JUNE 9, 2006 FRIDAY
KFC, MORAYTA, MANILA
8:30pm
Two rice bowls, two one-piece chicken and a Go-Go sandwich. Mac busily eating his chicken breast, Micah was texting, I think Gina. Rene, as usual was listening to his mp3 player. But it was Ermin who really captured my attention ever since we left the office. His eyes were almost red-shot, his hair slightly disheveled, and he was awfully quiet that night.
Haggard, tired, fatigued. I can use up all these synonyms in my vocabulary and they all describe what Popoy looked that night.
“Kanina pa akong alas-siyete, pareng MJ,” he said while forking a chicken-piece. I was wondering if he would ever finish his meal. We were almost through and he wasn’t even half-way eating.
“Ingress kami sa Rockwell tapos sa Glorietta naman. Kapagod!”
He did finish his bowl, but it took him more than 20 minutes. So unlike him.
AUTOBUS TERMINAL, SAMPALOC, MANILA
9:20pm
I was the only one standing; they were all slouched on the wooden benches. Rene was in front the giant industrial fan, sitting a few inches to a couple of Caucasian women. Mac was fidgeting his green backpack. Micah was talking to me about his boyfriend. Ermin was dozing off on the farthest end of the bench, oblivious to the noise of all the waiting passengers.
A bus slowly parked inside the terminal. I walked in front of it and checked with the conductor.
“Mac, ayan na bus mo. Sumakay ka na. Kelangan kasi 20 minutes before departure eh naka-upo ka na,” I told him.
He grabbed his bags and I escorted him to the bus. At exactly 10pm, the bus eased out the terminal.
10:10pm
“Musta ‘pre? Ok ka lang ba?” I texted Mac. He replied saying he’s sitting right next to a British woman.
Lucky bastard. : )
10:45pm
Our bus left the terminal and started on its journey to Banaue. I was sitting right next to Micah. I tried to sleep but I could hear her restlessness.
“Problem?” I asked.
“Eto kasing kurtina hindi ko maitali. Nakaka-ilang,” she replied.
I looked for a rope or a string but instead found an unused plastic bag and so I offered to tie the curtain with it. She laughed at my silly ingenuity.
“Wag na. Eto na lang,” she said as she took out a hairclip from her bag. She held the curtain together and clipped the curtain tight.
Great idea, I thought. She would later forget to remove that clip when we later reach Banaue.
NORTH LUZON EXPRESSWAY TOLLGATE
11:30pm
Rene was sitting by the window and I guess he was already asleep. Or was it just that he was his usually quiet self.
Ermin kept on squirming in his seat, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep on.
“Ok ka lang?” I asked.
He just smiled and gave me a thumbs-up; maybe too tired to even utter a word. I looked over at their side and noticed a considerable distance between him and Rene.
Hmmm. I guess there won’t be any Brokeback Mountain action after all.
NORTH LUZON EXPRESSWAY
11:45pm
Carlo texted reminding me to check on Mac. That’s so sweet, I thought. Brokeback anyone?
JUNE 10, 2006 SATURDAY
LAGAWE, IFUGAO
7:30am
I woke to the warmth of sunlight breaking through the window as we were about to cross a steel bridge.
“Ang ganda ng view!” I heard Micah say as I looked at the mountains and lush greens.
Everyone was already awake and staring outside their windows. I prided myself with choosing to seat on the left side of the bus knowing that the view from that side would be better.
I could see Ermin had a good-night sleep. His eyes all lit-up, his cheeks rosy red and his Oakley shades hanging on his head.
AUTOBUS TERMINAL, BANAUE, IFUGAO
8:30am
“Ayun si Mac,” Micah said as she pointed to a waiting shed.
“Good morning! Welcome to Banaue,” a portly woman boarded as soon as the bus stopped. “You have to reserve your return ticket if you intend to go home this way. Sa mga papuntang Sagada, may mga jeep na pong naghihintay.”
As soon as I alighted, I searched for Jun but he was nowhere in sight. Perhaps he had already left loaded with passengers from Mac’s batch.
“Sagada?” a man wearing a white sando asked me. Sando on this cold morning?
He pointed me to his jeep while I called the guys to quickly board it.
“Dali baka maubusan tayo ng upuan. Kung sakali magbo-Bontoc muna tayo bago Sagada,” I said.
BANAUE, IFUGAO
9am
I was disappointed when we didn’t stop by the first viewpoint where Elena met her favorite wooden anito. Perhaps it was already late and the driver wanted the trip to be a quick one.
