sagada, my sagada

sooner than i thought, i found myself in sagada, mt. province, as i promised. there were many firsts during my 3-day stay there:
1. first time i walked along rice terraces
i had only previously come close to rice terraces, but never actually walked on in the midst of them...until sagada.

on my way to bokkong falls, i walked the "pilapils" (i think that's what they are called), and observed up-close rice and cabbage paddies.

2. first time i set foot in bokkong falls
bokkong falls is the smaller waterfall in sagada. it was such an adventure getting there! walking over and under different plants--on muddy, then on parched soil, and some rocks to get there. getting to a falls is always such a glorious experience: you sweat to go through all the plants, rocks, and soil to get to a glorious site of cool, clear water. the air surrounding a waterfall is also always different. refreshing.

3. first time to witness an authentic kankana-ey wake
i had studied it in school and seen it through pictures and on TV, but to witness an authentic wake was just so thrilling! the dead man lay in an open coffin, surrounded by his family. i was enthralled with their tradition of "baya-u", where they eulogize and make a reckoning of the dead--in song!

4. first time to visit a dap-ay
the "dap-ay" is the area where the men of the barangay congregate, and where most decisions are made. no women are allowed. but of course, i had to take my picture there. hmph! as if they can stop me--hehe! actually, women aren't allowed in the covered are when there is a gathering of men there.

5. first time to shout and hear an echo back
we hiked to the echo valley, and the view from up there is amazing! you can see some hanging coffins. and of course, not to forget, you can scream your name, your crush's name, whatever word...and hear it repeated back.

cows "hang out" at the cemetery--on the way to echo valley:

6. first time to eat at yoghurt house
their servings are huge! the yoghurt is rich and delicious. the interiors are nice, and the photographs on the walls are amazing! can't wait to write about this place!

7. finally got a chance to take a pic of the marker at the "highest point in the philippine highway system"

8. first time to see a rainbow in the cordilleras
and what a huge rainbow it was!

of course, there are a lot more things left to be explored... reason to come back many more times!