Sagada, Mountain Province, The Philippines

Sagada, a thriving town in the Mountain Province, is an unknown place to me until I got to personally met her in June 2011. I immediately fell inlove with her natural beauty and charm. This place is so blessed with wonderful climate, warm people and peaceful environment. Let me also highlight this fact that in the summer the town's average high is 23 degrees Celsius (73.4 F) which makes this place a perfect summer destination for those who want to escape the scorching heat in the Metro.

Typical Sagada Morning

The trip to Sagada is a 12-hour bus drive from Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. From the station (Victory Liner in Caloocan,Cubao or Pasay) in Manila, the bus will take you to Baguio City, a prime city in Benguet. From there, take another bus enroute to Sagada.

Typical Road Scenery Going  to Sagada

The trip from Manila to Baguio City is kinda boring so it's better to take a night trip so you will reach the terminal in Baguio in the morning the following day. The trip from Baguio City to Sagada is simply breath-taking and the morning trip which starts at 6 AM gives you the best view of the endless mountains that seem to kiss the clouds.

Vegetable Terraces in Benguet Province

The mountain slopes in Benguet are studded with vegetable terraces which look like stairway to heaven. It's just amazing to look at them. You're eyes just won't get tired and bored! The country roads winding on the mountain slopes also add to the excitement of every passenger. For the native there, the experience seems to be just alright, but the first-timers like me, it's just fun and exciting! I sometimes worried though because streets there can be perilous as shown by the landslides at some location.

The pine trees covering the mountains and their aromatic scent could relax my senses. The steep roads that sometime ascend and descend finally reached the destination----Sagada.

Where to Get Pasalubong 

While in Sagada, we stayed in a school's dormitory. No time was wasted, after settling down, we embarked on our first adventure---Bomod-ok Falls and Agid Rice Terraces.

Places of Interest in Sagada

1. Agid Rice Terraces 

The Agid Rice Terraces is an extensive series of rice terraces in a wide and deep valley. From the road, the green-colored rice terraces would just mesmerize your eyes and make you stand still for a while thinking of the hardwork these people have exerted in order to finish this masterpiece. What makes these terraces different from the ones in the Banaue is the dikes. The ones in Banaue have higher and bigger dikes that make their Rice Terraces more panaromic. Traversing the dikes, a narrow foot path led us to a river where the other attraction, Bomod-ok Falls, is located.

Agid Rice Terraces

2. Bomod-ok Falls

Bomod-ok Falls is the biggest falls in Sagada. The water coming from a cliff plunges 15-20 meters down into a lagoon where avid bathers can enjoy swimming or just padding in the chilly mountain water. Sagada is situated some 5,000 feet (1500 m) above sea level so be prepared to experience a much cooler water temperature in case you're curious of swimming. It was raining that time which made the water even colder for us.

Bomod-ok Falls

Going down the river was no big deal, but going up again can became an ordeal . The good thing was that we were rewarded with a wonderful experience and breath-taking view of the unspoiled beauty that is Sagada.

The Gang

3. Lumiang Cave

Spelunking is one of the activities that you must do while in Sagada. On your way to Sumaguing Cave, there is a smaller burial cave which you can also visit. It is called Lumiang Cave where old and few newer coffins are stacked. Sadly, evidence of illegal collection can be seen. There's no need to go down the cave because the coffins can be seen from the path above, but for the curious ones who want to have a closer look, respect is of utmost importance.

Coffins inside Lumiang Cave

The View of the Cave from the Foot Path

4. Sumaguing Cave

Sumaguing Cave is also called as the Big Cave and it's really huge! It is a 40-minute walk from the main point of Sagada on the Suyo Road. Interesting limestone formations can be seen inside. It is not advisable to take your cellphones or cameras if you do not have any plastic container because there's a big chance that they will get wet. There are guides that you can hire if you wanna explore the cave and it is of utmost importance that you have a guide because the cave is so huge and there are many ways inside. The guides will also provide you with the necessary equipment such as good lighting and of course support and expertise in climbing.

Entrance to the Cave

Limestone formation

Limestone formation meets crystal clear water inside Sumaguing Cave

5. Hanging Coffins

This was a spooky trek because we had to pass through a public cemetery. You can just imagine The Walking Dead series and your adrenaline will spike up. But anyway, I find it more interesting and adds more spectacle to the trek to the world-famous hanging coffins of Sagada. The trek is a brief 15-20 minute walk from the town square.

