who didn't care to throw their garbage in the bin and the seeming neglect of the Ilocano merchants who probably didn't want to lose time away from their goods to pick the trash.  Too bad.  Anyway, we didn't stay long there as we had to proceed to Laoag where we were to stop for the night.

to be continued...

Coron Day 2 - Island Hopping Coron Loop

continued from Coron Day 1...

We were up at 5:30 am because I had planned to leave to go island hopping by 6. But our boatmen who were coming from Cullion Island were not there yet. I was a little pissed off of course because the boat owner, who happens to be my dad's kumpare, and I had agreed that we should start at 6 and not at 5 as I had originally suggested. The poor guys had to sail for over an hour because the sea was a little rough and it was still dark.

At 7 am I decided we should just go to the marketplace where we would buy the food stuff we needed for our trip that day. Part of Coron's allure is being laid back. However, it's too laid back you can't find any food in most of the islands. There are some resorts that do offer food but then you'd have to pay and exorbitant entrance fee and pay for the food too. Now, that wasn't practical because we had intended to go around and not stay in just 1 island. This I think is one great opportunity for those who would like to do business there. hint* hint*

Ted, the boat owner, told me to meet the guys at La Sirennetta, a resto by the sea very close to the market. They have their own dock which our boat can stay at. So, I and Ria went o buy our food while Boyet and Ikee ordered our breakfast. It's a good thing that La Sirenneta had a set meal for 100 pesos each which included dried danggit, tocino, some fried rice, and coffee or juice. Cheap eh? When we got there, the food was served.

Siete Pecados.
Our boat was docked by the pier owned by the resto. It was convenient because the boat was just a few steps from where we were. After we ate, we boarded and were off to our first stop - Siete Pecados. Today's itinerary is the usual Coron Loop. If you are looking for a place on Google Earth, I don't think you'd find it. It's a small island that doesn't even have a beach. Nope, not at patch of land to step on. The great thing about it though is that the people had put some ropes in to the sea so we didn't get scared about drifting off. We had to stay in our boat and jump into the water if we wanted to snorkel. There is a 100 peso fee per person just to snorkel there. We all did but decided to leave just after 30 minutes because the water wasn't clear enough for us.

Kayangan Lake.



Our next stop was the world-famous Kayangan Lake. I guess most of us would be familiar with it as it is always featured as the mountain lake with some people snorkeling in it. I always see in in the Mabuhay magazine of Philippine airlines and the magazine of Cebu Pacific. We docked near the entrance of the trail. There were some limestones at the side that I wasn't able to resist having our picture taken. The water was clear and had different shades of green and blue. There were islets at the background and the sky was blue too with the sun golden up high. It was perfect. Besides, the trail looked difficult and looked unstable. But, there was railing made of wood that it could just be possible for my knees to take the trek up.

We started our hike up. It's so amazing that Dong, our boatman's assistant, was behind us yet had waited for us up at the highest point of the trail. There were some unstable rocks alright but then the trek was not as steep as I had imagined. As we got to the peak, we were directed by Dong to go a side trip before we descended to the lake. Lo and behold, what seemed to be the most wondrous sight was right before my eyes. The view of the greenish bluish water and its islets where some flora had grown and which I had lusted for and tried for my "photographers" to capture. Now, it is a better view and all the more alluring. the islets had the bluish-golden horizon for a backdrop. I wanted to jump for joy as I had looked at the view by the cliff. Yes, it was treacherous. But then again, what beauty does not lie beyond a dreadful trail?


As we went our way down to the lake, what was once a dream for Boyet had now become a reality. It was as beautiful as we had seen in the pictures. Deep, still yet cool and clear water, with towering limestone walls, some tiny fish in the shallow and a wooden bridge that served as both a path and a bench to its visitor. We just loved it. We stayed for about an hour but had to leave as it was nearly 12 noon and we still had to cook lunch. Too bad.



Banol Beach



There was nothing much that we did at the beach but to laze, swim a little and cook our meal. But this stop was really restful. There were some huts a few meters from the coast. Our hut was situated next to a huge kalachuchi tree which gave a wonderful shade. I spread out the mat I brought from manila so Ikee and Ria could lay down. We had broiled pork and fish and a seaweed salad that i had prepared. For dessert, we had brought some local mangoes that were so sweet even while they were not so ripe yet. I kept them cool in the small cooler that we bought. it was quite a meal.

By 2 pm, we were on our way to our next stop - the CYC beach. However, we didn't quite like the place from afar and thought that we would wasted time staying there. So we headed for the Twin lagoon.

Twin Lagoon.

The lagoon is enclosed by some limestones. There used to be only 1 way to get there: you'd have to dive deep through a subterranean hole. However, now, they've placed a platform with a wooden makeshift stairway of about 15 steps up. But, to get to the platform, I had to go through a bridge and ride a raft. The rest of my crew did not want to go there so I was the only who braved it. I saw the hole beneath the platform. It didn't seem to be a difficult swim. But I was told that if you raise your head while still there at the hole, you run the risk of hitting your cranium on to the pointed ceiling. Now, that's a risk I didn't want to take.



