jin loves to eat: Banaue-Sagada Trip: Day 3

I had a cup of Lucky Me La Paz Batchoy for breakfast. And milk tea cereal. Frances and Nikko had chicken noodles, Jamie had seafood noodles. All instant, all laden with artificial flavorings. Delicious stuff.

We wash our faces, brush our teeth, get on the hired van, and fall into deep sleep again for the duration of the 2.5-hour drive to Mountain Province.

Except for the time when our tour guide Nora wakes us up for a photo op at the
Banaue Viewpoint. Yes, sightseeing in jammies is very, very cool.

How the Banaue Rice Terraces was built. Too lazy to type. Please click to enlarge.

It is the most magnificent thing I have ever seen at 8 o’clock in the morning

Even the Japanese tourists think so, too

We continue on the rainy journey to the town of Bontoc

The rain stops and I am surprised to see the impressive condition of the road

This photo of Bontoc reminds me of Baguio. Okay, it reminds Frances of Baguio.
I haven’t been to the place since 1980’s.

“Tindahan ni Gloria Labandera. Handog ni Gloria, bilihing abot-kaya”
Hi there, Gloria Labandera!

We are not allowed to take pictures inside the museum, but you see, I am never one to follow rules

Traditional Ifugao house and costume

Traditional Bontoc house and costume

I love Kip Moore’s photo of this Bontoc man wearing Yale padlock earring

And I love the caption on this one

Now this is creepy. In Bontoc, a dead person is placed inside his home for 3-7 days before he is put into a coffin. “The corpse is placed in a sitting position facing the main doorway. Friends and guests bring food or money, sing and talk with the dead as if alive. This go on through night and day.” CREEEEEEEPPPYYYY!

Check out how small the coffin is. That’s my size 9 slipper on the side.
Yes, I have big feet and I will never ever fit into that tiny coffin, thank you!

Back strap weaving, Bontoc women’s hobby and livelihood

The Outdoor Museum is a replica of a mini Bontoc village

Traditional Bontoc house for the commoners

Kitchen

Bedroom is upstairs

Dead man on a “death chair”
Imagine having him in your house and imagine talking and singing to him for 3-7 days.
GOOSEBUMPS.

“The rice granary is used to store rice, wine and farm tools and is usually set close to the fields. No nails are used in this construction.”

“The ‘Ato’ is the religious and political center of the Bontocs. It is where the council of elders meet and decisions for the village are made. Young boys when they reach puberty start to sleep here and receive their education from the elders. It is this Ato system that still gives the Bontocs so much unity today.”

Ulog or the sleeping place of young ladies. Bontoc ladies must be really tiny because
Jamie and Frances can hardly fit.

Museum Ethno Cordillera Library and Souvenir Shop

On display in the museum is the “Common Threads” Exhibit which aims to expose the common threads or connections that draw together the students of School of Design & Arts of De Lasalle - College of Saint Benilde Manila and Lasalle College of Arts Singapore. The students were immersed in the rich culture of the women weavers in Bontoc, Mountain Province and this inspired them to create the following artistic pieces.

My favorite is this piece by Shermien Koh and Jeanette Mok from Singapore

Others creations:

We then continue on the bumpy ride to Sagada

Human traffic light, hehe

Lunch is at Masferre Country Inn and Restaurant

The place is homey and the food is good, probably our best meal this trip

Beefsteak Baked Chicken

Pork Adobo Beef Adobo

Lechon Kawali Rice

Yogurt with Muesli

I don’t know why our Ifugao driver Jun loves to drive very near the edge and
park very near the wall

So there, we are stuck

And these four guys have to carry the van with all of us in it. Oh, poor boys.

Next stop is the Hanging Coffins

Zoom in 100%

Zoom in 188%. SKULLS!!! YIKES!!!

Next next stop is the Burial Caves

It is quite a nice walk along the pine tree-lined trail

That is, until the stairs. STAIRS AGAIN?!? SERIOUSLY???

Us at the entrance of the cave. Frances, Nikko, Me and Jamie. That’s the nearest we go. Except for Nikko (but she’s crazy)

Coffins and coffins and coffins and coffins…
The short ones with wooden pegs are much older ones. The long ones with nails are the newer ones, like 1980’s new. And they are for Christians. Until now, the people of Sagada still practice cave burial. They don’t, however, come to visit the coffins as they believe the spirit of the dead will go visit them instead.

I say the warning sign is totally unnecessary

There are many, many more coffins inside the cave

We see more hanging coffins on the way out

And more rice terraces on the way to our next destination

Our last stop for the day is the Sumaging Cave

AGAIN?!?!? SERIOUSLYYYYY?!?!?!?
Ugh. Okay.

I look up and I see stalactites

I look down and I see our guides lighting our lamps. I ask each of them one hundred million times how long the lights will last. They just smile and assure me they’ll last long enough.

The steps are steep but Jamie seems to find it quite easy

I, on the other hand, am a total mess. And Nikko captures me in the awkward-est positions.

But I am proud to announce I am not the worst.

Hello Frances! Hihihi! Smile with tongue out

Hold on tight to the rocks for the bigger steps

But be careful, they’re covered in bat poo. Ewww.

Guide: This is “The Elephant.” See the trunk?
Us: Ahhhh… Ooohhh… Oo nga noh, galing!

               Guide: This is “The Queen”
               Us: Huh?
               Guide: That is the queen lying down. That on top is her stomach and on the side are
                            her thighs
               Us: Oh. Okaaaaay... *Giggles*

She just has to do this

Nikko contemplates on how to jump over

Sitting and sliding is the secret

               Guide: This is a “Dinosaur Foot.” A dinosaur stepped in here.
               Us: OH, I think he means Dinosaur Footprint.
               Guide: Yes, Dinosaur Foot.

The water is so cool and clear

I cannot resist a dip

Guide: This is the “Hiding Turtle.” The turtle is hiding under.
Us: How cute!

Frances and I on top of where the Hiding Turtle is hiding

               Guide: This is “The King”
               Us: Huh?
               Guide: This is what got The Queen pregnant
               Us: Aaaahhh… BASTOS!!!!!