| 2:54p |
Sagada
I've always wanted to go to Sagada. Finally, I got the chance to do it. Since the Kota trip didn't push through for a variety of reasons (my lack of funding, the girlfriend's overnight trip with friends, Justine's work, etc.), Andy decided to go to Sagada instead. Knowing the gf was going to be busy that weekend, I asked if I could come with. Danielle decided to go and it was set.
First, the 13-hour trip wreaked havoc on my 31-year old body. My back was aching and I was cramping all over. I slept like a log during the Manila to Baguio leg of the trip (thanks to the sleeping pills) but the Baguio to Sagada bus trip was simply a nightmare. It didn't help that there were problems at the shop and for a big part of the journey, we were sickened with guilt about deciding to go on vacation when there was a crucial event To make matters worse, my trusty old Nokia phone flaked on me as soon as we arrived in Sagada. I was the only one in the group with ZERO signal!!!! This freaked me out when I realized I couldn't text or call the girlfriend as often as I wanted to. In the end, I was forced to borrow Andy's phone to sneak in a few phone calls and some text messages throughout the trip.
When we arrived in Sagada, we were starving having subsisted on donuts the entire journey. Andy, having been to Sagada before, told us that Yogurt house was the best restaurant so we trudged over there. I made the mistake of ordering a chicken curry (forgetting that I'd be getting tough native chicken). Andy's eggplant pasta was good and Danielle's roasted eggplant sandwich was refreshing but forgettable. The yogurt with bananas, strawberries and granola made me forget my initial disappointment though.
Danielle hooked us up and we were staying at her friend's house. Well, Danielle did good. Ces and Brian's house was simply beautiful! A part of me was tempted to just stay indoors our entire Sagada stay and forget about communing with nature all together. So for our first day and night, that was what we did. We stayed by the fire, working on stuff for the shop and chatting the night away, drinking Generoso brandy Cokes. :)
The next day I woke up last and the two were nowhere to be found. I found them in the garden, lounging around on Andrea's sleeping mat, enjoying the weather and the view. We chatted a bit about life in general before deciding to cook up a meal with some stuff we bought at the Sagada market. Danielle made us a banana and rambutan fruit salad with brown sugar and brandy. Andy and I collaborated on a garlic and olive oil pasta with zucchini, fresh tomatoes and paprika. Andy also showed us how to make blanched fern (pako) with vinegar, onions and tomatoes. First time I’ve tried pako and it definitely won’t be the last.
In the afternoon, the three of us walked 2 kilometers back to town to go on a cave tour. Andy wanted to see the Big Falls but we were informed it was closed because of an accident (We later found out the depth of the tragedy and my sympathy and prayers goes to the family of the departed). Since my physical condition didn’t leave us much of a choice, I held the group back and we ended up choosing the easiest cave tour. The easiest?? Hahahaha. If this was the easiest, you won’t see me back in Sagada any time soon.
A Romanian girl and a Japanese-Canadian joined us for the caving adventure. We were soon chatting like old friends as we walked a few kilometers to the first cave. We went down a flight of stone steps to see coffins. Andy even saw a coffin that was cracked open and had a skull inside. Then the first stage of my nightmare happened. You need to understand. I am around 25 pounds overweight (I just hide it well hahaha) and the most strenuous activity I do is typing away at an astonishing speed. To make a long story short, hiking up that long flight of stairs proved to be too tasking for a body that has been subsisting on chicharon and cerveza for a good 10 years. By the time we got back up to the road, I was flat on my back by the side of the road telling the group they should go ahead because I was quitting. I told them I’d wait for them inside a bar in town, downing glass after glass of ice cold beer.
Andy kept asking me to reconsider but I was dizzy and tired. Soon, they gave up and went their way, leaving me a little red-faced and ashamed by the deterioration of my physical ability. I used to be an amazing athlete for gosh sakes! What the hell was wrong with me? I ended up talking to myself, going back and forth:
“Are you really quitting?”
“An ice cold bottle of beer is looking really good right now.”
“You’re 31 years old and you’re acting like you’re 70!”