Barracuda Lake

After the Twin Lagoon, we proceeded to the Barracuda Lake. It was our last stop for the day because everyone we talked to, even our boatman, didn't want to take the risk of being at sea in the late afternoon. It was a wise decision as the water had become a little rough already. But, we still had time to see one more spot so off we went to the nearby lake which was also on the way back to Coron. Like the other stops, there was an entrance with a platform. I guess the Tagbanuas got used to having visitors around that they constructed several of those platforms for their guests to use. There was a short but winding path leading to the lake. however, unlike Kayangan, this lake had a small mouth which we deduced was the only take off point. It was a little dark and really tight there that none of us wanted to go for a swim. So, we just took some crazy pictures and were on our way home.

As we had sailed back, I notice a white tower northeast. The boatman told me it was a lighthouse. Thus, I asked him to go a little close to it and stopped there for a little while to take some pictures. After that we were homeward bound.

Dinner was at the Kawayanan Grill. I was told this was one of the top restos on the island. It was good but not very good.

Coron Day 1 - Coron Town Tour

Hey guys! I'm back from Coron. Here's my story:

Our semi-annual family vacation trip this year was in Coron. As always, I am the trip director and organizer thus I made some research. 1 month prior we had decided on going to the town. It had been for several years that Boyet wanted to visit Kayangan Lake and we had chosen between going to Batanes and Busuanga. The Batanes trip had been too expensive for us. So, we opted for Busuanga instead.

After the decision had been made, I did further research and we booked our flight. We flew via Cebu Pacific because at that time they offered the lowest fare. However, 2 weeks after, my cousin Ria decided to join us in that trip and booked with PAL whose price was way lower than ours. It turned out that both airlines would be delayed at some point. Our flight was delayed for 2 hours going to Coron while Ria's flight was delayed for about 3 hours going back to manila.


Day 1.


Our flight left NAIA 3 at almost 12 noon and an hour after we landed on the tiny airstrip of Busuanga. Like all the other times, Cebu Pacific was late for a little over 2 hours. When it finally landed, the plane bounced off the ground once before it did finally touchdown. Scary eh? It wasn't my first time to experience that with them so I wasn't scared anymore. The worst I gave was a shrug and a squirk. I left out on the arrangement for the airport transfers for this trip. Apparently, though, the lodge we were booked with arranged it for us. We had to pay 150 pesos per person. Quite expensive for approximately a 20 kilometer trip from the airport to Coron town but we didn't have a choice. There was no other means of transportation. I was just happy that the van was there.






We got to the Coron Village Lodge at almost 2 pm. Our first lunch was right there at the lodge since it was late and we were all starved from that dreadful trip. Sadly, there's very little vegetable choices at the resto. Lunch consisted of just tuna with lemon butter sauce and sinigang na baboy for soup and veggies. I can't say food was good but it wasn't really bad either.

We decided to stay at the lodge till Ria arrived. Anyway, we wanted to take some nap after lunch. When finally my cousin came at about 4 pm, we took a tricyle to a local resto to reserve for some barbecued pork and rice so they can cook for us while we were at Mt. Tapyas. after that, we grabbed some mineral water and took off the the Mountain.

The fee for going up Mt. Tapyas was 100 pesos per guest. Nearly all places in Coron had fees. Some say it is really to help maintain the place. There were 724 steps going up to the top of Mount Tapyas. At the 500th plus step, I stopped and told my family to go ahead. I didn't want to risk having any pain on my knee because I was afraid that if it ever happens, it might not go away until after our trip. At first, they didn't want to leave me behind probably thinking that I was just too scared or too tired to walk up any further. But then, I was determined not to leave the spot where I was. They said there was a huge cross at the top. This was supposedly the mark of Coron from afar. All that 724 steps were quite steep. Fortunately for the visitors there were landings after every 10 or 15 and there were shades spread out through the stretch. From where I was a panoramic view of the Coron Bay could be seen. I was told it was quite beautiful up there.



It was almost 5:30 when we got down from Mt. Tapyas. From there, we just picked up the food that we had ordered and went our way to Maquinit Hot Spring. The road was half good and half really, really dusty and rough.

There are 4 pools at Maquinit. Despite the 50 pesos entrance fee, there were more visitors than I had expected but there was enough space for everyone. The water was hot at 40 degrees centigrade and stung at first. But as soon as we were immersed in the pool, it became pleasantly cooler and relaxing. The trick is not to get intimated by the warmth at the start because the body does acclimatize.

Although the water was really pleasant, I didn't really like the feel of the slimy moss on the stones and walls. These guys are thermophilic and could withstand the heat. Also, I didn't like how the pool was under illuminated. on the topmost pool, it was a bit eerie because it was underlit and the pool appeared dark in that area probably because of the growth on the walls and ground.


We stayed there for an hour. There were some huts that lined the side of the park all the way to the entrance. The great thing is that there was a sari-sari store inside that sold a lot of things including soft drinks, chips and noodles - enough to feed the hungry guests after a dip at the warm pool. It did make some back and leg aches go away. After all it was like a hot compress.

On the way back to the lodge, we stopped by Manang Lita's Cashew Store. I figured there wouldn't be any time to do that in the next few days so it was an opportunity to do it then. After that we went back to the lodge, and retired early. It was going to be an early start for us the following day.



To be continued...

