SAGADA (part3)

SAGADA (part3)


Where else? and What not?

Aside from the nature's best Sagada has to offer, here's the additional fun to share with.

Ready you voice when you walk towards the Sagada's one of attractions, the Echo Valley. Shout loud once and hear your voice bounce back a few times, cool eh? Hephep! kindly choose the words that you will be shouting else you are going to wake the remains from the hanging coffins. Hehe. Just a little advice, dont yell the words 'traffic' or 'confetti' or same, have respect and remember echos can only bounce back the last syllable. :)

Hanging coffin (left) | Echo Valley (right)

We didn't have enough time to trek down the valley to have a near view of the hanging coffins there, they said the last wake hanging in the rocks was happened last year (2008) - this is part of their tradition, instead of burying the dead body, they put them in a coffin and hang the coffin in the rock, I dont know what that means though. Maybe if we will be having chance in some other time to view the hanging coffins a meter away, I would not hesitate to share the pics and experience of course, I believe there is a little river somewhere near down the valley which we never got the time to see.

Sagada's Pottery is a definite place you dont want to miss. As in oh-em-gee, I'm pretty amazed not only on their work but get this - I'm stunned with the potter herself.

Sagada Pottery

Sample works

Uhm, I forgot her name (the female potter) but she is sooo entertaining in a way that I realized I'm drooling with amazement. She speaks in foreign tongue fluently all throughout the time we were there, she answered our questions in English and even had a pot demo in a non-native accent. She already at her age, but man! we were amazed... very very nice place and people not worth missing. :)

Orange Farm is also a great place to visit in Sagada... this is suitable for those who wanted to eat a lot (hehe), why? Because here you just have to walk towards the orange plants, pick an orange and eat it.. take note: FOR FREE! Yeah. You have to eat those oranges if you wanted them free, if you just want them as pasalubong then you have to pay for every kilo of oranges you picked, well at least it is you yourself who picked the oranges from a tree... nice experience dont you think?

Orange Farm

Yes, Sagada people are Catholics that is why they have this famous church - St. Mary's Church.
The church interior is simple and sacred, there is a huge Jesus crucified figure in the middle of the altar, it is small but can accommodate Sagada people. Near the church is a cemetery where you have to climb a high stairway and have a few steps to get there. You will pass this when you're going to the echo valley which is just behind the cemetery.

St. Mary's Church and the Cemetery

But why do they have the hanging coffins while they already have their cemetery? hmm.. it's for you to find out.

Time to eat!

Java Chicken and Carbonarra in Yoghurt's House

Breakfast

I always look forward for the food whenever I go to places like this, it is something that you cannot share when you got home, I mean the dine in thing. There are a lot of restaurants in Sagada that offer great cuisine with an affordable price, one of the most popular is the Yoghurt's house, a very accessible place sitting in the heart of the town, just near the inns. They were serving a single plate that looks like for two persons, it definitely make you full. Other restaurants serve good food too like in Straberry Cafe, a small eatery but has the best adobo in the town, thumbs up!

So for the remembrance and goodies, Sagada opens their market in the street early in the morning if you wanted to bring some fresh food at home like dried fishes and dried fruits. People there were so busy every morning, starting to work hard, so are the expats who buy so hard. hehe. For the things that you just wanted to keep or give your friends, you can easily find the stores where you can buy a lot of stuffs like shirts, keychains, etc.. People there were so accommodating, they would even give you discounts and let you take pictures with their kids. :)

Street Market and Goodies Store

For sidetrips, you may want to visit Baguio when you are on your way home. Of course on the way down to Baguio, you dont want to miss a stop over in the Mountain Province's gate and take some pictures. Also, dont miss to visit our Philippine Pali, the highest point of highway system in the country.

Mountain Province Gate and Philippine Pali

Goodies in Baguio

At last! On behalf of my batch, we would like to thank of course the people in Sagada for being hospitable and accomodating in every second we were there and for taking pictures with us ^_^. Many thanks to our tourguides - the SaGGAs, an association of trained tour guides in the place. For helping us and keeping us safe in every place we visit and of course for cracking your jokes just in time, we really appreaciate how you treated us, you people in Sagada are one of the kindest here in out country. I recommend for those who read this site to visit their blog, http://sagadagenuineguides.blogspot.com, there are a lot of infos there about Sagada which is being maintained by one of the SaGGAs. Kudos!!!

SaGGAs Headquarters

Also, Taking credits for our organizers (discoverAsia) for a job well done, serving us with a great itenerary throughout the Sagada days, and giving us warm company! Wee! Please visit their site.

Thanks for stopping by!!!