View from Mt. Polis

I woke up early the next in Sagada, sadly for me, it was already time to leave. I such a short while, I had grown to love Sagada. The mysterious and scenic town can really get to you. The wonderful weather is a welcome break from the non-stop heat back in Manila. At the main square, there was a waiting bus to Bontoc, the capital of Mt. Province. It didn’t really take long for the jeepney to fill up since a lot of people go to the big city to work.

A Queue of Buses at the Stopover

In the jeepney, I happened to get to know this not-so-elderly lady from England who was travelling alone. She was told me that we was on her way to Banaue, which also happened to be my destination. Great! At least I will have someone to talk to on the way back. The jeepney followed the same highway we used to get to Sagada, winding through scenic mountain passes and over the Chico River. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my own car so I couldn’t stop and take photos of the wonderful scenery.

A Small Hut Along the Road

When we got to Bontoc, we needed to switch to another bus which was headed to Banaue, fortunately, it is much easier to get this bus since they seem to have a lot of buses travelling between the two cities. This time we didn’t need to wait very long unlike the other way around where I needed to wait several hours for the jeepney to fill up on the way to Sagada. The highway passed by truly scenic mountain vistas, which hardly a soul to be seen. Once in a while though there were construction work being done on the mountain slopes to prevent landslides which are very common here.

Thick Fog Coming

After an hour and a half of travelling, we came to a rest stop, which was the same rest stop as before. It was Mt. Polis, which was a no-man’s land, with only a few stalls meant for the dirty, badly shaken and weary traveller. It took some time to take photos of the surrounding scenery at Mt. Polis. The stopover is at a very high point in the mountain and it overlooks a huge valley below. Further, you can see the mountains looming over the horizon. I was lucky that day, since the previous time I was there, the place was obscured by clouds. But not for long, since a huge cloud was already starting to cover the rest of our way to Banaue.

Oh well, there wasn’t really much to see here in Mt. Polis anyway. Maybe when the mountain resort they are building is finished will we get to see more interesting places but for now, it is just a simple rest stop.

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My Food at the Log Cabin

Finally night came, this would be my last night here in Sagada and I feel sad to be leaving this wonderful place. I have saved the best place to eat for the last. The most recommended place to eat here in Sagada is the delightful Log Cabin. The Log Cabin is just up the road from the Sagada Guest House. It would be difficult to miss this place since this would be the only Log Cabin in the area.

Wonderful Interiors of the Restaurant

The restaurant is famous for its wonderful food, most especially on weekends where the food is prepared by a French Chef. As to what he is doing here in this part of the world is beyond me but just looking around Sagada, I have a pretty good idea why he decided to set up shop here. The interiors of the Log Cabin are exactly what one would expect from a real Log Cabin. The place is practically made of wood. It even has a nice fireplace to keep customers warm during really cold nights.

They Even Have a Fireplace

Naturally, I ordered their food here, it was a little more expensive than normal, but I don’t really come here that often so I didn’t really mind if I paid a little extra for great food. There were a couple more customers and all of them were foreigners. Looking at this scene it would seem like I was in some log cabin in the mountains of Europe or the United States.

Not before long, my food finally came and it certainly looked impressive. The chicken was covered with chips made from sweet potato. I normally do not like eating sweet potato but probably it was because they were made from very fresh sweet potatoes that I managed to eat them. I didn’t just managed to eat them, I loved them. It was a dish unlike any I had ever before. The vegetables of Sagada, really make a huge difference. It was too bad that the French chef prepares a grand feast only on weekends since I wasn’t there on a weekend. Yet, another reason for me to come back here.

Makes You Think This was in Europe

After a while of sitting there admiring the Log Cabin, I realized that it was already past 9 in the evening. Sagada enforces a 9pm curfew that the locals adhere to. Visitors are normally not covered by the curfew but I would be eerie to be walking out in the dark without anyone in sight. It is another peculiar custom they observe here. It is probably for peace and order. And it works, since Sagada seems to be a really peaceful place. I stepped out of the Log Cabin and it was indeed very quiet. Fortunately, the Sagada Guest House was nearby so I didn’t really have to intrude that much. The door was already locked when I got there but they still opened the door for me. Whew!

I really liked the Log Cabin and I was wondering why there aren’t more of these places here in Sagada. The country atmosphere is very nice and I hope others would take up this great idea as well. I has been a wonderful few days here in Sagada and I really would love to come back here. The unique traditions and character of the town itself really make it stand out from the other towns in the country and make it a must visit place.

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Sun Sets Behind the Mountains

Sagada is a really interesting and relaxing place. The pace of life here is so slow even the cows chew slowly. In fact, you could probably spend the entire day at the town square just people watching and just basically watch life pass by. The uniqueness of Sagada is really alluring, that it feels like it is a different country altogether. The high altitude weather is so not Manila. It is feels perfectly safe to roam the streets of Sagada, unlike some parts of Manila. The people are not even Catholics, unlike most of the country.

Brilliant Sunset in Sagada

But make no mistake, the people here in Sagada are just as technologically savvy as any other person from Manila. They people go to Facebook and other popular website just like any other people. The furiously text the other half while tending to the farm. The children are highly educated and speak fluent English. In fact they would probably prefer that you speak to them in English rather than Tagalog. This is somewhat of a good thing for foreigners who visit this place, since there wouldn’t be any language barrier at all. Although, English is widely understood and spoken throughout the country.

Silhouette of Trees

The landscape of Sagada is particularly special since it is on top of a mountain range. The limestone mountains have dozens of caves ripe for exploring. These same caves have also given rise to unique customs and traditions that are still being practiced to this day. These traditions are widely practices in this region and have given the region with a very unique character. These minute details have given Sagada a very special place in the tourism map that, thankfully, still has to be discovered by the hordes of tourists in other countries.

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Pine Cones on the Ground

While there is still quite a bit of the afternoon left, I was looking for a place to visit. Listed in the travel guides is Kiltepan which is a supreb view area where you can see pretty much of Sagada and the surrounding areas. I decided to go there since based on the map it seems to be quite near. I merely followed the main road going out of the town. And just beyond a small shop, I turned right where it seems like there was some excavation going on.

A Semblance of a View

I continued on the road but I didn’t really see any thing that might resemble a Kiltepan. So I turned back and asked for directions at the store I just passed by. She said that I was right, and to just continue on to follow the road I just took. So off I went again, I didn’t really see anything interesting there. There was however a small hill which looks like there is a path, actually I wasn’t sure anymore since the paths there look much like the path I took to see the hanging coffins, where I almost got lost.

On a Pine Tree

Undaunted, I continued looking for a path, even though I was sure it was no longer a path. The hill was quite steep and covered with tall pine trees. In some parts, I had to go around some thick vegetation to reach the top of the hill, being very careful not to lose my footing. When I got to the top, there was nothing to see. I was very disappointed. Either I got the wrong Kiltepan or this was the right Kiltepan and there are now tall trees blocking the view. I can barely see the other side of the trees. Really disappointed now, I headed back down the hill, I passed by the store where I asked for directions but I didn’t really bother telling her that I didn’t find it.

Pine Trees All Around

I didn’t really have much time anymore to look for the real Kiltepan since it was almost sundown and I didn’t wan’t to get stuck on top of a hill trying to find my way back to town. There were hardly any people here so it wouldn’t be wise to continue. Anyway, I think it would be a good incentive for me to come back here since there seems to be a lot of surprises in this mystical little town.

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Masferre Chicken

We got back to Sagada at one in the afternoon. Obviously a half day to climbing up the side of a mountain in Fidelisan Village is too much for me. I was starving. Fortunately, there were a lot of restaurants nearby and I quickly headed to Masferre Country Inn and Restaurant. They had this Masferre Chicken which sounded interesting. After all, if they are willing to put their name on that dish then I guess it must be good.

This is Probably Where it Came From

When my food came, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the chicken was quite big. I think it is a far cry from the scrawny little chicks they call chicken back in Manila. The chicken was nice and tender and is quite fragrant. Still I have had better fried chicken elsewhere but I guess this is as fresh as it could get and it is difficult to beat that. They probably just slaughtered the poor thing a few minutes ago. The vegetables that came with the meal we top notch, sweet and crunchy and most of all very fresh. I believe that fresh vegetables can be had in Sagada quite easily and should be standard fare in most of the restaurants here.

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I had a wonderful night’s rest in Sagada Guest House. The weather was wonderful and very conducive to sleeping. Today, I would be going to a different village. Surprisingly, in contrast to the cloudy weather I got the previous day, it was a bright and sunny day. The sky was a nice hue of blue and the visibility was great.

The Main Square of Sagada

The village was already up and about this early in the morning. I noticed that whenever I am in sleepy villages like this, I tend to wake up much earlier than normal. The villages were already going up an about here. First order of business was to find my transport to the next village. There was a queue of buses and jeepneys beyond the main square and one of them goes to my intended destination.

Overlooking the Village

I found out that they won’t be leaving anytime soon so I told the driver that I will be having breakast first. I grabbed a sorry breakfast of tocilog at the nearby Ganduyan Cafe. Sorry because the tocino or cured pork was really tiny. Anyway, I got my breakfast and went back to the waiting jeepney which was already close to full.

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Masferre Country Inn and Restaurant

After that walk through heavy fog, I was ready for a nice dinner. It was a very tiring day for me, I have explored two caves, climbed down and up a small hill through thick vegetation and finally walked through zero visibility fog all in one day. I was definitely enjoying my stay in Sagada. Now I think I deserve good dinner.

Just beside the municipal hall is the Masferre Country Inn and Restaurant. The place is named after one of the famous residents, Eduardo Masferre. He is considered the father of Philippine photography and his works on the Philippine Cordilleras are unparalleled. He married a local Sagada native and had several children, who still reside in Sagada. Eduardo Masferre’s works can be seen hung on the wall in the restaurant.

Beef Steak In Sagada

The restaurant itself is a homey wooden cottage with tables for customers. In the other room you can visit their souvenir shop which sell some Igorot inspired souvenirs. Ignoring the souvenir shop, I came for the food after all, scanned through their menu and ordered beef steak. This is not the typical beef steak of the West, but Philippine style. The sauce is made from small lime and soy sauce, the taste is quite strong for the uninitiated but I love it.

