I'm just lucky to travel to this place I only see in grade school book.
It’s been a
decade ago since I first step my foot in this place, not once but 3 times in
just 2 weeks. Thanks to my relatives, where I used to spend my sem-break during
college, I got the chance to go to places I never expect nor ever think I will
visit. I don’t know how long our travel took us since we stopped and look
around in every town we passed by and have some picture taking since it’s our
first time going there. It’s already dark when we reached the town proper of
Banaue. We stayed in a Nipa hut house that my uncle reserved via phone before
we went there. The usual province I know, very quiet at night and all you can
hear is the sound of insects, winds, hampsan ng mga puno at halaman. It made me
think how come there is town in place like this. It’s an isolated place hides
in between mountains. Their life seems to be simple yet still able to agapay
the technology in the city. They do have telephone lines and internet. That’s
amazing.
Of course the
first day is really exciting. We went to main tourist spots. One is far from
another so it’s good to have your own car going there because public transports
like jeep or bus have time schedule going to places you want to visit. And
tricycle has limited access to destination since it is mountainous. I remember
there’s this tourist that hired tricycle and ended up pushing it because the
road is too matirik.
The View Point
Deck is the most visited places and most accessible tourist spot there. It’s
just along the way going to Sagada and not so far from town proper. It is also
the only place where u can see closely the mountains of rice terraces.
Batad Rice
terraces is on the other side from town proper of Banaue. You have to be
careful because the road is too makipot at matarik. Along that way is where you
can see the Bangaan village. The village is a preserved area where the Igorot
lives, in their oldest way with their bahag clothes.
Going back to where we are staying we saw a
farmer working on his farm. He smiled on us and waved his handJ. We even met a guy from France travelling alone. He said he was
there few days ago before we arrived. He is a teacher and studying the Filipino
culture. He also said that he comes back to Banaue every other year because he
really love that place. He gave me the idea of travelling alone too. I did try
it once 2 years ago but it’s just a one day trip. I just attended the Hot Air
Balloon Festival in Pampanga.
