Visiting Sagada

Where can you find a place that is so serene and blessed by nature? Where the people are kind and accommodating? Where the way of life is so simple.... seemingly untouched by the rapid changes in our society not because they do not have access to it but because they want to protect their way of life?

Where else but in the beautiful Sagada, Mountain Province. It is a place that would entail twelve to thirteen hours travel from Manila.

For a family of six, bringing our own vehicle was the most logical thing to do. We took the Baguio route going there and the Banaue route going home. There was around 3 hours of bumpy and butt aching ride as the only road leading to Sagada is not all cemented.








What makes the bumpy ride worthwhile is that you are treated by a spectacular view of nature.

Sagada is known for its scenery & caves. So we wasted no time in visiting its famous Sumaging cave. One must register at the municipal hall upon arrival before you can tour the town. They have an organized Guides Association who will accompany you when you do your chosen adventure. The rates are all standardized so there is no worry of being overcharged. Getting a guide is a must especially when you visit the caves and go hiking as it is easy to get lost and once inside the limestone caves, it is very slippery. We availed 2 guides since we are a group of 6, mostly kids who would need assistance. I must say that the guides were worth it. Since I have 2 little boys ages 5 & 6, they easily carried them on their shoulders when treading the slippery rocks inside the caves. They are skilled mountaineers and they really know their way around.

The experience of going inside the cave was quite difficult for me at first but later on got the hang of it. The guides took our hands on the parts where one would be required to go up or down on steep stones. Inside, you will be amazed at the magnificent stalactite formation and as you go deeper in the cave, fresh cold water will be a welcome refresher. Treading carefully is a must as the lime stones can be very slippery. There are portions wherein they asked us to go barefoot, coached us where to pass or how to climb the rope. My kids never complained and were excited by what they are seeing. They even took a dip in the cold water. To say that it was a thrilling experience is an understatement. The exhilaration of exploring the huge cave and making it out was truly unforgettable. One thing though that I really found hard was the part of going up to the mouth of the cave. It was a long climb up that I was really panting. Whew!

The next day, we went hiking for the Kiltepan view. Reaching the top, one would be awed by the magnificent scenery it offers. The mountain terrains and the Sagada terraces are so awesome. Some visitors go there to have a picnic and admire their surroundings. Definitely a photographer's haven.

There were so many places that we went to see like the Bokkeng waterfalls where the kids enjoyed a swim. The Hanging coffins, Burial caves, Echo Valley & St. Mary church are also among the places that we visited. Going to the burial sites require silence & respect as the natives or Ifugaos treat these places as holy.

Finally, after a day of adventure & sightseeing, what better way to cap the day but with a big cup of freshly brewed coffee from Bana cafe. Their coffee is superb at a super low price of Php 20.00! Coffee beans are grown locally there so you could just imagine its freshness that comes with the aroma. Complement your coffee with a Lemon Pie Meringue from Lemon Pie house for only Php18.00. Then sit back and relax your weary muscles from all the hiking you made.

Pushing 40

Approaching 40 is something that would not bother me at all... or so I thought. I just had my 37th birthday and I was a little unprepared to the reality that I only have 3 years to go before hitting the 40th mark. Is this midlife crisis or what? Some say that midlife crisis presents itself usually at the age of 50 but with all the turmoil and stress we now have, it has manifested itself earlier for some.

From my own perspective, midlife crisis is just a term but it is more of "midlife issues". Once the age of 40 looms near, I noticed that I am more critical in evaluating my life, my beliefs and even my faith. I begin to question whether is this the life that I really want and how can I get more out of life? I want to do more things that I have not done before or go to places where I have never been.

At 20, I was already married. I was more carefree and adventurous in my decisions. I do not get fat no matter what and how much I ate. It was a terrific & learning phase of my life. The only downside of this stage is that sometimes I felt, people, especially older ones, do not take me seriously in my business arrangements with them. They could not accept that they are transacting with this inexperienced young girl.

Reaching 30 was a wonderful moment for me. I was more confident and sure of myself. Family and acquaintances seems to take notice more of my insights. But the carefree attitude slowly receded as concerns for the future took its priority.

Now at 37, I keep thinking that there should be something more to life that what it seems to present. One factor that really creeps into me is monotony. Things and places that I have enjoyed before does not give me the same satisfaction as now. And it gets stiffer when I can not express my own individuality, which is my feistiness & assertiveness to some people knowing that they could not handle it.

Fortunately, I am still not desperate for a physical makeover though I have started to be more religious in putting moisturizers. Watching what I eat and the portions that I consume really involve much discipline. I am more conscious of how I look and would be pleased when friends and acquaintances would tell me that I just look my children's older sister. Call me gullible but so what, it's music to my ears.

Sometimes I wonder if it is time to replace my old beliefs and attitudes with new ones to match this middle age phase. It's because what we do is guided by what we believe in. It's really hard to identify the change of direction that I want to make for my life. Perhaps, a lot of quiet time which will lead to reflection will pave the way to the right path.

To quote Jim Rohn,

"If you don't change what you are doing today,

All of your tomorrows will look like yesterday."

Of Rains and Memories

For the first time since the start of summer, I did not have the fan pointed directly at me. It's raining and much as I hate getting wet, it is a clear and much welcome respite from the humidity that we all felt during the summer months. Last week was the start of the rainy season as what PAGASA (our weather bureau in Manila) said so we better brace ourselves for more rains, floods and more traffic.

Plants get their much needed water during the rainy season, the grass seems greener every time it rains, and we tend to be a in a slowdown mode during this season. While typing, it is both soothing & pleasant to hear the sound of the rain on my roof with a cup of coffee on my table.

One of my fondest memories of the rainy season is when my mom would whip up a hot chicken macaroni soup to match the weather. With a lot of milk and flaked chicken, I would blow it impatiently. The feel of the warm soup running in my throat is enough to quench a child's boredom in being confined indoors.

With my own family, I'm not a good cook as my mom was but we do have our own memories to share. When the lights are out because of a storm, we would all gather in the living room and take turns telling stories to keep us pre-occupied. With all the darkness surrounding us and with just a candle, scary stories become the fave topic among all. It may sound so simple but that simplicity itself makes it endearing as it makes us bond more to each other. The absence of the TV, radio or computer makes us break free from the distractions that hound us everyday.

Well, that goes for my rainy season memory bank. Care to share yours?

The Day It Hit Me

It's been quite a while since I've last written in my blog. In fact, this is my first post for 2008. I'm undergoing a rough patch in my life right now and words just wouldn't come out. No amount of inspiration can get me to write. However, time has a way of making things get better.

I realized that when one is so close to the problem, a person tends to lose all perspective of things. When one is amidst the storm, he or she can not see the issues clearly. But the day will come when you will be sick and tired of being "sick and tired", and little by little, you will be able to accept things and go back to what you usually do but you will never be your normal self again.

Perhaps, this is an instance wherein LIFE happens. You see, I consider myself blessed for having an easy time. In my 36 years of existence, I was spared of the hardships and bitter realities of life. Even when my dad died then later my mom passed away as well, I was able to handle death fine. But there will come a moment when your faith will be tested.

But, I have passed this point already. A lot of thinking and prayers has helped me understand things that I was unable to comprehend before. As the saying goes, "What's done is done." And you begin to ask yourself, "Where do I go from here?"

I see now my life as an empty book waiting to be filled by new things that will happen and new people that I will meet. A chapter waiting to be written. Things and people will come and go into our lives. There is no point in holding on to something or someone that would not willingly stay.

In the end, you will see that it's a sunny day, after all.