Viewing spot for the hanging coffins

To be buried this way, I learned that there is one very strict rule: one has to be married and have grand children.

Hanging Coffins

6. Church of St. Mary the Virgin

It is a stone church built by the American missionaries during the 1900s. It is a vibrant episcopal parish found at town centre.

Interior of the Church of St. Mary  the Virgin

Loire Valley: Where Castles Abound

Blois Castle

Blois Castle

Entrance to Chambord Castle

From our short stay in the Mediterranean town of Cassis in southern France, we headed to Blois where the famous Loir river runs through. The reason why we were visiting Blois is not because of the river cruise but because the number of castles built along the Loire River hundreds of years ago. Loire Valley spans 280 km and is situated in the Loire River.

Rivers or any form of water provide good transportation for people then and now. I suppose that the monarchs or aristocrats in the 13th century strategically built those castles there because of accessibility since this river empties at the English Channel.

The first castle that I visited was the Blois Castle. It is situated in the heart of the city over-looking the Loire. From there, one could see the primary colors of the city which are represented by the roof, walls and bricks of the buildings there.

Driving westward along the banks of Loire and crossing one of the bridges, one will find the Chambord Castle. The entrance fee per person was around 10 euros which would give a visitor access to the castle and its stables. I am not so sure, but I think the garden was excluded. It costs an extra fee.

The gate to the castle opens at 10 AM and I recommend to have your breakfast before going there because food around the area was expensive and it's a long way up to the castle which is situated on top of a hill. Once you reached the top, you will be greeted by a beautiful garden and big pine trees. Walking past these pine trees, the Castle will surprise you with is beautiful facade.For me, it looks more beautiful than the Blois Castle. Just like in the olden time, a bridge has to be laid down in order to gain access to the castle. It was like in a fairy tale land!

Chambord Castle had furniture inside. The display inside each room showed how the aristocrats lived during that time. It was elegant and superflous, I should say.

We could have stayed much longer, but there are more castle awaiting us.

Tip: If you want to see all the castles in Loire Valley, allot at least a week. There are so many castles in that region and visiting a castle including its rooms and garden requires at least half-a-day already.  

Cassis, Southern France

Cassis is a coastal town in the French Mediterranean. The nearest famous city to it is Marseille where we were supposed to visit, but headed to Cassis instead because of proximity. The journey to Cassis from Aix-en-Provence, where we stayed overnight to rest from our long trip from Sion, Switzerland, is a short autobahn drive.

The 45-minute drive through the Mediterranean hills provides an opportunity to see the uniqueness of the land, vegetation and the lifestyle there. From the nearest hill, one could see the Mediterranean Sea and the towns along its coast. The warm air carrying water vapor from the Mediterranean Sea turns into mist and clouds as it ascends with the hill chains stretching along the coast. This makes the area pretty misty and foggy sometimes.

Cassis maybe not be Nice or Cannes, but my short stay there gave me an idea of the lifestyle in the Mediterranean. The big cars and bikes lined on the street, the mansion one after another and the plush yachts anchored at the port told me of the living standard there.

Swiss/French Border

The Swiss-French border offers a panoramic and interesting view of rugged snow-capped mountains, breath-taking thick forests, scenic villages and country roads criss-crossing on the steep mountain sides. Crossing the border and passing through all those high roads and passes is an adventure that is worth remembering and worthy to be in a picture-frame.

The road from Sion to Chamonix gives you a glimpse of the highest mountain in the Alps, Mont Blanc. From the country road, I could see a thick sheet of glacier retreating from the its peak down to the base. I consider the view of Mont Blanc the highlight of this journey. This imposing mountain stands out among the rest, not only because it's the highest, but it also looks so mystical with all the thick clouds and eternal snow that cover it.

The other attraction, the series of French villages, is simply beautiful and scenic. Going through them feels as if going back to the Middle Ages--- not because the people are primitive, but because the antiquity of the structures is well-preserved. Life, the way I observed it, is simple, yet I could see and feel that the people are content.

Sion, Switzerland

Chateau Tourbillon

Chateau Valerie

Chateau Valerie

I came across Sion by mistake, but it was a good mistake! We thought that one of the settings in the very famous Twilight movie was shot here, so curiosity drove us to this quaint Swiss city.