Revisiting Montemar

April 25, 2009

It was was a delightful drive along SCTEX from Dau to Bataan. We left Manila late and were in a hurry to get to Montemar in Bataan. But, most of our tension was gone when we got to the Subic-Clark-Tarlac-Expressway which not only made our drive more pleasurable, it had made our road trip shorter.



Reaching Montemar Beach Club at 10:30 am, the sun was already up and a bit hot for swimming that I decided not to join them in the Blue Pool. But, it was actually an excuse not to get dark as I'm expecting to be given voluntary nursing work soon. The Blue Pool (so named because perhaps of the dark blue tiles of the pool that didn't make the sun's reflection too hot like other pools do) is the favorite of the old folks of my husband's family. It has an odd shape - more like a letter y- and it wasn't too deep. Being blue with trees and foliage about that separated it from the structures in the area made it look like a hidden lagoon - cozy, relaxing and charming. Just beside this pool is a rather smaller pool for kids. Well, it was meant for them but obviously noone prevented the adults from using it either as our aunts spent some time there too. There were some reclining chairs made of wood at a corner towards the direction of the restaurant. Not too many of those chairs were there. Just enough for a few people to sit and lie on. I took some pictures of our group. After all, it was not often that we got to go somewhere with my husband's family.



There are several rooms in Montemar. But, as in the past, we were there on day tour only and it was not economical to rent a room (although I had given it a thought, really. *shush*). We had paid 1,000 pesos each but 500 pesos of that amount was consumable. Thus, paying for the fee wasn't really so bad. The place was nice, the food was good. Boyet wanted to sleep and rest though because he was tired. So, we rented the hut very close to the beach which had 2 reclining seat/bed and some curtains. I had chosen a spot farthest from where the music was coming from. There was a nice breeze and the wave was a little strong that made the sound of water crushing onto the rocks loud enough to create an ambiance conducive to sleep. I dozed off myself. The hut only costs 100 pesos per hour but our mistake was that we didn't tell them right away when we didn't want to use it anymore. We ended up paying 500 pesos for it.



In the middle of the hut was a small table where we had lunch. Ikee and I ordered food from the resto. Unlike the rest, we didn't have breakfast because we were late thus we had an early lunch. The 500 pesos food allowance was more than enough to feed one person that we had money to spend for the snack before we left the resort.

JP, my husband's 4 year-old nephew, was with with us and was already getting bored because he stopped swimming just before lunch. It was good that we ran into Giovie, the manager of the resort, who happens to be a cousin's former officemate. He told us that we could take a stroll at the tortoise conservation just a short distance away. Of course, JP went with Mang Ruben, the owner and driver of the vehicle they hired. And surely, after that, JP came back to blabber about what he had seen - tiny tortoises in a cage. This, according to Giovie, was to prevent them from being eaten by their usual predators. The resort had taken this responsibility since it had started to operate. Or maybe just a few years after its opening.



We took a short stroll at the rocky area near our hut. It is a ravine and we were at the bottom of it. It was already low tide when we walked and took some pics again. I didn't want to go into the beach because the waves were strong already. It's good that Montemar posts a warning for their guests about how strong the waves are and who may swim.



At 4 pm, after we took a snack at the resto, we were homeward bound. However, Giovie said we should go back when Richard comes home in June.

We just might.

The View At Kiltepan - Sagada Day 3 & 4

There was a hesitant knock on our door. It was shortly before 5 am and I suddenly got up from bed. Quickly, I realized that Tita Glo and company would be leaving for Baguio that morning and, as agreed, were saying their goodbyes. We felt sad that they had to leave so soon. Luchie had a class the following day which she couldn't miss and Tito Bon had been missing his cat, Mox, already. They had been our companion since day 1 and, although we had only gotten acquainted at the bus, it felt as though we had known them all our lives.



Breakfast was at the nearby Bana Cafe. Ikee and Boyet had the corned beef meal whle I had a bowl of yoghurt and some banana cake. We had all intentions to go to Kiltepan on our 3rd day, just not during the sunset as it is too early for my husband and daughter. But it rained then so we did not leave the Residential Lodge because we needed to check out to transfer to the Rock Inn. I purposely wanted to try both accommodations so I could write about them in my blog. It was convenient that Bang of the Rock Inn had sent the shuttle service to fetch us from Tita Mary's place. Apparently, our reservation included 2 shuttle trips. It would've been enough to bring us to the Rock Inn from Tita Mary's and to bring us from the the Rock Inn to the bus station in town the following day. But, despite the rain, we didn't want to stay inside our room and not see as much of Sagada as we could muster. So, we put down our bags in our room, ate lunch and went back to town again.



It was still raining so we opted to go to the Ganduyan Museum. Andrew Bagni, our guide for the past 2 days, had suggested for us to go there to see the "matanda" (old person) who tells a tale. My idea of the "matanda" was that of a man, with wrinkled skin, wearing a headdress, spoke English and smoked cigar from a pipe. Thus, when we got to the museum, I was looking for such a person and got a pleasant surprise. Yes, the "matanda" spoke English. In fact, very fluent english. But no man, with wrinkles and a pipe, and all that. No sirree. The matanda was Christina Aben, the owner of the modest collection on exhibit at the Ganduyan Museum.



