Get High in Sagada

When I learned that there is a tropical storm coming to the Philippines, my initial reaction was to move this Sagada trip to when the weather is already 100% good (I still have two long weekends coming anyway). I frequented PAG-ASA's website and followed them on Twitter just to be updated with the weather. This, I think, is the right thing to do but is very wrong as well. Kuya Kim's very specific tweets only added up to my paranoia. You can't blame me, all my planned out of town trips in the past were rained.

We talked about this trip long ago, but we didn't really plan it out for fear that it might not push through like how things usually happen. We set it on the last weekend of October so we could finally see the burning season in Sagada, but because we were so darn excited and we wanted to make sure that we'll make it to Sagada this time, we moved the date earlier. And good heavens, there was this tropical storm. But Karen had no second thoughts. As much as I wanted to be sure of a safe and hassle-free vacation, I didn't want to spoil our semi-planned trip to Sagada. Maybe she really wants to spend her birthday there. Despite all the warning from the weather bureau and from friends as well, Friday night, I was going up and down the stairs, packing my things up. It was already past 11 p.m. and Karen, all the way from work, was already on her way to Victory Liner Pasay.

We left Pasay at 12:30 a.m. and reached Baguio at 6:30 am. The 6:30 trip just left when we arrived at Dangwa Terminal. I was hoping there'd be a 7 a.m. trip to Sagada so we won't have to waste our time waiting. We planned to stay in Sagada for just one day and spend another day in La Union. However, the next trip was still at 8:30am. We saw from the white board that the next trip is 7:30 but the bus company staff insisted that there is no 7:30am trip so we bought tickets, went up to the bus and left Karen's jacket to reserve our seat.

We then went for breakfast at the nearby Good Taste Restaurant. Thinking we had plenty of time, we lingered in the restaurant for a while and even went to buy toiletries. When we went back, our bus had already left. It was only 7:40. We knew it. Mistake. There really was a 7:30 trip. We had to be transferred to the next trip, which was in another hour.

I was so giddy when the another grueling 6 hour trip to the mountains started. For the first two hours I was wide awake and I thought I would be for the whole trip but good thing I managed to get some sleep. I could use some energy once in Sagada.

Happy kid

Stop-over, sign na malapit na ang Sagada

Day 1

We reached the mountain paradise at around 2:30 p.m. Dropped by Ganduyan Inn to get Karen's jacket where the people jokingly told us to stay there in exchange of the favor but we decided to look for some other inn. Our feet brought us down to Olahbinan Inn. The place seemed empty and we were greeted by a man putting varnish in a wooden bed in a separate room still under construction. We went inside and were greeted by a younger (and good looking) man. He showed us the room and then we decided to stay there since the place has wi-fi. After freshening up, we didn't waste any time and started enjoying Sagada by eating the first food we saw–fishballs. My Baguio friends know how much I wanted to eat street food in Sagada. For some reasons, in my past visits, I had no chance to do so.

I'm really loving this shirt

Then we saw a pamphlet of a Saturday buffet at Log Cabin. I told Karen we go there because it is a nice place. I've never really been there, I only used to pass by it during the Youth Alliance Philippines seminar in Sagada. The exterior was no longer as beautiful as it used to. The logs mirrored how much fog and rains they've endured. We had coffee at the dap-ay and took a bunch of photos inside and outside the cafe. After the coffee, we went to Yoghurt House for another food session.

Logs

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Sunset

After the early dinner, Karen wanted to have beer but it was already dark and I was thinking about the curfew (Sagada has curfew, 8pm I think). We headed back to the inn, and found out that there were some people drinking at the terrace. Some guy asked us to join them. I thought he was also a guest but I later learned that his family owns the inn. I was too lazy to go out and socialize but I always wanted to get myself drunk in Sagada. My friend and I bought ourselves beer and joined them people outside. They were all relatives except for a friend of theirs who is a professor at College of St. Benilde.

Beer over stories of Sagada, mountain adventures, islands, and Norwayden's tale. Haha! Norway is a friend who's from Sagada. Apparently, the Olahbinan people know him.

I didn't get myself drunk though, because I had to go to mass the next day. Because mother told me to go and give special intention for my late sister (who's supposed to turn 18 that day). They didn't know I was in Sagada so obliging to her request would be the slightest favor I could do for her.

Day 2

I set my phone alarm at 5:15 a.m. but I got out of bed at 5:35. I was panicking at the CR coz I may not be able to make it on time to give my mass intention. If there is one thing I couldn't really do faster, that's taking a bath. If only our CR had no hot bath, it would've made things faster.

We made it to the mass and were even the second ones to be at the church. I was a little bit embarrassed when the priest even mentioned about 'visitors' attending the mass. It was so obvious he was referring to us when he stared at us. We hardly understood the multi-lingual sermon, but the people were very friendly.

Their image of Jesus Christ is made of carved wood. It's amazing.

Probably my favorite photo from this trip

After the mass we went to Masferre Country Inn and Restaurant for breakfast.

We went back to the inn to change clothes and fetch our guide. It was already 9am yet he was still sleeping. The past night, he agreed to take us around so he had no choice but to get up. :p

The past night's damages.

We went to Echo Valley, just stayed there for a while. Couldn't really maximize the place because my throat hurt. I just yelled 'hello' which made Karen realized that that was already the Echo Valley. We trekked to the underground river. Brilliant me who wore short shorts and flops. Every now and then I'd slipped on the trail and there were blade grass along the way. In the midst of walking in the middle of coffee plantations, Karen jokingly asked our guide where we could see the weeds. LOL Good thing there was a potable water flowing from the mountain because we never thought of bringing something to drink.

The Hanging Coffins of Sagada

More coffins inside that cave

Coffee!

Looks like a woman, don't you think?

The longest hike (or so I thought because it was already too hot) was the way to Small Falls. Although, this time we took the easier trail unlike last time when we had to walk on unending rice fields. There was a group of young boys enjoying the cool water when we arrived. I really did not want to get wet because I was thinking we would be at the beach later that night anyway.

We checked out at 11:30 a.m. to catch the last trip of GL Lizardo bus to Baguio which is at 1 p.m. We spared the waiting time strolling around the Poblacion. Leaving Sagada always gives me heavy feeling. I wanted to stay some more but the next day was allotted for La Union.

Zero visibility in some parts of the road

It's really scary to pass by the highland roads when there is a storm

The weather was fair in Sagada but it started to drizzle when we were in Atok, Benguet. Those who we invited to join us in La Union backed out saying it was raining hard in Baguio. We were disappointed, but safety is more important. We resolve that if the weather gets any better the next day, we could still pursue LU. We slept over at my friend G-An's house in Baguio.

We woke up to a very cold Baguio morning. After having breakfast and taking a bath with the icy cold Baguio tap. Karen and I went to Bayanihan to look for some goodies at Wagwagan but most stores are still closed so we went to 50's Diner to have our real and pig-out breakfast.

We boarded Genesis bus after lunch. Good thing we did because that afternoon, the storm hit the north. I just saw from the TV how Juan pounded Northern Luzon. It was signal #4 in Cagayan, fortunately, our house is still standing. I also learned from Twitter that Sagada tourism lost 500k because of the storm. My prayers for the north. Sana'y makabangon tayo agad.