After 8 hours-something-something on the road (including our gastronomic stopover at Shell Station), by 7am we finally arrive at Fairview Inn, our home in Banaue for the next couple of days.
We arrive starving.
So we drop off our bags and search the area for food to keep us sane.
Hidden Valley Restaurant is a 5-minute walk down the road
There’s a dining area and souvenir shop on the ground floor
And more dining space on the second floor
View from the restaurant
Longganisa with egg and rice Daing na bangus with egg and rice
Ham omelet with grated cheese Coffee and tea
Now we’re happy and ready to face the day
The drive to Hapao Rice Terraces takes about 1.5 hours
But no worries, although very bumpy at times, it is quite a scenic drive
See what I mean?
We reach the Hungduan Information Center in exactly 1 hour.
Here in the mountains, everywhere you go, you need to register, register, and register.
Souvenirs
We continue the journey down and stop at this viewpoint for photo ops
View to my left
View to my left-left
Jamie and Frances having fun with their Ifugao costumes and walking sticks
Because I’m too fat the cloth is unusually short, the vendor had to use a laundry clip on me
FAKERS
(Trivia: red skirts are for the rich, black skirts are for the poor. I’m poor, so what?)
Oreo gets to be an Ifugao, too
To support the locals, we buy bags of red rice
Hitching is a very common practice in this part of the world. Without your consent, people suddenly climb atop your rented jeep. Don’t worry, they’re harmless. And very patient. These three guys wait in silence while we take gazillion photos.
I don’t know what devil possessed us to ride in this little cage
It is used to transport sacks of rice, cement, and other heavy things (like these two people sitting in it)
It is not really as extreme and exciting as it seems. For a bit more thrill, do what I do and look down the whole duration of the ride. Wheeee!!!
View from the cage
Another view from the cage
And then we start the leg-shaking descent to the Hapao Rice Terraces.
Look at how high the steps are! That’s Nikko with our entourage.
Jamie. And more stairs.
And even more stairs. Frances cries, “Waaaaaaahhhh!!!”
The place is so peaceful
So serene
And the narrow trail so scary to walk on!
Magtanim ay di biro, maghapon nakayuko…
Our tour guide Nora explains that the reddish color of the plant scares away bad vibes like rats and pests. I call it the scarecrow plant.
Didn’t know snail eggs are so pink and pretty
This is our guide Nora, who claims that she is an FBI. Fully Blooded Ifugao.
You may contact her at 09202787326.
A bit more balancing skills put into use and then we’re off to lunch
We walk by a stream, the water looks so refreshing
Check out the makeshift bridge. If I have to cross it, I will probably fall and die.
Lunch is at Giovanni’s Resort and Restaurant
Some soup Bananas
Fried porkchop, chop suey and rice Fried chicken, chop suey and rice
And our own baon, SkyFlakes and Connie’s Kitchen Artichoke and Spinach Spread. Yum!
We are the happiest when we’re eating
We climb back up all the stairs at Hapao and also this jeep then we head back to Banaue town proper
Dinner is at Terrace View Restaurant a few steps down from Fairview Inn
It’s a quaint little place
that serves simple fare
The centerpiece is resourcefulness.
Chicken Curry – good Fried Chicken – great
Pork Afritada – tough Pork Adobo – tougher
Pansit Canton – too salty Fish Sinigang – broccoli, really?
After a day full of stairs, we are hungry as hell
Related Posts:
Banaue-Sagada Trip: Getting There
Banaue-Sagada Trip: Fairview Inn
Banaue-Sagada Trip: Day 2
Banaue-Sagada Trip: Day 3