The door to the museum was shut but the sign said it was open. So, I went in with my family and out of nowhere, Ms. Aben was right at our back. She politely asked if we would like to hear the story behind her collection and of course we were interested. She started with the jewelry that both the men and women of the Igorot Tribefolks wore. Proudly, she had announced that she, too, is an Igorot - meaning people of the mountain. Her collection were interesting - some were really old and others were, well, recent. It wasn't anything like that of the National museum. In fact, the place is smaller than that of our own museum in Pasig. But, Ms. Aben's reception was realy warm and personal. She gave us a glimpse into Sagada's past and when appropriate, even bits and pieces of her own family's history. I would suggest she put in a video of Sagada perhaps just like that of the video presentation at the Asian Culture Museum in Singapore which was done in a skit form. But, altogether, Christina Aben, a fine woman of the brave Igorot tribe, and her collection gave any visitor a genuine, hospitable and amiable welcome treat from Ganduyan - the other name of Sagada.

There was a heavy downpour when we went out of the museum. That's why we found our way to the souvenir store right next to the museum. Apparently, it is owned by Ms. Aben's son who told us that the store and the whole complex including the inn, which is 2 doors away, was owned by Ms. Aben. Admirable woman. At the store, we bought some shirts and other souvenirs to bring back to our other family members who weren't with us.

It took us quite a while to leave the place. When the rain became a drizzle, I urged my family to go up to the St. Joseph's Inn and restaurant. There was a flight of stairs about 10 meters from the side of the store leading to the resto. There, we had some coffee and whole wheat bread glazed with chocolate. It was good and so my husband decided to buy some more for us to take back to the Rock Inn. My daughter had some milo. We tried to ask for some milk for her but the resto didn't serve any. Strangely, despite the many bovines that we had seen in the area, there wasn't any milk sold save for those usual ones in powder form and the canned ones.


The St. Joseph resto is really cozy. Most of its furniture were of wood and the place had an imaginary line created by the colors of the furnishings and the walls. The area to the right was classier and more stylish while the area to the left, nearer to the counter is more family-oriented. We chose to sit outside, by the dap-ay near the garden that had a hazy view of the St. Mary's church. Quite charming. After our snack, we took a walk towards the church. The view from St. Joseph was inviting. In fact, I had wanted to go there the day before because while we were at the Masferre' Restaurant, I had used our binoculars to take a good look at the quaint church on the hill. From the outside, it looked very much like a town church in a western land. Inside, the Anglican church had the usual pulpit, the cross, but very few statues.



It was almost 6 pm when we asked the Rock Inn staff to pick us up from the church's lawn. Dinner was at the hotel. We were still full thus we each had a bacon-lettuce-tomato sandwich each. My shins still ached from all that walking since we got to Sagada. Although I had brought my liniment and my hotpacks, I still felt the pain. But, I didn't want to drink any painkillers. I'm not used to those. There was a masseuse at the Rock Inn and I requested her to give me a massage. It felt oh so good that I didn't want to go down to the Dap-ay where they lit up a fire. They do that every weekend at the Rock Inn. That way, the guests will have a place to socialize. Quite unique.


I was first to wake up the following day. It was not raining anymore. Since we'd be bound for Baguio in a few hours, I woke Boyet and Ikee up so we could take a chance at seeing Kiltepan. Andrew said it is really a nice place to visit since it had a view of the rice terraces comparable to that of Batad in Banaue. We weren't able to coordinate with Andrew about going there so I asked the owner of Rock Inn, Fely, for directions. She was kind enough to have one of his men accompany us.



We walked all the way from the inn to viewpoint. Fortunately, the Rock Inn is the closest to Kiltepan. It took us about 20 minutes to walk towards our destination through a partly rocky and partly muddy trail although probably 1/2 of our walk in addition to the rocky-muddy path was through a cemented road. We reached a wooden gate, entered it, walked a few more meters up and there it was - one of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen in my whole life. Kiltepan spanned what seemed as huge stairways of monochromatic green but of different tones, with the clouds almost hovering above it. The sky was blue and created a great background to the lovely view. It was already 6:30 am by then and the sun was shining high above. Nonetheless, the view was still spectacular. It was the best finale to a wonderful trip for us. We took many pictures of that site never getting a single picture that would describe what it really looked like. I guess Kiltepan will surely remind me of Sagada and it will forever be the symbol of what a Philippine paradise would be.



By 11 am we had left the Rock Inn with an earnest desire to go back to Sagada. It had been a wonderful trip and a wonderful site which I and my family will always treasure.


Related sites:

Sumaguing Cave Adventure - Sagada Day 1
Bomod-ok Falls Adventure - Sagada Day 2
Surviving Sagada

Bomod-ok Falls Adventure - Sagada Day 2

We had a goodnight's sleep at the Residential Lodge. I was urging the guys to wake up early but they were too tired they said. I was tired too when I woke up but I hadn't realized it until we were about to go out of the inn. My shin hurt and my knees were tight. But I and the gang were too excited to stay home. The falls beckoned.

By 8 am our Kapampangan friends knocked at our door to announce that Andrew and the driver were already outside the lodge. Boyet ordered coffee, a banana cake for Ikee and some sandwiches from the nearby Bana Cafe. I also asked Andrew, our Saggas guide, to pass by the Bangaa-an which, according to our Inn's staff, sell yoghurt.