We stopped at Mexicali for breakfast. It was just a namesake of the more famous Mexican joint here in Metro Manila. It was near the second viewpoint where rows and rows of souvenir shops abound. We had our first picture-taking there with the magnificent Banaue Rice Terraces for our background.
Then we decided we were still not that hungry to have a heavy breakfast. All we ate then were chocolate chip cookies, Clover chips, and Ermin’s ever reliable big bag of Boy Bawang.
ROUGH ROAD TO BONTOC, MT. PROVINCE
10:30am
You can tell the first-timers from the veterans during this trip. They were uncomfortable, easily complaining and fidgety.
“Malayo pa ba? Masakit na pwet ko,” almost everyone was complaining.
I just smiled and thought, “You’ll get used to it on your second or third trip, that is should you decide to come back.”
I was confident they would. Sagada’s all worth the sore-assess and dusty hair.
BONTOC, MT. PROVINCE
11:30am
“Ay, para ka lang nasa Manila,” I heard someone say.
I was right then, with my observation during my second trip to this place.
SAGADA, MT. PROVINCE
12:30pm
“Pa-Banaue ho ba ang way n’yo pauwi? Pwede ko kasi kayong pick-up-in na lang dito,” the driver offered.
“Thank you na lang, sir, pero pa-Baguio kami,” I replied as I handed him our fares.
We then went straight to the Ganduyan Inn and saw the owner talking to an Italian-looking guy. You know that type. A Don Vito Corleone look-alike who anytime could say to me, “I will make you an offer you can’t refuse.”
The guy was deciding whether to take the rooms being offered to him when I butted in and asked the owner if she has a room for five persons. As soon as he heard me, he said to the owner, “I’ll take the rooms.”
Then he smiled at me. But it looked more like a smirk. I felt defeated.
“Ano Mj, wala na daw kwarto?” Ermin asked as I walked out the inn.
“Naunahan tayo, eh,” I replied. “Tara, try natin sa iba.”
I led them to the next nearest inn, the Sagada Guesthouse.
I approached the lady behind the counter. “May room ho ba kayo for five persons?”
She said yes, P150 per person, per night. I asked her if I could see the room. She led the way to a dormitory-type room. It was perfect!
SAGADA GUESTHOUSE
1:00pm
“Alam n’yo, blessing na rin na puno na sa Ganduyan. Di hamak naman na mas maganda kasi dito,” I told the group as we were unpacking our bags.
Single-beds, adequately spaced from each other; lightly varnished wooden walls and floors. It was definitely better than Ganduyan.
“Kain muna tayo,” they said.
So I led them to my favorite Sagada eating place.
YOGURT HOUSE
1:30pm
After registering at the municipal hall and hiring a guide for our 4pm-caving adventure and setting up a Big Falls-date with another group so we could share expenses, we were all comfortably seated at the Yogurt House.
Everyone ordered rice meals while I had my favorite ham-and-egg sandwich.
“Naks, di talaga nagra-rice!” Ermin kidded me.
After having our lunch we went back to our rooms and had a siesta.
Bakasyon talaga to the max!
SAGADA MUNICIPAL HALL
4:15pm
PJ, our guide, told us to walk fast as visitors are no longer allowed in the Sumaging Cave past 5pm. So we were all in a hurry. Mac and I even ran, just for fun, when we were nearing the cave’s entrance.
SUMAGING CAVE
5:00pm
Fear. Excitement. Fear. Anticipation. Fear.
It’s all I saw on their faces. I told them a week earlier to wear old shirts and shorts, but no, there they were in their new clothes.
“J, di ba pwedeng huwag ko nang hubarin itong sandals ko?” Mac asked when PJ told us to remove them.
I told him it was better to go barefooted as the feet provide more traction on the cave’s floor.
We slid. We climbed. We crawled. We had fun. They were all shouting in joy, especially Ermin and Mac.
Then we stopped at the big pool were a group of people were already crowding. They were watching a couple of guys taking a dip in its ice-cold waters.
“PJ, gaano kalalim yun?” Ermin asked.
“20 feet siguro,” he replied.
Ermin thought for a second then said, “Ano, MJ, try natin?”
I acquiesced and Rene joined us. We slowly climbed down the banks of the pool while Mac was left at the top filming us through his camera phone.
“Ermin, talon! One, two, three!” Mac shouted as Ermin jumped into the pool.
“Yahoo! Ang lamig!” Ermin shouted. “Aahon na ako, ang lamig!”
