Sagada, Mt. Province

Writing about my 2008 trip to Sagada years later was like putting a major part of my life's puzzle into place. So where do broken hearts really go? My plan on the day after Christmas in 2008 was to go to Sagada all by myself. Changed my mind though and dragged my cousin, Kristel, instead.

It was on our way to Sagada that I met Sid, the person who introduced me to my husband in 2010. Back then, Cable Tours bus company was still offering direct bus routes from Quezon City to Sagada (and back). Their terminal was along E. Rodriguez Sr. street. Kristel and I took the 14-hour journey going to Sagada at promptly 8 pm. We arrived in Sagada before lunchtime the next day.

All known hotels were fully booked during our scheduled trip so I opted to homestay. Sally's place was referred by a guide I contacted to inquire about available accommodation in the area. It costs P200/night then. I wonder if it went up by now though.

Had savory lunch at Yogurt House. And then we were off to our do-it-yourself afternoon escapade:

1. Visited the Anglican Church of St. Mary the Virgin, which is the oldest church in the Cordillera region

2. Hiked through Echo Valley and shouted my heart out

3. Finally saw the century-old hanging coffins showing the locals' burial practice to this day. This belief means putting dead loved ones in steep cliffs and caves so they are nearer to the gods. The higher the placement of the dead, the greater chance of their spirits reaching a higher nature in the afterlife.

We had an early 4 am start the following day as we were scheduled to hike up Mt. Kiltepan View Point. It is apparently the highest point in the area. This time around, we were with a guide named Martin. It was more than an hour trek. Arrived way before sunrise so we still had time to absorb the majestic view around. The sea of clouds certainly took my breath away. Seeing it up close made the tiring uphill climb worth it.

We then enjoyed breakfast at Lemon Pie House. Our tour with Martin resumed with Sumaguing Cave's spelunking adventure. It is the largest cave in Sagada, thus, its nickname---"The Big Cave." It features countless rock formations likened to familiar shapes like a bear, elephants, turtle head and chocolate cake. I didn't expect the trail to be very hard though. Got scared several times while going up and down slippery rock formations. I was tightly holding on for dear life most of the time. So amazed with how Martin easily maneuvered all over the place while holding a lamp at the same time to lighten our path.

Last stop of our tour was at Bokong Falls or Small Falls. I've read somewhere that a trip to Sagada won 't be complete without jumping off its 20-feet height. And that's just what I did! Was scared as hell but it didn't stop me. The ice-cold water perhaps jolted my restless nerves back to life.

Contact number of Sally's Homestay: 0918-515-6097

Contact number of Martin, local guide: 0908-695-7366