We reached Banga-an at about 9:45. I was salivating at the thought of the yoghurt which I had imagined was like the one I had at the Yoghurt house. But no. It was plain and the store didn't have any fruit to go with it. I had all intentions of buying a few cups since the yoghurt was going to be our snack at the falls. It was half the price of the yoghurt at the Yoghurt house. But, because it was plain, I knew none of us would like to eat it anyway. Thus, I left empty handed and decided to get it elsewhere after our trek. The driver did make another pit stop. This time it was to give us a glimpse of what were about to face - a 45 minute trek down.


The terrain was not as I had thought it would be. It was downward alright but trail was cemented. Andrew had told us that the path was also the trail the villagers took to go around the area. Apparently, there was not just a few people down there but a whole village of them. The sun was high up and the Sagada breeze could not be felt because our bodies got so much warmer too. We did one stop midway just to pay for an entrance fee (10 pesos per person at that time) and to buy some gatorade from the store. After that, we were back right on track to see what the Sagadians called the Big falls.



Luchie, Tito Bon, Tita Glo and Mariz walked way ahead of us because we had to ask Ikee to remove her brace. And for good reason. The path needed some balancing to walk on. Some parts were slippery and other parts required some hopping. The road that led to our destination was long and winding. From about 500 meters away, I could tell we were near because of the rustling sound of water.



By the time we got to the falls, our Kapampangan friends were already resting under a huge rocky shade. There were a number of other guests in the rocky basin of the falls but there was enough space for all of us. The falls was magnificent and the water dropped from and elevation of about 70 feet high. There was a cool mist from the falls which created a somewhat hazy view of the surroundings - reminded us about the falls in Yosemite. There was hardly any vegetation but there were huge boulders that lined downstream from the catch basin that became perfect basking areas for tourists and locals alike. What's sad is that we had seen some trash that were mindlessly thrown along the path and at the falls which of course gave the impression that the money that we had paid at the so called "entrance" was not used for the purpose it had been required in the first place. Still with that, the falls remains a top destination of Sagada.



My feet, thighs and legs hurt already at that time such that when a boy came to me to ask if I had wanted a massage, I immediately said yes. He had charged 20 pesos for a 10 minute leg massage. With his small hands, he kneaded on my shin. Of course he couldn't grip so forcefully which is also why I thought it was good. I didn't want to have a case of Deep Vein Thrombosis anywhere in the future. It felt good that I also asked him to give me a massage on my shoulder. 40 pesos for both body parts. Not bad eh? There were other kids who came to us offering the same massage and I urged my companions to avail of their service. Boyet, on the other hand, had found a little girl selling some local popsicles (ice buko) and bought one for each of us. It felt so refreshing.



We stayed at the falls for a little over an hour. Soon Boyet had to remind me that it actually took us 1.5 hours at least to trek down. Since he said we'd be going up, it might take us a longer time. I quickly took more pictures, posed with my family and friends and soon we were back to the trek again. Near the village though, I had felt drained and my thighs and legs were stiff. I don't really mind the walk or trek but I can't bear the heat. It was about 1 pm then and the sun was scorching. I took short rests about 4 times before I finally told Boyet I needed to rest a longer while but that I needed some water or gatorade. I already felt dizzy and my vision was already blurring a bit. Andrew went up to the store at the village and in about 2 minutes he was back and handed me a 300-ml bottle of gatorade. The bottle was half filled when I stopped drinking and I did feel so refreshed and walked again shortly after. Another 45 minutes after that we rejoined our companions at the place where our service vehicle was parked.


Lunch Finally!



Our original plan was to go back to the town proper to eat lunch after which we would go around to see the nearby sites before proceeding to Lake Danum where we'd view the sunset. However, when we got to the Masfere Restaurant, it was already 2:30 pm. The change of plan was made. We took our lunch there and went back to the lodge. The guides bought the ingredients for the Pinikpikan - an Igorot delicacy - while we waited for them. By 5 pm, our service vehicle was already at the Lodge to fetch us. Apparently, Andrew had texted me earlier but I didn't hear it because I had dozed off a bit.


Rainset?


A few minutes drive was all that was needed to get to Lake Danum. Unlike what we originally planned, there was no sunset to view because the place became white with fog. Even the view of the lake was not so clear because we could only see a few meters ahead of us. It had rained earlier on and it just stopped for a very short while - perhaps just to allow us to take some pics by the water or so it seemed. After a few shots, we were called back in because the chicken had been dressed and Rod was going to show us how the Igorots - his own kinfolks - to this day, use the gallbladder to check on whether the "forces of nature" is for or against a plan or an undertaking. After that, we waited a while for the chicken to be cooked. We were camped at an unfinished building which according to our guides is actually owned by the Department of Agriculture. It was cold and raining but we were kept warm most likely because we all had thick jackets and had sipped some Bugnay wine that Rod and Andrew bought from the marketplace. Pretty good stuff.



Since our companions were in a hurry to go home because they needed to pack and get ready to wake up early the following morning, we asked Andrew to just bring the chicken to the Lodge where we would all have dinner. That was our last night with Luchie, Tita Glo, Tito Bon and Mariz because they'd be on their way to Baguio the following day. Thus, the pinikpikas was a great way to have a traditional Igorot celebration of friendship and farewell to our new-found friends whose company we had enjoyed every minute with.

