Busses, Caves, Coffins and Dogs!

WHOAH! Hard to top the whale sharks huh?

After 5 weeks in country, Michelle turned to me and said the words I never thought I would hear come out of her mouth.... "I think I'm beached out." Meaning of course that since we had spent the better part of our honeymoon never more than a balut throw away from the ocean she was ready for some mountain time.

Sounds great to me so we set our sights for Northern Luzon. A quick flight to Manila, a cab driver who knew where the McDondalds was and we boarded a morning bus to the mountain town of Baggio. The bus ride took us through sprawling Metro Manila and gave us a real feel for how large this metropolis really is..... up to 15 million peeps!

With an evening to spend in Baggio before our next leg, we set out to explore the market. How different the climate was up here too and after the sun set we really needed those extra layers we brought! As we snaked through steep streets lined with fish, veggies, fruits, rice and slippers (Miche bought a pair to replace her blown out blue ones) it became obvious that this was a very agricultural area of the country. I had read of great coffee and strawberries and we were excited when we stumbled across another large street which contained a variety of food stalls, crafts and booths to benefit several local projects. Why.... It's the Baggio Flower Festival! Very cool and laid back and tons of students around too as Baggio is home to several universities.

The real treat came the next morning as we boarded a bus to head up to Sagada. Our aim was to get some time chilling out.... hiking, caving and make our way over to the 8th wonder of the world the Banaue Rice Terraces.

Here's the view from the bus about an hour or so in...



The road continued for hours, sometimes paved and sometimes not. Sometimes one lane, other times one and a half. Our bus driver knew the route well and the vistas we got in any direction were incredible. After arriving in Sagada, we checked into on of the LARGEST rooms of the entire trip..... great work Miche!

Next we headed out to Echo Valley to take in the limestone cliffs, hanging coffins and crisp mountain air...AHHH. The locals have a long tradition of putting their deceased in coffins in the caves and even sticking off the sides of walls like this!



Fantastic hike with a small local boy leading us through the valley. After such a journey we decided to check out a cafe for a cup of fresh local coffee..... BEST IN PHILIPPINES I say and found another charming pooch! (Note to reader: This image will be compiled into a Dogs of Philippines album at some point in the future)



Our next day was full of adventure as we headed out to explore Sumaging Cave. Known as the "Big Cave" in these parts, this is one of the highlights of the trip for me! Our guide, George, was excellent and briefed us on how the limestone helped form the caves and underground rivers.

Lit only by kerosene lamp we entered the slippery, muddy entrance to the cave and felt the cool air. So cold in face we could see our breath! Chilly, waist deep water gave way to tight squeezes and majestic formations of limestone "flows" My camera just didn't do the low light thing very well, so if you want to find more images, do a google search for Sumaging Cave Photos. Here are a few of the better ones!




After cruising around and looking at the golden formations 500 feet below the surface of the earth, it was time for a swim! Our guide George stayed dry and lit the way while we plunged 10 feet into a crisp dark pool..... Brilliant!

What better way to end a day of caving and hiking than with PIE. Oh, fresh lemon pie tastes so good, and check out that beard!



Up early the following morning, we caught a Jeepney into Bontoc. The views from up top (Thanks for the tip Brian) were stunning. Michelle took the warm route, but I sat on our comfy backpacks and took in the morning air. Clinging to the rails and leaning into the turns, I felt like I was on a diesel powered stagecoach!

Here's the view.....



And here's what it looked like behind me.....



Stay tuned for the world famous, 2000 year old rice terraces of Banaue.