“Whoever said that pain was good? That guy was a masochist. Pain means stop.”
Anyway…after a long deliberation, I decided to follow the group. In the end, I realized that fifteen to twenty years down the road, I would no longer be able to do all these things for real. I was only 31 years old. I really should act my age.
After I caught up with the group, the guide brought us down to the Sumaguing Cave. By this time I was feeling a new burst of confidence (thanks to my Kung Fu Panda-like come-back) and I even dared venture to say, “This isn’t too bad!” Famous last words, I tell you!
The trek down was slippery but I believe I held my own somewhat. Even when we encountered the part of the cave that was filled with bat droppings. A group before us looked bruised and battered and they informed us they all fell after seeing the ghost of a girl. There are a lot of ghost stories in Sagada and during my short stay, I ended up with spooky experiences of my own. I’ll be sure to share them in my next blog entry.
Anyway, by this time, I was getting a little winded and admittedly squeamish because you really have to use your hands a lot when climbing up and down rocks. So I kept ending up with a handful of bat shit.
Then we reached the underground river where we were instructed to remove our shoes. That was when I fell for the first time. I slipped on slippery rock and landed heavily on my butt. Fortunately for me, I was able to use my hands to break the fall somewhat. Unfortunately, I bruised my hands badly which affected the rest of the journey since I now had a harder time holding on to the rocks. I lost a little of my confidence and I admittedly started getting scared at this point. The fall shook me up and hurt me enough to make me realize this wasn’t a joke.
Upon wading in the ice-cold water, I automatically stubbed my toe and fell against some rough rock scraping my knuckles raw. Think slapstick comedy at this point. The rest of my cave tour resembled just that. I was drenched from head to foot and bleeding. I told Andy I was happy the girlfriend wasn’t present to witness such humiliation. Hey, humor is a turn-on.
It was tough. The rough rock was cutting up my city feet into pieces (my Tae Kwon Do days when I had calluses that could probably withstand flame and broken glass are long gone) and thanks to the cold water, I was soon cramping. My knees were shaking due to exhaustion and the only thing that kept me going was that it was too late to quit. Seriously. I had to climb back up anyway so I might as well just push on.
When we reached a rope where we had to rapel down, I balked and told Andy I was content to wait it out on top of the rock. As usual, my favorite cheerleader kept egging me on until I just did it with my terrible technique. I did slip and fall but thankfully, I was already a safe distance from the ground when it happened.
Yes, Sumaguing Cave is beautiful. The rocks had magnificent formations and I was in awe so many times. I snickered at the rock that resembled a vagina and marveled at the beauty of cavern after cavern.
It was a long climb back out of the cave. I fell so many times, bruising my knee and scraping layers of skin. I told the girlfriend this morning, “To get out of there, I had to use every part of my body --- my hands, my feet, my knees, my butt, my chin.” I wasn’t exaggerating.
I admit I was unable to climb up the rope. The guide instead offered himself as a staircase and I almost broke his neck. At one point, I was just too exhausted that the guide practically had to hoist me up at every difficult spot. You can be sure, I tipped him well. Andy kept telling me she was proud of me although I didn’t feel the same way. I wanted to berate myself for letting myself go and in the end, I was just more determined to get back in shape.
When we finally saw daylight, I felt myself cheering up a little. I succeeded even if it was an ugly victory and that was something to be happy about. I chose to do what was difficult and hard even if every molecule in my body was urging that I go for a beer instead.
I changed my mind. I will go back to Sagada. I’ll go through the entire trip again and even add the more difficult tours to my itinerary. But this time, I will be better.
We had dinner at Yogurt house again that night and the food tasted so much better. Danielle’s vegetable fried rice was simply brilliant and the sandwiches Andrea and I ordered sated our hungry stomachs. We washed down the good food with some hot mountain tea and we had a truly satisfying meal.
I wish I could say the walk back to the house was calm and uneventful but this is Sagada, a place so bizarre that even the disturbing adds to its mystique and splendor. That night, I personally believe, I could have lost my life…not in the dangers of the cave…but while I was sleeping in my bed.
But all that deserves another blog entry.
Until then. |