Related stories:

Sumaguing Cave Adventure - Sagada Day 1
Bomod-ok Falls Adventure - Sagada Day 2
A view at Kiltepan – Sagada Day 3 & 4
Surviving Sagada

Sumaguing Cave Adventure - Sagada Day 1

Bet you're really eager to hear about my Sagada adventure. Well, I'm equally eager to tell you about it. Here it is.

We left Manila at 10:30 pm. Boyet drove to Baguio because he came home from the office at 8:30 pm. We wouldn't have been able to make it to the bus station before 10 pm if he didn't decide to bring our old, trusty Blackie. Our target was to catch the first Baguio-Sagada bus (GL or Lizardo) which was scheduled to leave at 5:30 am the following day. However, according to my research, the buses that ply that route do not actually leave according to schedule. When the bus is full, it leaves no matter whether it be early or late. The trip from Manila by public transpo is anywhere from 5 to 7 hours, depending on traffic and road conditions.

By 4:30 am we were at the Microtel hotel in session road. We had arranged with my husband's friend Robbie to park the car there because we had a booking for the weekend anyway. We got to the Dangwa bus station in Baguio by 5 am but the bus was no where in the vicinity yet. In fact, noone was there even at the sales booth that we boarded the bus to find a place to sit even without the ticket. I chose to stay at the driver's side of the bus because we were going north and that side would be facing the west most of the time.

The trip took roughly 6 hours through mostly rough and bumpy road. While the part near Baguio was cemented, it had only lasted for about 1/3 of the whole route. But the trip was rather nice - the weather was cool and the view was scenic. There were about 3 stops to take some snack and do some personal stuff. While at the bus, we had met 4 persons from Pampanga (Tita Glo, Tito Bon, Luchie and Maris) who we found out were also booked at Tita Mary's Residential Lodge - a new but highly recommended inn where we would be spending the first 2 nights of our stay in Sagada. I found out that they didn't have a guide yet and asked them to join my party instead.

It was 11:45 am, when we got to the Residential Lodge. After having checked in, and placed our baggage inside our rooms, we went out to have lunch at the Yoghurt House. I can't say I really liked their food but the yoghurt is the best in all of Sagada. By 3 pm we were met by our guide, Andrew, at the Lodge and we were off to our first stop - the Lumiang Burial Cave.



The cave was a few meters down but the steps were small and steep which made it hard to descend and ascend. I admit I was not particularly impressed at this spot at first. I mean we had gone all the way down and all we could see were some dirt, a dark pit and some wooden things that looked as if they had been covered but dug up after quite a while. The wooden boxes turned out to be coffins. They were smaller than a mature adult's coffin because the dead were made to fit inside it while in a fetal position. And yes, they were ancient - some hundreds of years old. Of course, the Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider that I dreamed I was got the better of me and soon I was looking at what seemed to be archaeologic finds. We didn't stay for a long time there though because we needed to go to the Sumaguing Cave. After all, that cave is the highlight of any Sagada trip and since our new-found friends would only have 1.5 days to stay there, we deemed it would be best to see Sumaguing the soonest we could.


The trek to the Sumaguing Cave took us about 30 minutes from Lumiang. But we had enjoyed the walk because it was leisurely and we took pictures along the way. There were rice paddies that looked more like miniature rice terraces that were bright green as the grains had just been planted. The road was well paved and cemented and it didn't hurt my feet to walk. For a moment I thought that it would be easy to trek Sagada if it followed that pattern. But, I was proven wrong a few hours after.

Finally, we reached the entrance of Sumaguing. Mariz decided not to join us because she was already too exhausted. I, of course, adviced her against going too. It was the kind of risk that I wouldn't be willing to take either. It was good that there was a store just across the entrance. They sold practically everything a cave explorer would need. Yes, even a toilet and shower room to rid oneself of the dirt and odor that would be all over us. But we didn't know that yet. Ikee and I dressed down. I wore an old nylon shorts with the black shirt I had worn on our way from Manila. I knew I would be dirty and with a limited supply of clothes, I didn't want to get a new shirt soiled.

We had two guides - Andrew and Rod. Andrew, being the more senior guide (sorry Andrew, had to say it) gave us instructions about how to do the spelunking. Soon, we started our adventure. The first part of the cave, just as we were warned, was slippery and treacherous. We were all scared but excited. The thrill for the neophytes slowly creeped. I, for one, wanted to go ahead and follow my instinct. There were 7 of us and I was ahead of everyone for because I felt that Ikee needed the boost of confidence and I also wanted to ensure that she was alright all the time, not that I knew what to do. But I had to follow what my guide said lest I put myself or my "pack" in danger. Peril is almost always seductive you know.

At one point, we were told to hold on to rocks. At another, we were instructed not to touch the ground because it was covered by bat poop - slimy and stinky. But then again, you'd think twice about not holding on if you were in my place because doing so would actually save your life. There was no way you'd slip without dragging someone with you either. Thus, you save your life not only because of yourself but because of those you are with too. The cave was dark and everything was wet and slippery. Some rocks you hold on to. Others, you hug and kiss. Not kiss really but we had to keep so close to some rocks that it felt like we were kissing them. Some rocks would let you climb up them with nothing but your bare hands but would not let you slip nor fall. Those white rocks are called flowstones. Amazing.

