It's Day 08 on our calendar and quite honestly, it only felt like we arrived 2/3 days back unless of course you've been an ardent follower and noticed the time lag between this post and the last. To be exact, we're now in Banaue, the 4th stopover on our North Luzon assault. We were in Sagada the previous 3 nights and Baguio the night before that.
Vigan was pretty nondescript save the Mestizo District. Even then, you know that being on the World Heritage list in the Philippines somewhat means artificial reproduction for tourist consumption. We made an exit for Baguio after 2 nights. This undisputed king of the highlands has the trappings of any big city but still clings on to a small-world feel. It was a rude awakening considering how quiet the streets of Vigan were! We enjoyed its busy streets and crowded sidewalks and lo and behold, there was even a very visible Muslim community in town! We finally had our first Halal meal by a Mindanao-born lady at a local hawker centre. Unfortunately, we could only afford a night there, which was nicely capped off with doughnuts and hot chocolate (and what must have been Aly's 13th cigarette stick) by Burnham Park in the middle of town (and some serious people-watching!).
The reason why I'm only writing this now (believe me, 5 days of backlog isn't fun) is because internet is quite the luxury up here in the Cordillera. Bad news for tech-dependents but it adds up to the charm of these verdant valleys - it exudes a sort of aura of isolation - and I'm loving it.
Sagada was every bit what I imagined it to be, and more. Ok, maybe the architecture isn't quite authentic (how traditional can zinc houses get?) but there are a few that took pains to emulate European brickhouses and log cabins complete with chimneys and planted window sills. However, it was still the kind of place where you could lose yourself for an entire weekend (quite literally)! The stay at Sagada Guesthouse was rewarding - basic and clean yet roomy and bright. It was a total transformation from our worst night so far at Baguio's Silvertone.
Even better were the outdoors! Nestled at a height of 1577m in Luzon's Mountain Province, the pine forest radiates an other-worldly charm to complement the extremely cool mountain air. With an abundance of treks available around town, we just couldn't wait to try one. And try we did! Our 2nd day in Sagada saw us descending the steep and slippery sheer limestone surfaces into Echo Valley, home to some of the area's hanging coffins. The ever-gungho Aly had to literally drag me down the cliffs, given that I thought the trek would be somewhat a walk in a park. I was on all four most of the time, picking through the thick undergrowth. A fresh landslide, river-crossings and 2 hours later, we completed the trail. It was rewarding actually, and definitely the sort of thing Aly was looking forward to.
Our last day in Sagada saw us trekking the road out to Bangaan, 4km away from town, to try our luck at the Bomod-ok Falls. We had initially planned to visit more coffins at the Lumiang Caves but after 2 recommendations by Lucia (a Slovakian) and Katie (a British), we couldn't resist. However, we started the day first with a short walk to Demang to witness a 'begnas', a traditional Applai ritual to honour the gods at the end of the harvest season. We were lucky indeed as the rituals only take place 3/4 times a year! Definitely at the right place at the right time. By 11.30am, we were on the road again with Lynie and James (Filipinos we met during pevious night's dinner). The steady incline and great companion (coupled with some moderate drizzle) made for an enjoyable walk. More demanding was the descent, and ascent, to/from Bangaan. The stairs were moss-covered and I was barefooted at some points, not willing to risk a fatal slip into the ravine. However, the falls was every bit worth the effort! It must have been a 60-70m drop from sheer limestone cliffs and the force literally blew us away! It must have been some typhoon-force gusts at the plunge pool and according to Aly, the pool was indeed deep. Given the chance, I'd walk back to Bomod-ok.
Considering that the food here left us with much to desire, we enjoyed our meals at the Yoghurt House in town. Aptly named, I believe, since the yoghurt concoctions (try the Banana Yoghurt Pancake) was sublime! Notable establishments include the Masferre (great pancakes as well) and Log Cabin (great ambience). Not to forget, the Yoghurt House makes a great place to meet and greet other travellers!
Well, as mentioned earlier, we're now in Banaue. Despite the dull (aka wet) weather, I'm actually looking forward to a walk around the vicinity. We had a room with excellent views here at People's Lodge. We spent the entire day in our room since our took a similar dip like the weather but I'm feeling much better now. Hopefully Aly is well enough to do a quick one in the afternoon because I'm dying to get my hands on those lovely green rice fields!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment