Sagada redux

July 18, 2009
This was my second time around to go to Sagada, right after our trip to Batad Rice Terraces in Banaue we headed straight to Sagada-which is another 3 hour drive from Banaue.
With our body and legs battered by the hike to Tappia Falls we arrived in Sagada at about 11:00 pm, found a nice place called George Inn that gives a wonderful view from its window on our room on the third floor.

view from our window
view from our window

The next day we woke up at around 6am, had our breakfast at about 7:00 am at Yoghurt House.

don, kat, kim and mark m.
don, kat, kim and mark m.

After fueling our gas tanks, still feeling a bit tired from the previous long day at Banaue, we started our cave connection ( Lumiang Cave – Sumaging Cave). On the entrance of the cave, a horde of wooden coffins can be found all humped over another stretching from the bottom of the cave’s mouth up to the rocky ceilings – positioned peacefully and bringing an eerie feeling of unfortunate circumstances once disturbed.

wooden coffins
wooden coffins
There was a coffin with a hole in it, large enough for a human skull to take a peek. It feels weird looking at it, thinking that it was once a live human being walking and feeding and talking like us, but right now it firmly rests there with its soul in the other world.

Peeping skull
Peeping skull
Inside the cave, the five of us plus our guide then another group of people are in the cave as well, producing a short queue on the tiny opening at the start where one has to use a rope to get down. While waiting for our turn Don exposes his “chemical gas” that almost rendered our guide unconscious.

to the bat cave
to the bat cave
Inside the cave was a maze of rocky passageways requiring body contortions, balance and the reliable lamp light, without it, the cave will turn into one pitch black world.

Batad 053-053

Pools of cold water greets you inside, flowing along rock formations whom the local guides refers to as the king (as it forms like a penis), queen, pig pen, chocolate cake, elephant trunk and so on (you’ll know why when you see it trust me)

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We took a dip into one of the cold pools found inside. The cold water meets your skin like needles the first few seconds after you go under it but as time goes and your body adjusts to the cold water it feels like therapy feeding your skin with energy.

Batad-109-106
Batad-104-103

After 15 minutes we got back on our trail and were met upon by more cool rock formations and crossed small pools of water again.

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And here’s Don when he’s not farting inside the cave.
Fartstarter
Fartstarter
One by one we climbed up about 6 feet using a rope heading to the exit of Sumaging cave.

Batad 154-153
the Queen
the Queen
Batad 168-157

We stayed at Sagada until the next day then headed back to Manila, it was a long trip that started friday night to Banaue, went Tappia falls, then to Sagada, went caving, foodtrip, pictures and then back to the maddening real world in the city. Something to look forward to again, because the life on the road forever awaits you.

Batad-183-178

Top 10 RV Destinations in the United States

July 11, 2009


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Recreational vehicles have changed the way we live in America. You can get away for a week in the wilderness and bring all the comforts of home with you. If you’re with your family, you can have a camping adventure. If you’re alone, you can get away from it all.