Wall of Photographs of Eduardo Masferre

The beef steak is not as much as I hoped it to be, considering the price but I don’t get to eat this very often so I might as well enjoy it. Not before long night fell and all was dark and quiet. I quietly slipped out of the restaurant and head back to the Sagada Guest House which was just a stone’s throw away.

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Trees Shrouded by Thick Clouds

After a little huffing and puffing from climbing back up from the hanging coffins in Sagada. I decided to rest for an hour at the Sagada Guest House. When I got back out it was still light outside so I decided to explore more of Sagada. I basically followed the paved road where the jeepneys pass by to the next village. It was a nice little relaxing walk through the forested hills of Sagada.

Road to Nowhere

After a while, the clouds started to come in and suddenly, visibility became very poor. Everything became all white and I can hardly see anything beyond a few meters in front of me. I was delighted by this since a lowlander like me does not get to experience this kind of thing normally. The weather was nice and cool while I kept taking photos.

Just Like a Scene from a Suspense Thriller

I kept walking until I realized that I was quite far from town. The sun was going down fast and I do not want to be stuck in a zero visibility situation far from the village. It was like some suspense movie I was in when I would here footsteps but I cannot see where they are coming from. I turned back and walked back to the village, fortunately, Sagada itself was not cover in clouds and visiblity was great. It was a rather interesting walk, something I do not get to experience on a normal basis. I guess this is another one of the nice surprises of Sagada.

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Continuing past the cemetery, there is a gentle slope down the valley to my next destination. Unfortunately, again there were no signs for the lowly tourist without a guide. Fortunately, on my way down to the valley, I spotted someone hanging out at the lookout point near the top of the hill. He pointed me the way to the valley but wasn’t exactly clear about that. It guess there would be only on way down, right?

Can You See the Hanging Coffins?

Turns out, getting to the valley it relatively easy, just follow well trodden path down the mountain until you reach the valley floor. From here, I can see the hanging conffins of Sagada, for which Sagada is known for. They are hanging on one side of the mountain much like the previous hanging coffin I saw earlier in the day. I wanted to get a closer look but the path to the hanging coffins isn’t really very clear and not well trodden, which was kind of weird since Sagada is already famous of this, you’d think there would be a more worn out path. If there was one, I sure didn’t find it.

Different Angle for the Coffins

I followed some trails which seemed to have been created by man, I had to backtrack a few times since some of them led to a dead end – excuse the pun. After a few tries, I managed to get up close to the hanging coffins. Some of the coffins even have names of the deceased and others even came with a cross. Which was strange since this practice is an animist way of burying the dead. I noticed that there is another cave entrance here but I wasn’t sure where it ends. I was told that this cave can be quite dangerous since it is prone to flash flooding.

They Even Have Names on the Coffins

Having taking all the photos I can take, I started to make my way back to town. I took pains to make sure I remember where I came from since the path wasn’t clearly marked, it would have been extremely easy to get lost. And to get lost here, would not be a good idea. There is no electricity here in the middle of the valley and there is no cell phone signal since it is blocked by the tall mountains. It was getting late in the afternoon and I would not want to let the night overtake me.

Believe It or Not, There is a Path

After several tries, I managed to find my way back to the trail I came down from. Since, going up is far more difficult than going down, I have to take my time going back up the mountain. I wasn’t that pressured anymore since the path here is pretty straightforward. At the same time, I was also admiring the scenery of the valley. You will not know that there was a path there if you viewed it if from above. I wonder if people have actually gotten lost from exploring this area. I think some proper signage is in order. But then it would no longer be Sagada.

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All the Way Up the Slope

Beyond the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in the Mission Compound of Sagada is the cemetery. I was actually on my way to Echo Valley when I chanced upon this place. Had I known that I would be passing by this place, I would have tried to avoid it. Anyway, the cemetery here in the Mission Compound is laid out along the side of the mountain with the a crucifix at the very top of the slope.

Rows of Tombs Along the Mountainside

When I passed by, there happened to be a funeral service going on. There were several local people gathered around a spot in the cemetery, obviously someone just died. What was quite peculiar was that they were playing happy music and even had a video recording of the whole event. I wasn’t sure whether it was just the wishes of the deceased or it is their tradition here in Sagada. Among them was a foreigner who was observing the proceedings. It guess this is one of those culture things you do not get to see very often.

Cemetery at the Mission Compound in Sagada

I didn’t really want to stick around the funeral service. I was careful not to step on the tombs of the buried there, because I needed to cut through the cemetery to get to Echo Valley, which lies beyond the cemetery grounds. Some of the tombs actually have foreign names and I would presume that these we from the early missionary folk who came to settle here. This is an interesting contrast in culture in Sagada. One on hand they still practice the traditional way of burial where they suspend the deceased in wooden coffins and on the other hand they practice the “modern” way of burial which is six feet under. I didn’t linger around any more since the place it starting to creep me out.

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