But, as always, a treacherous journey ends with a beautiful reward. The rock formations were so beautiful. Andrew and Rod have this communicable sense of humor that we didn't feel scared so much. We needed a guide to keep us safe and to boost our confidence too. At that point, both our entertainment and safety depended so much on these guys who knew the cave so well they practically grew in it. I remember Andrew saying as a child he had gone to the cave so often to play hide and seek with his friends. Sheesh, some hiding place I tell you. We had given a nickname for Rod, the younger of the two. At a certain point, he rolled up his shirt up to the level of his diaphragm. He moved quite quickly and had the energy and the moves of a superhero - Spiderman. Thus, we called him midribbed spiderman.

Later on, I found out that rolling up his shirt had a purpose. It was to protect it from getting wet. Ikee got her shirt all wet such that midway through she shivered that I had to exchange shirts with her. But, my shirt was just a little less wet than hers so that she still shivered. We had asked her to stay close to the lamps that Andrew and Rod carried but to no avail. She trembled her way through the basement level of the cave. It was a good thing Rod had lent her his extra shirt he kept in his bag.

The cave had challenged us beyond what we ourselves expected we could do. None of us ever tried to rapell nor spelunk. But we did. None of us expected to smell of bat dung ever. But we did. Not one of us, mostly in our mid 40's, ever tried to get intimate with any rock. But we all did. All in all, the Sumaguing cave aka the King's palace, is a test of endurance and determination towards reaching our ultimate goal - that is to splendor in the beauty that lied within it and get out of there alive.

Related stories:

Sumaguing Cave Adventure - Sagada Day 1
Bomod-ok Falls Adventure - Sagada Day 2
A view at Kiltepan – Sagada Day 3 & 4
Surviving Sagada

When Travelling, Take Pictures!

As a trying-hard-to-be a conservationist, I rant to my friends and family (to the almost utmost dismay of my unica hija) the lines "take only pictures... ". Ah, but don't let me repeat them again lest my daughter reads this and goes mad. hehehe

Anyway, I oh so love and admire people who try to make a difference even in their hobbies. Like, Kayak Philippines has recently come up with a race for novice and pros at the Hundred Islands in Pangasinan. To try to promote the sport and help the eco-tourism of the Philippines, the organizers have partnered with the Department of Tourism and Cebu Pacific, among others, to come up with a Race, Kayak Clinic, Tour of Alaminos, and a photography workshop with Master George Tapan all bundled up and costs Php 750.000. Yup, it even includes all meals, a tee shirt and fees to the race. If you want to know more about this, or would like to join the race, visit their website at http://www.kayakphilippines.ws/http%3A__kayakphilippines.ws/Kayakphilippines.ws.html.

Now, who says summer is an expensive break.

Notes on Sagada and Banaue

For this summer, the highlight of our vacation (and probably the only one) is our trip to Sagada. Here are some of the websites that have helped me with my research and planning for our Sagada and Banaue trip:

1. G-Strain my husband's friend, Gerry, and their other buddies' trip to Banawe. Details include a cost accounting for a budget tour.

2. Pictures of a Sagada trip - Calming the Giant

I love the pictures by this hobbyist taken during his trip to sagada. You just have to check this one out too.



Visitasagada.com and the sagadagenuineguides.blogspot.com are most helpful too. I'm still looking for other companions so we can share the expenses. It will bring down the costs for all of us. The more, the merrier or so they say.

Where Will You Be This Summer?

I'm running out of ideas for my daughter to do this summer. Besides starting an on-the-job training at crame by May, I still have to take the red cross seminars in April. These leave me with just the weekends to spend with my not-so-little one during her vacation. Anyway, I've already booked ourselves for Banaue-Sagada on April 15-18 but Ikee and I will leave ahead of Boyet because we are going to Vigan. Ikee is learning photography (on her own and thru the internet tutorials) and she likes shooting in sepia and black and white. Hence, what better place to have this than Vigan.

For one, Vigan is not that far away. According to my research, it is only 9 to 10 hours by bus and about 1.5 hours by plane. I opted to take the bus so that I can write about the experience. It is also cheaper to go by bus than by plane.

Another thing is that photographing in sepia or B&W has a strong reference to the past. Vigan has been able to preserve the spanish ambiance even while it is by now one of the country's tourist spots. Why, the place has been declared as one of UNESCO's Heritage Sites along with the St. Paul Subterranean river in Palawan among others in the Philippines.

So there. I'll tell you about our North Luzon trip when we get back. Where do you plan to go this summer?

CRAZY DEAL - An Ilocos Trip with Photography Class for 6K

Is this for real? An Ilocos trip with a Photography lessons? Some people must be out of their mind!

But, it is true. There is such a trip organized by the Travel Fcctor. It includes full board, all meals served buffet style, a chartered bus that will take the participants from Manila to Ilocos and Back to Manila, and all entrance fees. As if these weren't enough, they had to throw in a photography lesson for all the days in Ilocos, a tee-shirt and travel insurance.

Crazy eh?

