If there's one comfort place that I wanted go back over and over again. It's none other than that so-called SAGADA. It feels like I left a piece of my heart in this charming year-round cold place in Mt. Province. Blessing in disguise that a friend of mine wanted some break from a city life and wanted a company going there and a D-I-Y tour with plenty of time to sleep inside our rented accommodation.
While everyone else were busy having Christmas party left and right. There we are travelling to Sagada via Baguio route. We were supposed to ride coda lines with non-stop bus via bontoc but it seems like it wasn't for us. Long lines dawned on us, that's why we have to make our way to Victory Liner bound to baguio then transfer to GL bus at Dangwa Terminal.
Arriving at Sagada without prepared on hand Itinerary we registered at Municipal tourism office and look for an accommodation. When we're all settled, we have decided to have our lunch first at Lemon Pie House. And had our inquiry at Saggas for our first off-beaten path destination. Mt. Ampucao traverse to Lake Danum. It was our most unforgettable and scariest thing I've ever experience in Sagada since 2013. It was a fine afternoon when we thought everything's going well as we trek to Mt. Ampucao's peak. This used to be local's place when they want to have a good time for bonding overlooking the whole town of Sagada and near town of Besao. It has charming terrain with different vibes on the side. Including Batanes like terrain at the peak. We thought of having a perfect afternoon, not until we started traverse to Lake Danum. It seems like our guide didn't know the exact trail going there. We know that it is infamous destination, unusual tour/trek but admitting that we should change our way for we will be having a hard time to locate back our trail might cause trouble. Darkness starts to fill in and it seems like we're lost. Our guide keeps mum on telling us that we are, but His facial expression and body language say it aloud. We almost cry as the howling wind blew harder, pouring of rain, tall grasses blocked our way, no sign of established trail, no sign of Near People to cry for help, cliffs left and right and no signal at all. Still, our guide told us that because it was off beaten destination, trails were hard to locate that we immediately doubted. For he keeps on whispering where we were heading. We had our skin cuts because of amosekos, sharp grasses, and unnoticed trunks. We can't imagine our fears when hear sounds of like a hissing snake. Thank God we didn't encounter or maybe we just didn't see one. When we hear the sound of a barking dog, we try to follow the sound and thank goodness, we spotted a light, sooner, we found out it was a house far from main the road but will lead back to the trail of lake danum if we follow the trail. When we got back to the right path it was 7pm and even if how many times our guide told us that Lake Danum is just beside where we are walking, we didn't even bother to take a glimpse since we are still at the peak of our fears. We continue walking and walking as if the night have no end until we reached the town center of Sagada. With no energy to do more things, we had our dinner to be take out from one the eateries and bid goodbye to our guide. We appreciate his utmost show of concern for us and his effort to make us feel secured and protected. But it could've been easier for all us if they honestly told us that we might get lost with the kind itinerary. I only thought it was a good thing because it was still listed on the sites of where to go in sagada but traverse maybe a bad idea. It was a hard lesson for us and still a good realization that People in Sagada never changed over the years. Imagine getting lost in the mountain, if we are in a different place we could've fear for ourlives might be abducted by strangers. But since we were in sagada, what we fear most were wild animals we could encounter in that mountain in the middle of dark night. We know and feel that People in sagada will surely help us and not take advantage of the situation.
With nothing do for a while, I have decided to accompany our first timer in Sagada to go at Echo Valley and hanging coffins tour. It wouldn't eat much our time and budget, at the same time our first timer friend would not be lacking of sagada experience. Improvement to this place has been noticeable, It is now more tourist friendly than I used to see it back in 2013. Paved path walk with hand drills without harming the natural formation of limestone. What saddened me was, when I saw the fence near the hanging coffins. this used to be a close encounter experience but due to irresponsible tourist who littered and vandal, they need to put fence and prohibit people to go near and will be able to preserve the place since it is also a scared tradition for the locals. Right after chill tour at echo valley, Now is the best time to get some rest and be in a lazy mode for some time. It's been quite a while since we felt that kind of relaxation. A cold afternoon with nothing to do at all. No deadlines to meet. And no problems to worry. Just before the sun goes down, we try to go Orange Picking and have our own oranges personally picked. Big change has taken this place since 2013 but maintain its appeal. What's more good about this walking trip from town center to northern part of Sagada is that, we were able to drop by to Sagada's first mission Roman Catholic Church. Made some prayer to cry our hearts out and feel the breeze of fresh air while walking back to the center. For our last activity for the day and our last night in Sagada, We treat ourselves to a sumptuous dinner and coffee at Sagada brew. A good way to cap the night off.
Sagada has always been my safe haven. A place to go whenever you want to somehow disconnect from your busy and loud world. Things may have changed through time but its warm welcome remains. No wonder why it is always a place of refuge for those with weary hearts and for those who want to break some chains of daily routine. I am not really in favor of big changes to make it a tourist friendly community. I admire Sagada for being a laid back atmosphere and close encounter of nature, going over mountain roads, rice paddies, smell of pine trees, sound of howling wind and chirping of birds. As improvement comes, some of those things has been taken aback. You still got to experience those things but not as overwhelming as it was. I don't know if it's because of time but thank God. Flocks of crowd has been trimmed down. It is by lesser crowd that the nature will work on its own repair. I will never get tired of going back to a place whose been my cradle everytime I needed a break from everything. A way of breathing from a suffocating life. It is not every day that you experience a cold and chilly weather with People who welcomes everyone without judgement.