Ermin’s swim didn’t even last more than a minute. I got scared. I’m not that good a swimmer plus the water’s icy-cold. I opted not to dive.
Looking back, I really regret not diving into that pool. It would have been one great experience that would have lasted me a lifetime.
6:30pm
The climb back to the entrance of the cave was much easier. We were out of the cave in a jiffy.
“7 o’clock nasa munisipyo na tayo,” PJ estimated.
I wasn’t in a rush to go back to the inn. Although it was already dark outside, it was very peaceful in Sagada. For the first time in my life I wasn’t frightened of being in the dark while on the road. Plus, being high up in the mountains, there were far many stars visible.
It seemed the rest of the guys weren’t in a hurry either. They were busy sharing excitedly their thoughts on our cave adventure.
SAGADA GUESTHOUSE
8:00pm
That night we opted to eat inside our room. Dinner was a few pieces of monay, instant noodles, corned beef, and pork and beans.
“Hindi ko ine-expect na ganun pala ang gagawin natin sa cave,” Mac said between sips of his noodles. “Akala ko parang ordinaryong tour lang. Nag-enjoy talaga ako. Sulit!”
Nothing’s ordinary in Sagada.
9:00pm
Micah and Ermin entered the room laughing after smoking cigarettes in the veranda. We asked them why.
“Napagkamalang artista si Kuya Ermin,” Micah said.
Then we heard a knock. “Baka ayan na naman si Papiyo,” she said. The two decided to call the guy that.
And she was right. A drunken middle-aged man eased his head through the half-opened door and started talking to Ermin. I couldn’t hear their conversation because everyone was laughing hard.
After 15 minutes, Ermin bid Papiyo good night then closed the door. Then we were startled by someone knocking on the window. It was Papiyo again!
“Umuwi na ho kayo. Baka madampot pa kayo ng pulis, may curfew pa naman,” Ermin said.
9:30pm
Micah chose to sleep on the bed nearest the windows.
“Alam mo, pag gabi, bigla na lang bumubukas yang bintana.” We tried to frighten her. I guess we scared ourselves instead for we slept with the lights on.
8:00am
Mel, the girl I coordinated with for our Big Falls-shared trip, texted me saying she and her group will fetch us in front of our inn. I told her we’ll wait for them instead in front of the municipal hall so it would be less of a hassle for them.
When they arrived, Ermin and Mac climbed on the roof of the jeep. They coaxed me to follow but I opted to sit inside with the rest.
But minutes into the trip, I could hear their excitement on the roof so when the driver stopped to fill up gas, I joined Ermin and Mac on the roof. Micah and Rene quickly followed suit.
That ride on top was the most exhilarating thing I ever dared. I have a fear of heights so each time we passed by a deep ravine or steep cliff, I would close my eyes and hang my head low so I wouldn’t see it.
10:00am
I was surprised when the jeep sped past the drop-off point to Fidelisan. After ten more minutes, we stopped and parked inside a covered basketball court.
“Mas madali saka mabilis yung daan dito,” the driver said.
He was right. We found ourselves straight into the rice terraces. Unlike the usual route, we didn’t walk down seemingly endless steps on the mountainside.
10:30am
It took us almost an hour to reach Bomod-ok Falls. Not because the route was longer, but more because of the beautiful sight. The rice terraces were teeming in gold and tawny colors. It must be nearing harvest time.
The magnificent surroundings we found ourselves into invited much desire for photo-op. That’s why it took us an hour to reach the falls.
I barely touched my digital camera because Ermin had a grand time taking shots.
“Dito maganda view. Picture-taking tayo,” he would always say.
After about a dozen of posing for photo shots, Mac finally said, “Nakakasawa din palang magpose.”
BOMOD-OK FALLS
11am
As soon as we reached the Big Falls we quickly removed our shirts and waded in. It was so cold! Mac lasted only a few minutes and decided he couldn’t take the cold anymore. He contented himself shooting pictures and videos while perched atop a huge boulder.
The wind was incredibly fierce that day, sending sprays of water to our faces from the rushing falls.
Ermin wanted to go nearer the falls but I told him it’s too dangerous. He just swam as far as he could and later jumped from a big rock while Mac was filming him.
An hour later and we decided to leave.
MASFERRE RESTAURANT
1pm
We were barely talking as we sat on our table waiting for our order. We were so tired and hungry after the long hike from the falls to the jeepney that all we could think was lunch.
“Sorry po sir, pero wala na rin pa lang pork adobo,” the woman said. We had ordered three dishes with the same result.
