EXPERIENCING SAGADA

August 14, 2009

Sagada. So much has been said about it but those who have been there certainly have varying experiences. I would say, mine was of a different story, too. Before the summer finally ended, my friends and I endured the rough terrain on our way to what they call “Off the Beaten Path.”

     

 

Going to the Mountain Province was the farthest we had so far been and am especially glad to have tagged along. The pine trees, lofty mountains and rice terraces undoubtedly left a mark in us and for as long as our memory would serve us right, there will be imprints (in our minds) of the panoramic view along the trail and into the heart of Sagada. And just as we boast of having captured the view in our cameras, it was the place that, in truth, enchanted and took possession of us in awe.

The  trip via Banaue to Sagada exhausted us but thrilled us at the same time. It also rewarded us the fulfillment of having lived that inspiring experience. After an 18-hour travel from Manila, we finally reached the municipality of Sagada before dark on a Saturday afternoon. I could see that I was not the only one “beaten” by the ride.

                       

At first sight of the town made me feel a bit disappointed though. Sagada as a tourist attraction did not measure up to my expectations. It was a small town with locals and there was nothing new nor exciting about the place. It was a commonplace and I thought I came all the way just to see a simple town that did not look interesting.

 

But I adjudged Sagada too quickly and it was rude of me. We rested awhile in the Sagada Guest House before we went to see the Echo Valley where overlooking were hanging coffins. The next morning, off we went to find the secrets of the forests and savored the rich greenery and the serenity of the century old burial sites. We sought for solace and I, for one, found my heart peaceful.

 

That day, we travelled the trails to the Sumaging Cave, one of the most popular caves in the area. On our way, where it probably took us 20 minutes, there were pine trees with their daunting height. At the right, beyond the cliffs, we had a wonderful view of the valleys and plateaus. They were magnificent mountains and rice terraces, accentuated by the colors of robust trees and rich brown soil.

     

It was as if I was looking at autumn with the blend of orange, brown and green. It was a masterpiece of the Divine: the trees, the ricefields and the mountains were beautiful just as they are. It was a simple forest and planting field but it was not a commonplace after all. It was a sanctuary where I imagined nymphs and fairies dwell, where fireflies abound and the soft breeze and morning mist were the spirits of the woods.

Barefooted, we descended into the cave and in it we witnessed unorthrodox display of stalagtites and stalagmites and many other rock formations. It was a new sight and was pleasurable indeed. Sometimes, we had to immerse into the cold water just to get across.

Roaming, we touched the rocks and I could feel there is life in the walls of the cave. There were fossils among the rocks and they breathe some significant history. I have learned that the cave was created by water erosion. We no longer pursued the underground pool nearby because it was too dangerous to do so. Emerging, I know that I will never touch everything in that cave again and the rumbling waters will forever echo in my mind.

 

         

 

                            

 

 We proceeded to the burial sites, one of which was just along the road and the other farther on the other side. It was amazing to see a different way of burying the dead and I admire natives who had thought of it. I also learned that the locals before bury their dead according to the manner by which they died. There were separate burial sites for those who died in child birth, sickness or natural death. That practice, however, is no longer observed at present.

       

In the afternoon, we hurried to the ( ___) falls which took us another roller coaster ride and an hour trek — one way. The view along the trail was surprisingly beautiful and I thought to myself that while the pictures about it were promising, the real thing was incomparable. This was where my personal journey began. Looking far as I could, I felt so insignificant compared to the vast expanse of space staring at me, to the huge mountains that say “I am mighty.”

         

Meantime, the trees, hanging on the cliff, found their rightful places under the sky and stayed there without complaints. They were beautiful at such an awkward state. God has placed them just where they should be, not one tree among the millions I saw at that moment seems misplaced. I consoled myself that if God had placed those trees at their special places, so would He find mine. Just a thought that rang louder than it ever did in my head.

                                 

We found the falls but the water was so cold. I just lavished the scenery: the waterfall was too lofty that the water broke hard against the rocks as they flowed to somewhere I do not know. There were playful kids with us in that “sacred place,” where one can whisper to the rocks one’s silent anguish or private hopes; where one can relay to the waters the desires that only the heart knows so that the water as it flows can carry whatever secrets it was given. In this way, only the rocks, the moss, the trees could exchange the secrets of a heart that unlocked itself in silence and found communion with nature which will never speak of what it had known. Then the secret will forever be kept safe among themselves.

                                                                                        

I opted to walk alone on our way back to the road. Something in me prodded to shun away from the others for a while so I could listen more intently to my heart. I hungered for silence so that every step of the stairway back to the road was a quest for some realization. I looked around the cliffs and the steep mountains and I felt a bit of sting. I felt so misplaced and I envied the trees because unlike them, I still am trying to discern my rightful place in this big wide world. I envied them for the tranquility they offer and the simplicity they exude, while I, I am no longer simple as far as my dreams and ambitions go and I rarely find serenity amidst many concerns.

 

At such time, I felt to be a wanderer, lost in the world and hopeful to see where I fit. Well, enough of the drama. But I needed it, I must admit. Back to the municipality, we watched the stars at the rooftop. It was a truly romantic evening that awoke the dreamer and the poet in me.

 

It was a time when my heart was both “still and rumbling” at the same time; wherein there was communion with the “Soul of the World” and solitude as well; wherein I felt happy being with friends and yet at some point I felt so alone. Yes, it was a night of mixed feelings and I, for one, needed to live that moment. Before we finally ended the trip, we stopped by in Baguio where a nice cozy room awaited us for the night.

 

       

It was Tuesday afternoon when we finally reached Manila to attend to mountains of a different kind: office files. On our way to Sagada and back, we have seen sights that delighted the heart and I must admit that my dream of travelling had come to life. I was filled with awe and I will happily sigh upon remembering our days there. The mountains were unconquerable, the sky (although we were already in high altitude) remained unreachable, the magnificent stonewalls in the cave could only be touched and memories were the only thing we had ever taken with us back home.

The whole experience in Sagada was like a dream and dreaming always ends with waking up …and so we woke up to reality, which by the way, is also an interesting adventure!