This is one of the very rare trips that I take -- unplanned. When I was given the chance to join DNA Travel's adven-tour to Sagada, I immediately signed-up without no second thoughts. Even the itinerary I did not bother to ask, just only the departure to and from the destination.
The chartered bus left for the Mt. Province around 7pm from Quezon City after a heavy downpour. It will be another 12hours before we reach Sagada, via Baguio. I was asleep most of the time, too tired from the air-travel from Cagayan to Manila and the infamous Manila traffic congestion and flooding. With no more than 20 passengers on-board the air conditioned bus, it's like a person to each side of the bus, front to back.
We arrived just in time for breakfast. After leaving our things at the Kanip-aw Pines View Lodge, we headed immediately to the Strawberry Cafe, around 5 mins walk. It was a heavy breakfast to everyone's delight.
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| courtesy of JONATHAN TOLEDANES CLAVEL, Ilo-ilo City |
Later did I realize that it was a good thing I asked for another cup of rice because the first adventure for the day was a trek to the Echo Valley, towards the Hanging coffins.
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| courtesy of JONATHAN TOLEDANES CLAVEL, Ilo-ilo City |
A chartered jeep took us through the St. Mary's Episcopal Church and finally to the base of Calvary Hill where the Sagada Cemetery (for the converted Christians) was located. From the cemetery it's a tricky down hill walk through a narrow trail leading to the valley.
A little shout here and there and one gets to experience the Echo Valley. Everyone was more excited to start going down the hill to the other side of the cliff to see the hanging coffins up close and of course for photo ops.
A local guide was with our group who initially briefed us about the do's and dont's while passing through the cemetery and down to the coffins. The locals are more adept with the English language than with the Tagalog dialect. They were influenced by the American missionaries who were the first to come.
The hanging coffins were more imposing in reality than seen in television or magazines. With the trail that I have just followed, I can only imagine the challenge of bringing a dead body in a coffin and hang it on the cliff-side. Eventually this was explained by our guide. The coffin and body are brought separately to the area, usually the coffin first. The body is passed from a line of people going to the cliffs.
The Kankana-ey (locals) don't embalm their dead. Accordingly, people are encourage to participate in the funeral because having fluids like blood spills over ones clothing while passing the dead body would bring good fortune and/or additional skills to the person. As the guide was explaining this, we all became conscious of a few drips coming from the coffins. No one, however, dared to stand underneath them!
In almost all pictures I saw of the hanging coffins, there was always this chair attached to one or two of the coffins. I asked the guide about it. This was the 'Death Chair' where the dead was left sitting during the wake. This chair will never be used in the household so they were hanged together with the coffin. Case solved.
The ascent back to the other side of the cliff was more challenging. Surprisingly, after a good soaking of sweat, I was able to church where the jeep has been waiting. I was the last person to arrive -- time to take more cardio-excersises . A few pictures around the chapel and inside and off our group went for lunch.
