From Banuae we needed to make our way to our next stop, the town of Sagada approx 4 hours journey to the north west. Sagada has achieved is popularity not only because of its impressive underground cave systems and unique "hanging coffin" burial practice, but also because of its pleasantly cool climate - the result of its higher elevation.
We set off for Sagada in a jeepney. Notwithstanding the passenger who brought along her live chickens, the jeepney was surprisingly comfortable. We were lucky that it was far from full and we had more legroom (though not more headroom, as the bumps on our heads attest) than a luxury bus. We soon found that we needed all the room we could get as the jeepney bounced along what proved to be a very precipitous road. There were roadworks at every turn, lots of mud and surface water from frequent rain and sections where it looked like the road could just slide away. It will be better when the roadworks are finished in about two years, a fellow passenger told us - although she couldn't quite explain why the roadworks were being carried out in many, many small sections instead of in one big project. We were constantly shifting from one lane sections of concrete to two lane sections of mud, all the time jockeying for right of way with oncoming traffic. But the reward was some spectacular views as we climbed higher and higher and were able to look down on the river and rice terraces far below us.
WE reached the town of Bontoc, a regional transportation hub, after about 3 hours and changed to another jeepney for the easier final hour to Sagada. And here we found a very tranquil, laid-back mountain town, nestled amongst pine trees (which we have not seen anywhere else in the Philippines) and invitingly cool compared to the humidity of lower areas. Just what we needed.
With no time to waste, we hired a local guide and headed for the big attraction, the Sumaging cave. We didn't really know what to expect but were warned that we might get wet "maybe up to the waist". I don't know who's waist they were talking about, but it must be that of the world's tallest person. We emerged totally drenched from the cave a few hours later. In the meantime, we had slid, crawled, climbed and waded through what turned out to be an enormous cave complex. It had started out looking relatively innocuous as the guide, equipped with nothing more high-tech than a pair of flip-flops and a gas lantern (OK, pants and shirt as well) led us down into the mouth of the cave. But soon we seemed to be very far underground, slithering along the guano coated rocks with the audio accompaniment of chirping bats. Then we reached the underground river and it was time to go barefoot. Down small waterfalls, under rocky overhangs with just our heads above water ... we had a blast. And all pitch black except for the illumination of the single lantern which the guide at times had to carry above his head. Finally we had our footwear back on and came out into daylight ready to dry off - only to find that it was pouring with rain. The hot shower back at out guest house was especially welcome.
Next day we explored the other features of Sagada in the morning sun. First, a great view of the surrounding countryside, including rice terraces, from high up on Mt Kiltepan. The perspective was very worthwhile. We could see rice terraces way down low on the river floor and also way up high in small nooks around the highest reaches of the mountains. They are everywhere, sometimes in the most unlikely of places. Then, after a refreshing dip under some nearby waterfalls, we visited Echo Valley, named for its acoustics but significant as the site of numerous hanging coffins. We could see wooden coffins (made of pine) high up in the limestone cliffs. This is how the local people committed the bodies of their dead - and a practice that can still be elected by older people. No mummification involved. The coffin is first installed in the cliff and the body is then placed inside. Of course the body slowly rots and smells bad, so the authorities insist that this ritual practice is done in places as far as possible from human habitation. Many of the coffins are more than 100 years old, but the most recent has been there just a few months. Our guide gave us all the details on the rituals associated with the whole process. Bottom line - families need to keep lots of pigs and chickens ready. But they help each other out with a sort of repo market.
Later in the day, it rained again - heavily. We relaxed in preparation for our trip back to Manila. We will remember Sagada for its cool climate, schizophrenic weather, exciting cave experience and those hanging coffins.
Next day was a travel day. First a jeepney from Sagada to Bontoc where we had time to check out the local museum - full of photographs of the local headhunting days (which were not really so long ago). Then an overnight bus all the way to Manila. Back over the same treacherous Banaue-Bontoc road as we had previously travelled by jeepney in the other direction, but this time in a large bus. And the road was by now extremely waterlogged. It was an incredible (and slightly nerve-wracking) feat of driving. The only mishap was a puncture and the crew managed to remedy that with a wheel change which took less than 20 minutes. I guess they've done this before! We arrived in Manila a little after 4 a.m. and, since it wasn't the right hour to be wandering around the city, we just stayed on the bus with the crew and a few passengers and slept until dawn. Very cosy!