When I think of Switzerland, I think of cities like Geneva, Bern and Lausanne, but the summer of 2011 took us to the city in the French side of Switzerland called Sion. .








From Germany to Sion, one has to traverse a series of autobahns leading to the border city of Bern on the Swiss side. Each car has to secure a sticker which indicates full payment for the use of the Swiss motorways upon reaching the Swiss/German border. It's also important to note here that Switzerland doesn't require a separate visa for visitors holding a Schengen visa. From Basel, the road took us to the capital of Switzerland, Bern.














In Bern, I started to realise how expensive Switzerland is. Set menus are way more expensive than the ones in Germany. But one thing is sure, this is a very prosperous country. It is shown in the cars parked along the main road. What did I like in Bern? The architecture is superb. I feel like going back to the old times.







From Bern. we drove several hundreds of kilometers until we reached the mountainous region of Sion. Snow-capped mountians greeted us They're everywhere! Snake-like autobahns are also very prominent in the area. So why did we go to Sion?

The castles Tourbillon and Valerie are the main reasons why we were in Sion. From our hotel, we could see Valerie castle on top of a hill. I though it was close from the hotel, but I was wrong.

The next morning, we crossed the autobahn and headed toward the center of Sion. From there, we embarked on a 3-hour trek (numbered trek) which was specially guided and prepared by the Tourism authority in Sion. All one need is a map which bears the route and a strong pair of legs (and of course, a good sense of direction).







First, we went through the narrow streets leading to the hill where the paths leading to the 2 castles divide. The left and rather steep path leads to Tourbillon Castle which is actually just a ruin of a majestic structure. From the top, one could see Sion and the adjacent villages including the distant villages and vineyards from the distant mountains.






The other castle however is a church. It's still operational and was actually undergoimg renovation during our visit. More tourists come to this castle because it's easier to reach.

Moerfelden-Walldorf, Germany

Moerfelden has a very special place in my heart because it is the first place I had been when I first visited Germany in 1998. I also stayed there for a very long time from 1998-2001. Here, I met some interesting and warm Germans and got to see the difference between the East and the West.

The very first characteristic that amazed me about this village, well like all other places in Europe for that matter, is the ORDER. Everything seems to be in order. The people, whoever they are, follow the rules and regulations regardless of the absence of authorites in uniform. For example, a one-way street (einbahnstrasse) is a one way street and no one is exempted from that rule, NOT even the motorbikes. This is so untrue in Manila or in any other place in the Philippines. Drivers follow religiously the traffic rules---traffic lights, signs, when and where to overtake, lanes and parking. Pedestrians are well respected, which is so untrue also in Manila.

Another characteristic of this place which struck me is the "silence." I never heard of any screaming bar, house or restaurants in the area. There are a very few loud cars, but it's really rare. Construction of any sort, even poking nails on the wall, is not allowed on Sundays so as not to disturb people who are resting on that day. That's a good ordinance! I wish they'd implement the same in Manila.

In addition, you will not see any huge billboards of any politician anywhere! Hello TRAPOS! You won't see any smiling face with beard on the sidewalks, a painted wall saying it's a project of this corrupt mayor, or a shade saying it's a project of this violent congressman and so on. But people know the right candidate to vote for and they know who in the government are doing their job well.

Walldorf is a village adjacent to Moerfelden. Though I stayed much longer in Moerfelden and met more people there, I will be posting pictures of Walldorf here.

The center of Walldorf contains an old church which dates back during its establishment. It may not be as grand as the other churches, but its bell tower is typical of that region. I never had the chance to see the inside of this small church, though. Opposite to this church is another old building which shows the architecture typical to that area.

It also has some parks and a lake which serves as a recreation area for the people of Walldorf and other nearby towns. In May, a festival is hosted in which patrons can taste the fresh catch from the lake specially prepared by the local restaurant.

I had the chance to walk around the lake one early morning to watch the birds doing their morning rituals. On a very rare occasion, I saw a woodpecker boring hole into an old pine tree.

Due to its proximity to Franfurt International Airport, restaurants and hotels also abound in Walldorf. Restaurants serve local (Hessen), German, Greek, Yugoslavian, Chinese, Korean and Italian cuisines.