DAY 1: CAVE CONNECTION (LUMIANG CAVE TO SUMAGING CAVE)
N o matter how fit you think you are nothing can really prepare you for caving and
spelunking. Exhilarating both for its sights and danger, caving is both a physical and mental challenge. and when in Sagada, caving is definitely a must.
at my back was the cave that me and my friends that were going to enter
Entrance of the Cave connection... I'm so excited to see what's inside that cave
The route in Lumiang wasn’t really difficult but there were a few precarious
sections where we had to inch ourselves around a large boulder while trying to
keep our footing on the slippery rocks. According to Lester, one of our guides,
they knew that there had to be a passageway between Lumiang and Sumaging
caves as the bats were going in and out of both caves. The fact that there were
bats coming out of Lumiang but no nests meant that they were nesting in
Sumaging but using Lumiang as another way to enter and exit the cave system.
The guides are really well-trained though and taught us how to move, where to
step and grab, etc. You just needed to really listen to them and follow their
instructions precisely while you held your fear in check ....right Mara?. Lester,
the lead guide would also sometimes explained and gave us history about the cave
in english.. wooohhh!!! (nosebleed ako eh!!). Lumiang had a lot of surprises and each
one presented a different physical and mental challenge.
After 4 hours or so we finally reach the top. After a couple of hours in darkness we saw the light from the outside. Waaah!!! what a relief!!.. I thought its the end but to my dismay we need to climb a long long long super duper long stairs... my goodness I think that's a 250 something steps... my legs were already numb and my feet was shouting at me to stop. I dont have choice but to keep to continue or else they will leave me there. Yoko nga maraming pooooopppps ng bat. at the end of that super duper long stairs I sat on the first rock that I saw. I dont mind if it was dirty and wet I just need something to sit on coz I was totally exhausted and dead tired pero happy ako... Conquering that kind of extreme adventure was never been easy you need a lot of patience at maraming lakas ng loob.
DAY 2: SUNRISE AT KILTEPAN TOWER.
While riding on a jeepney that we rented, I can't help but to say "WOW!" because of the breathtaking view of Sagada Rice Terraces and Mountain Ranges. It's indeed a piece of heaven's paradise at the top of the mountain. What a stress-free scenery. I almost forgot Manila. If I do have a chance, I would love to go back there and this time I want to stay for a couple of months (kelan kaya ako yayaman para magawa ko na yun?) I'll make the most out of it. It really healed me and cleanse all the heartaches and pains of my heart (BROKEN HEARTED KASI AKO!)
Super foggy...
we tried a couple of times to make a perfect jump shot pero di namin nagawa.
This is the Cemetery of Sagada. A few steps up is the Calvary Hill. According to Lester our tour guide, death is very difficult to the native people of Sagada because they need to do some ritual and offer a number of chicken and pig etc...
Surprisingly, the walls of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin built with "coralline" rock. Unusual for a structure situated high up the mountains. Pretty interesting story huh?
We went to St. Mary The Virgin church I just can't remember if its after or before echo valley. Anyways, the first Anglican church established during the American settlemen in Sagada. Though not in its original place now it was built as a center of a self supporting community with mills and agricultural industries that was brought in the American missionaries.
DAY 3: BOMOD-OK FALLS
aka BIG FALLS. Another popular activity that one shouldn’t miss when visiting Sagada is
the trek to
Sagada’s most visited and sought after attractions – the Bomod-Ok Falls (Big Falls.) we
rented a jeepney that took us to Banga-an, the entry point to the Big Falls. The trek
begins near a basketball court in Banga-an, then passing through the villages of... nah!!.. i
dunno the name of that village. The downhill trek has already been made easier because
of the concrete walkways that were built across the maze-like trails of the rice
terraces. The whole trek was really long and exhausting, with the sun scorching at times.
This, however, was worth all the effort because the views and sceneries of the
picturesque rice terraces on your way down were truly stunning and breathtaking and the
cold water of falls will surely take your soul to the heaven. And after about an hour and
20 minutes of trekking (breaking the record of 1 hr and 45 mins.) our group finally
reached the huge boulders of rocks that surround the Big Falls. From there, we all had a
spectacular view of Bomod-Ok Falls. Whiii!! the water is very cold so I decide not to
swim... yoko nga!!! and lamigggg kaya!!
THANKS TO ELISHEBA DE VERA FOR SUGGESTING
THIS PLACE AND TO CELESTE LASPINAS AND JEFF
MENDOZA FOR MAKING THIS TRIP POSSIBLE. TO
MARA CEBALLOS AND RICK LILLIE FOR MAKING OUR
TRIP SWEET (KAYA KAMI INAANTIK!!.. HAHHA.. JUST
KIDDING). AND HOW WILL I EVER FORGET OUR
GREAT TOUR GUIDES LESTER AND JAMES (READY
JUMP SHOT SA TABI NG BANGIN... "SMELL"!!!.. CLICK!)
FOR GUIDING US INSIDE THE BUWIS-BUHAY CAVE..
(HAHAHHA!!.. IM PERTAINING TO LUMIANG AND
SUMAGING CAVE. ACTUALLY IT WAS ELISHEBA DE
VERA WHO GAVE THE NAME "BUWIS-BUHAY" TO
THAT CAVE.)