Simon
We set off for Sagada in a jeepney. Notwithstanding the passenger who brought along her live chickens, the jeepney was surprisingly comfortable. We were lucky that it was far from full and we had more legroom (though not more headroom, as the bumps on our heads attest) than a luxury bus. We soon found that we needed all the room we could get as the jeepney bounced along what proved to be a very precipitous road. There were roadworks at every turn, lots of mud and surface water from frequent rain and sections where it looked like the road could just slide away. It will be better when the roadworks are finished in about two years, a fellow passenger told us - although she couldn't quite explain why the roadworks were being carried out in many, many small sections instead of in one big project. We were constantly shifting from one lane sections of concrete to two lane sections of mud, all the time jockeying for right of way with oncoming traffic. But the reward was some spectacular views as we climbed higher and higher and were able to look down on the river and rice terraces far below us.
WE reached the town of Bontoc, a regional transportation hub, after about 3 hours and changed to another jeepney for the easier final hour to Sagada. And here we found a very tranquil, laid-back mountain town, nestled amongst pine trees (which we have not seen anywhere else in the Philippines) and invitingly cool compared to the humidity of lower areas. Just what we needed.
With no time to waste, we hired a local guide and headed for the big attraction, the Sumaging cave. We didn't really know what to expect but were warned that we might get wet "maybe up to the waist". I don't know who's waist they were talking about, but it must be that of the world's tallest person. We emerged totally drenched from the cave a few hours later. In the meantime, we had slid, crawled, climbed and waded through what turned out to be an enormous cave complex. It had started out looking relatively innocuous as the guide, equipped with nothing more high-tech than a pair of flip-flops and a gas lantern (OK, pants and shirt as well) led us down into the mouth of the cave. But soon we seemed to be very far underground, slithering along the guano coated rocks with the audio accompaniment of chirping bats. Then we reached the underground river and it was time to go barefoot. Down small waterfalls, under rocky overhangs with just our heads above water ... we had a blast. And all pitch black except for the illumination of the single lantern which the guide at times had to carry above his head. Finally we had our footwear back on and came out into daylight ready to dry off - only to find that it was pouring with rain. The hot shower back at out guest house was especially welcome.
Next day we explored the other features of Sagada in the morning sun. First, a great view of the surrounding countryside, including rice terraces, from high up on Mt Kiltepan. The perspective was very worthwhile. We could see rice terraces way down low on the river floor and also way up high in small nooks around the highest reaches of the mountains. They are everywhere, sometimes in the most unlikely of places. Then, after a refreshing dip under some nearby waterfalls, we visited Echo Valley, named for its acoustics but significant as the site of numerous hanging coffins. We could see wooden coffins (made of pine) high up in the limestone cliffs. This is how the local people committed the bodies of their dead - and a practice that can still be elected by older people. No mummification involved. The coffin is first installed in the cliff and the body is then placed inside. Of course the body slowly rots and smells bad, so the authorities insist that this ritual practice is done in places as far as possible from human habitation. Many of the coffins are more than 100 years old, but the most recent has been there just a few months. Our guide gave us all the details on the rituals associated with the whole process. Bottom line - families need to keep lots of pigs and chickens ready. But they help each other out with a sort of repo market.
Later in the day, it rained again - heavily. We relaxed in preparation for our trip back to Manila. We will remember Sagada for its cool climate, schizophrenic weather, exciting cave experience and those hanging coffins.
Next day was a travel day. First a jeepney from Sagada to Bontoc where we had time to check out the local museum - full of photographs of the local headhunting days (which were not really so long ago). Then an overnight bus all the way to Manila. Back over the same treacherous Banaue-Bontoc road as we had previously travelled by jeepney in the other direction, but this time in a large bus. And the road was by now extremely waterlogged. It was an incredible (and slightly nerve-wracking) feat of driving. The only mishap was a puncture and the crew managed to remedy that with a wheel change which took less than 20 minutes. I guess they've done this before! We arrived in Manila a little after 4 a.m. and, since it wasn't the right hour to be wandering around the city, we just stayed on the bus with the crew and a few passengers and slept until dawn. Very cosy!
Simon
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