Eating a cup of agar-agar that I bought on the weekend Saturday market in Sagada, we rode a shuttle that took us to the starting point so we could trek down the Aguid Rice Terraces and see the Bomod-ok falls.

Trekking Aguid Rice Terraces to Bomod-ok Falls
Sagada, Mountain Province
March 5, 2011

view from our starting point

It was an hour's worth of trek but it was something I looked forward to since i was going to see these rice paddies up close.

holding hands

A trail was already laid out so it wasn't that difficult to hike. But I remember in the middle of the trek, Carla had a challenge going down that Andrew, our guide from SAGGAS, immediately searched for a branch to serve as a walking stick.

Aguid Rice Terraces

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After the sunrise at Kiltepan Peak, we headed back to our inn so we could freshen up and eat breakfast. But we had to finish up fast as we were going to have another adventure by trekking to Bomod-ok Falls.

Tita Myrna and Tito Raul decided to just stay to rest while we rode our vehicle heading to the starting point of our trek. Prior to the ride, we passed by the main street in Sagada where we witnessed the Saturday market.

Sagada Saturday Market

Every Saturday, Sagada townsfolk line up the street with stalls with different merchandise. These can range from school supplies to hardware to fresh produce to clothes.

pants, hoodies, jewelry, gloves, mats, etc..

strawberries and jam

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I couldn’t recall what time our guide arrived at our guesthouse in Sagada. We needed to be up early so we could prepare for the sunrise at Kiltepan Peak. Coming from our crazy toploading ride from Banaue to Bontoc and even if one is never too old for a cave connection adventure, I still wanted to get some sleep due to these tiresome activities.

It was chilly that I wanted to continue wrapping myself with a blanket and get a few more minutes of slumber. But my friends were already up and it would be embarrassing if I were to stay behind.

Sagada Trip: Kiltepan Peak Sunrise
March 5, 2011

hitching a ride on a smaller vehicle

Riding a truck heading to Kiltepan Peak, we halted somewhere along the way as we were stuck in the mud. The vehicle was too big and no matter how hard the driver stepped on the gear, it still wouldn't budge. Fortunately, a smaller jeep passed by and we joined other passengers on the way to the site.

We still couldn't see anything though.

mist

Waiting for the Sun

We arrived around 5:45am, freezing from the climate. A couple of companions brought out the blankets they took from our room which were perfect to cover themselves from the cold. I had my malong with me which pretty much sufficed.

covered with James, Carla, Doi & Tofi

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After killing time in SM Mall of Asia, we proceeded to the Florida Bus Terminal in Sampaloc, Manila, so we could be seated. We were heading to Banaue en route to Sagada. Strategically, we bought our tickets in the morning for the 10:45pm schedule so that we could reserve seats ahead of time.

We met fellow travel blogger Marcos and chatted a bit. He was on a different journey but we were to meet again in Baguio after 3 days. We boarded the bus and in no time, we began our 9-hour trip.

March 3, 2011
Manila to Banaue to Bontoc to Sagada route

Pink Florida Bus from Manila to Banaue

Coming from my shift at the office back in Cebu, I was awake for more than 24 hours already. I did it on purpose as I wanted to sleep through the night. True enough, I was knocked out even before we passed by the North Luzon Express Way (NLEX). The travel went by fast; when I woke up, we were already in Banaue.

fog or clouds?

At 6:30am I could see the thick fog and the clouds from the window opposite my side. I didn't even notice that we made a stopover at Nueva Vizcaya; I only realized this when a couple of companions wore bonnets on their heads which they bought there for about 50 bucks a piece.

arriving in Banaue

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