Showing posts with label cordillera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cordillera. Show all posts
Monday, December 28, 2015
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Abra | A Place Worth Discovering
Upon entering Abra, you will pass through the Tangadan Tunnel from Ilocos Sur and find a monument and park in honor of Gabriela Silang – the heroine who, alongside her husband Diego Silang, rallied people to fight the Spanish colonizers. When Diego was killed, she fled to Abra and used her uncle’s home as her headquarters. The house is still maintained by her descendants, and is now the Casa Museum Carino and Gabriela Silang Art Gallery.
Cassamata Hill National Park covers an area of 57 hectares and was declared a protected area in 1974. Its location in the southern limits of Bangued municipality by the Ilocos Sur-Abra road affords easy access to its residents. The hill itself is an easy climb via a winding road or on foot by concrete stairways. Visitors are rewarded with panoramic views of the small town below as well as the whole expanse of the Abra River valley flanked by the Cordillera Central and Ilocos mountain ranges.
If you’re interested in religious architecture, visit the colonial churches in Bangued or Tayum. A National Cultural Treasure, Tayum Church was built by Christianized Tingguians , the local ethnic group, during the 19th century.
Like many of the provinces in the Philippines, Abra has a “major artery,” a source of life for many of the people that live here — the Abra River.
The Calaba Bridge in the Philippines is currently the longest Modular Bridge ever constructed by Waagner-Biro. It measures 900m and spans the River Abra.
Abra is huddled in between the Ilocos and Cordillera Mountain ranges, it’s been described as “rugged” by travel books, but won’t be under-the-radar for long.
Friday, August 8, 2014
Mountain Province | Spelunking In Sagada
Top loading from Banaue to Bontoc is one of the exciting experiences we had. We passed by the Haselma highway, one of he world’s most dangerous road. This notorious road is named after the profilic American Engineer Eusibius Julius Haselma. From Bontoc we transferred to another jeepney bound for Sagada.
Upon reaching Sagada all visitors were required to register at the tourism desk inside the municipal hall. We explore the exhilarating Sumaging cave with the 3 Korean nationals we met outside the municipal hall. We agreed to share the expenses for the 2 guides and for the multi-cab.
The Sumaging cave has the largest chamber of all connecting caves in town. We trek down on a slippery trail from its mouth to see the magnificent formations of stalactites and stalagmites. After caving we feasted on a vegetable loaded pancit in one of the eatery there.
On the last day I left the group and I headed to Baguio City. It’s my first time in the summer capital. I wandered around the Burnham Park and the Baguio Cathedral then boarded a bus back to Manila.
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Ifugao | A Glimpse Of Banaue Rice Terraces
The 2000 years old picture perfect Banaue Rice Terraces got my attention. This national wonder has been thought to us during grade school in civil and culture subject. I spend a lot of time searching for information on how to get there, where to stay and possible expenses in the internet.
Together with my officemates and some friends we pushed through this trip only armed with information i got from the web. We agreed to just meet at the Lawton in Manila. I’m traveling with Rose while mam Bebot dropped by her home in San Pedro in Laguna to get her belongings. Her son Keith is also joining us while our friend Junny, a sales representative, is coming from Quezon province.
We’re supposed to be at the bus terminal by 9 pm. But due to some circumstances were arrived at the place too late to catch the bus bound for Banaue. We even tried buses that ply to Baguio in Pasay terminal but to no avail our fate brought us back again in Espana in Manila.
Back in the terminal we asked some employees there on possible option. They told to do the Manila-Solano-Lagawe-Banaue route. We boarded the 3am bus bound to Cagayan Valley and reached the town of Solano in Nueva Vizcaya by lunch time. We eat our lunch there then we boarded a Lagawe bound jeepney together with some locals.
It was a long bumpy journey and finally we found ourselves at Lagawe, the capital town of Ifugao province. Then we boarded another jeepney and finally we hit the town of Banaue. We roam around to look for cheap accommodation. We also inquire on their tourist information center for possible tour that they can offer to us.
Friday, May 16, 2014
Kalinga | Whang Od : The Oldest Tribal Tattoo Artist
Whang Od at the age of 94 is the remaining "mambabatok" or tattoo artist of Kalinga. She resides in the remote village of Buscalan and belongs to the Butbut tribe.
My friend Weng wanted to meet and be inked by Apo Wang Od. Together with Romer we push through this trip without any concrete plan. I only have information on how to get there. Some travel blogs do have tricky information.
We agreed to meet at Victory terminal in Kamias. The long queue of passengers in the terminal welcomes us. Weng uses her charm and we found ourselves on board the bus bound to Tabuk. Only one seat is available and Weng occupy it. Romer and I sit on the aisle.
It was a long a trip that Romer and I slept on the aisle good thing we had a sleeping bag with us.