Anyway, the schedule is from April 4-6, 2009. For the itinerary and other details check out http://thetravelfactor.multiply.com/calendar/item/10148. Or, you may email travel.factor@gmail.com.

If THEY'RE CRAZY to make one trip like this, WE'D BE CRAZIER to miss it!

Caramoan Package - Cheap and Carefree

Today I received an email from my sister-in-law, Carol, about the Caramoan Package tour which her officemate took. Check this out:

Package Tour Rates for 3 days /2 nights package
Package (A)
---- (Talisay/Sabang port as starting point)
11-20 persons.......3,700 php / pax
5-10 persons........5,000 php / pax

Package (B)
---- (Guijalo port,Caramoan as starting point)
11-20 persons.......3,000 php / pax
5-10 persons.........3,300 php / pax

Inclusions:
Full hotel accomodations in a spacious aircon room with cable t.v. and private toilet and bath.
Use of the hotels videoke lounge at night (until 10 pm.)-use of other hotel facilities for tourists/guests
Full exquisite meals (breakfast,lunch,dinner) during your entire stay in the hotel
Private boat for island hopping and other activities
Service of a personal tour guide that will accompany your group and accommodate your needs
Hotel transfers to and from guijalo port
Hotel transportation to destination sites included in the island tour

This package is printed as I have received it. However, please check out the tour organizer to find out if it is still available. For details please check out http://caramoanislandtours.i.ph/blogs/caramoanislandtours/ or call Owen at landline +63(2) 4530754, 0917-4837199 or email him at owen99ph@yahoo.com.

Recommended Package Tours for Summer 2009 - Philippines

Hi. I’m not certain whether we’d be able to have a summer vacation this year because of some major expense of moving to another country in a few months. But, I can still recommend packages which I encounter and wish we could join (sigh*). Here goes:

Philippines

1. BANAUE-SAGADA ADVENTURE MARCH '09
March 26-28, 2009(Thursday night departure)
An all-in package rate of Php4,650.00 per person for the following inclusions:
* Service of tour director
* Exclusive air-con van/bus
* Accommodation at George Guest House Annex
* Total of 6 meals (2 breakfast, 2 lunch, 2 dinner)
* Banaue-SagadaTour (please see itinerary)
* Service of local guides and use of equipments
* Tour entrance fees

A reservation downpayment of P1,000.00/pax is required on or before March 13, 2009. Full payment should be made on or before March 20, 2009For reservations and other details, please check out http://traveladvocate.multiply.com/journal/item/3 or call them at 741-9187 0917-5011884 0917-4249629


2. Camarines Sur (Bicol Region)
Caramoan Island – for Php 4650 until July 2009, get a chance to see an unexploited island. Included in this package are the following:

* Accommodations (4 pax room sharing at REX Tourist Inn)* Three (3) Breakfast Meals* Tour Guide (3 days)* Island Hopping Boat* Spelunking Fee* Cable Park and Equipment Rental Fee (CWC)* Beginner Wakeboard* Skis and Kneeboard* Basic Kneeboard Instructions from Professional Wakeboarder* CWC Swimming Pool use* Round Trip Transfer (Land and Boat)

For inquiries and reservations, please check out http://caramoan-paradise.blogspot.com/ or email Myra Roces at caramoan.tours@gmail.com

3. Sagada Tour Package
A package tour for solo, double or group tours. Check out Gareth’s blog at http://sagadagenuineguides.blogspot.com/. My virtualtourist friends attest to this group’s professional and efficient service.

I shall add more packages as I find them. Stay tuned.

A Comfort Mall - SM Mall of Asia

Malls are places most people like going to for just about anything. We do too. But when we get tired, we leave. Logical right? Not when you're at the Mall of Asia.
At the MOA, it seems the architecture and design included the customer comfort and convenience. It is even evident in their operation at present.

Picture these:
a. the mall has these golf-cart-like vehicles that transport the elderly and handicapped clients all over the mall. Yes, inside the mall. I have not seen anything like it in the malls I've been in.

b. All over the mall there are several benches where one could sit and rest from all that walking. After all, there are about 4 large buildings at the MOA.

c. there are bridges that lead to the seafront walk and restos.

d. there are several toilets which means there is hardly any line.

e. there is a tram that is available for everyone. the tram goes around the mall in intervals of 15 minutes.

f. Finally, there is also a tram at the seafront for those who wish to go from end to end.

Now, perhaps you would agree with me? these amenities on top of others that other malls have too make one's experience both comfy and pleasurable.

How to get there:

Apart from just riding the cab and asking it to go straight to the MOA, there are other options available.

1. ride the bus from EDSA marked MOA. I believe some of these buses are those that go to Cavite.

2. Ride the Shuttle from the MRT station.

3. Ride the MRT to Taft and ride the cab from there.

When all else fails, call the AVIS, BUDGET, EMP or ABC taxis. You can find their phone numbers in my other blog.

Vote for Tubbataha Reef As One of the 7 Wonders of Nature

Hey guys! Why don't you help Tubbataha Reef become one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. It's easy to cast a vote. Just go to the website of the New7wonders, register and vote. It's that easy.

Let's help the Philippine tourism by supporting our nominees. The other 2 nominees are the Chocolate Hills in Bohol and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River Park. We can do it, Pinoys!