“Sa Yogurt House na lang tayo,” Micah suggested.
We walked down the road only to find the Yogurt House jam-packed.
“Pano na ‘yan?” Rene asked.
“Subukan natin sa Ganduyan,” I said. But when we reached it we were told they only serve breakfast.
We just kept on walking trying to find a place to eat when I remembered that there’s a restaurant inside the St. Joseph Resthouse. So I told them to just wait for me as I walked up the stairs of the establishment to check first. To my satisfaction, there really was a restaurant and that there were no other diners at that time and that they do serve lunch.
We all ordered their Chicken Meal Combo. It’s a two-piece chicken meal served with sautéed vegetables and generous serving of Sagada mountain rice.
We had lunch while gazing at the bright flowers of the garden outside the restaurant and while listening to the background music of Ifugao songs.
ECHO VALLEY
5:00pm
After a good lunch and a couple of hours of rest, I led them to the Echo Valley where I first tried to reach on my second trip to Sagada, but failed.
We passed through the hilltop cemetery where we noticed that the moment we entered it, the temperature quickly turned warm. I removed the sweater hanging over my shoulders and opted to just carry it.
The footpath at the end of the cemetery that leads to Echo Valley turned out that if we walked farther, there’s a part where the path becomes so narrow that your feet are just a few inches away from the ravine. If ever, the trees down there would help break our fall. I realized this wasn’t a comforting thought.
I asked them if they wanted to go on and they said yes. They were eager to see the hanging coffins placed on the mountainsides. Everyone was a bit scared, especially Micah. We had to assist her as she slowly walked down the path.
What made the path even more dangerous was that it was made of loose soil. It was so easy to slip so one should walk really carefully. Mac and I actually slipped once. I walked ahead of them and when I found a ledge that commands a great view of the hanging coffins across the side of the mountain, I called everyone over for them to see it.
The view was great but I don’t think I would want to walk that path again.
SOUVENIR SHOPS
6:00pm
As soon as we reached the town proper, the rain started to fall. We went back to our room and got our umbrellas. We then walked down the streets to the souvenir shops since it would be our last chance to shop. Everyone bought a shirt. I was then choosing between a large or an extra-large sized t-shirt. I decided on the smaller size between the two and I was surprised (and delighted) when I tried the shirt and it fitted perfectly.
Meanwhile, Ermin accidentally dropped my digicam on the street and the latch that covers the batteries broke. Maybe it’s time for me to buy a new one.
SAGADA RESTHOUSE
8:00pm
Dinner once again was a simple fare: monay, corned beef, pork and beans and a liter of Coke.
JUNE 12, 2006 MONDAY
BUS STOP
6:00am
We decided the night before to take the 5am bus to Baguio but we overslept a bit. We ended with the 6am ride.
HALSEMA HIGHWAY
7:00am
It was a six-hour trip to Baguio over long and dizzyingly zig-zagging roads. But we didn’t really mind because the Halsema Highway provided us with a breathtaking view of the mountains of Mt. Province and Benguet all covered in clouds.
Me, Ermin and Rene sat at the back of the bus. I wanted to sleep but couldn’t do so for a long period because my head kept on bumping either to the low ceiling or the window.
BAGUIO CITY
12pm
We went to the Victory Liner terminal and reserved tickets for our 4:00pm trip back to Manila. We then had lunch at Maxim’s Tea House at SM then had a photo-op on every view deck on every floor of that mall. We really looked like tourists.
CITY MARKET
3pm
Rene bought a small basket of strawberries and some peanut butter. Mac made sure he had a jar of honey for his mom. Ermin and Micah bought lots of jars of peanut brittle and lengua.
BURNHAM PARK
3:30pm
This was our last stop in Baguio so we had lots of photo-ops: beside bright red flowers and along the small man-made lake.
Mac and Micah bought native key chains from the street hawkers.
Twenty minutes till the bus’ departure time and we were still at Burnham Park. So we walked very, very briskly, sometimes even running, back to SM to get our bags. After that we hailed an FX and reached the bus terminal with three minutes to spare.
VICTORY BUS
5:00pm
I was happy, sad and tired while sitting on the bus. It had been a great weekend adventure and the most fun I had in years. It was great fun traveling with friends. But I also had fun when I went to Sagada alone My second and third trips to Sagada, although it involved the same place, was done with different goals in mind. The first was time spent alone for myself, the second for my friends. And third, if I may add, would be to introduce Sagada to every soul who needed a short but eventful rest. I would gladly accompany anyone who would want to experience Sagada.
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