We are too early for the departure schedule of the mini bus bound to Bontoc. We had a breakfast at a carenderia then boarded a bus on a top load. It was a 4 hours of a roller coaster ride. We alighted at the Brgy. Bugnay. We asked locals for direction to Buscalan. We trek uphill to the village where Apo Whang Od resides.
The Buscalan village is scenic with array of rice terraces. There is also a waterfall.
One of the well kept art of Kalinga is the way of making tattoo called "pagbabatok". This is one of a kind art because it depicts culture and tradition that spans for a thousand years. Tattoo is used as a right of passage for women and a symbol of courage and valor for men.
Using the traditional hand tapping method, Whang Od mixes her ink in a coconut bowl using soot and water to create a thick, dark pigmentation. using a siit (orange thorn needle) attached to a bamboo stick, Whang Od takes another bamboo stick to tap and hammer the needle into the skin. Often times, a wooden stencil would be used for more intricate and complex patterns.
As this method is hand based, the process is much more painful than what the western world has adopted as standard practice; though the exclusivity of the knowledge and privileged application of such a tattoo makes the practice less fashion and more ornamental and identifiable as a status symbol.
We reached Buscalan at around 2pm.We also meet this young couple. We asked them if we could stay in their house in case Wang Od house can't accommodate us.
These young couples were so accommodating. They have two children named Natasha and Nataniel.
It's a different world wandering around the village. Black boars were roaming around. We got back to Wang Od house then Weng and Romer inked by this legendary icon.
Past noon we go back to Bugnay and waited a bus to Bontoc. We took the Bontoc-Baguio-Manila route.
Today, Whang Od tattoos out of necessity. She uses the money to buy pigs and hens to feed her village. She loves the visitors and finds solace and meaning in her artistry.
Buscalan Village in Tinglayan, Kalinga
1. via Tabuk City Kalinga
manila to tabuk - bus (victory liner in kamias )10 hrs/700pesos
tabuk to bugnay(tinglayan) - bus bound to bontoc etd-8am / 4 hrs/150 pesos
bugnay to buscalan- hike for 1 hour or ride a habal-habal-50pesos
2. via Bontoc
manila to bontoc -bus
bontoc to bugnay -bus/jeep bound to tabuk/120 pesos
bugnay to buscalan- hike for 1 hour or ride a habal-habal-50pesos
3. via Baguio City
manila to baguio -bus
baguio to bontoc-bus 6 hrs /170pesos
bontoc to bugnay -bus/jeep bound to tabuk 2 hrs/120pesos
bugnay to buscalan- hike for 1 hour or ride a habal-habal-50pesos
4. via Tuguegarao City
manila to tuguegarao - bus
tuguegarao to tabuk -van
tabuk to bugnay(tinglayan) - bus bound to bontoc etd-8am / 4 hrs/150 pesos
bugnay to buscalan- hike for 1 hour or ride a habal-habal-50pesos
Special thanks to Rome Romer and Weng Bulaon for the photos!
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Benguet | The Challenging Luzon 312
I got an invitation from my hiking buddy to climb the top three highest peak of Luzon. Without hesitation i accepted it and I'm up for the challenge.
Together with Racky, Gilda and Cecil we departed manila at around 10 pm bound to Baguio City.
Mt. Timbac
day 1: Mt Timbac traverse > Mt Pulag Akiki trail til Eddet river.
 |
| groupie-me, cecile,mariz,racky,gilda,gerald and joey |
Mt. Pulag
day 2: Eddet river > Mt Pulag summit traverse to Tawangan trail.
Mt. Tabayoc
day 3: Mt Tabayoc: to peak 1 > summit (viewdeck) then backtrail.
this is our itinerary:
day 0:
1000 etd manila to baguio
day 1: mt. timbak traverse to mt. pulag akiki jump off
0400 eta manila participants
0630 etd ride bus going to km. 54 timbak jump off
1000 eta timbak jump off
1100 mt. timbak summit
1130 early lunch/sidetrip timbak mummy
1300 start trek
1800 kabayan central/dinner "secure van" to akiki jump off
1900 eta akiki jump off
2100 eddet river/ lights off
day 2: mt. pulag via akiki-tawangan day hike
0600 start trek from eddet river.
1200 eta mt. pulag summit
1300 etd summit to tabayoc via tawangan trail (lunch along the trail)
2100 eta brgy. tawangan/lights off
day 3: mt. tabayoc
0600 wake up call and prepare breakfast
0700 etd brgy. tawangan
1100 eta lake tabeyo and register (secure guide for tabayoc)/lunch
1200 start trekking
1430 mt. tabayoc summit
1500 start descent
1600 back at lake tabeyo
Special thanks to Gilda Tarlit and Racky Bernardo for the photos and to Sir Gerald Ternola for inviting me to this climb! :)
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