Lost and Found: Sagada Memories

This just made my day! I can't help but share it to everyone. You all know the story behind this title since I've said it a thousand times here in my blog. But then again, if you're going to ask what happened with my precious pictures, well.. Ondoy happened. That's what happened. hahah! I live in San Mateo, Rizal just so you know. Ang dating walang nakakakilalang lugar, sumikat dahil sa delubyong yun. Uunahin pa ba ng nanay kong isalba ang pictures?!?! Kaya ayun. Sayonara Sagada...

Everyone's talking about this place nowadays and I cannot even share my experience because I just don't even have a picture to show (baka pagdudahan pa ko. lol!) I don't know.. salamat siguro sa matinding inggit na naramdaman ko kaya nagising na lang ako isang araw na naghahalukay na ng pictures from old email accounts, multiply site, hi5, *insert all social networking sites na nagsulputan ng mga panahong yun*, and even friendster (yes, I was able to recover my profile). God is good because I just stumbled upon my friend's multiply site yesterday. I almost kissed my monitor when I found out that an album named "Sagada" still exists. Thank you dear Kinah! Binuhay mo ang dugo ko. hahaha!

I visited this place way back February of 2009. I'm not yet a blogger then so pardon me if I can only write what was retained on my diskette-like memory. I just feel... this is a chance for me to preserve this experience. I might as well grab it before Multiply site closes down.

Now I can finally say, "Ah Sagada ba? Galing na ko dun e. Una pa nga ko sayo no." May yabang factor. hahaha! Sino bang hindi magiging proud sa lugar na to hindi ba?

We passed by these picturesque view going DOWN to Bomod-Ok falls. If I'm not mistaken, it took us around an hour from the entry point. Just imagine what it was like going back. Bakit ba hindi pa nauso ang zipline at cable car sa lugar na yun.. whew!

A closer look

Perfect ang usok effect. Promding-promdi.

Do you want to see a proof that I've been there Y-E-A-R-S ago? Kapit na!

Charaaaaan! hahaha! Napagkaitan ng pagkain. How I miss that shape.

Bigla kong na-realize, ano bang ginawa kong kain nitong mga nakaraang taon at napabayaan kong mawala yan. hahaha! Sayang. Kung maibabalik ko lang.. hahahah! (Ang HARTE?!) This was captured at the back of George Guest house where our driver showed us a few hanging coffins. Sa kanya ko nalaman na hindi pala ineembalsamo ang mga taong nasa loob nun. Fresh Flesh Ewness! Hinding-hindi ako magvo-volunteer  na ilagak siya sa huling hantungan.

Everywhere you go, it's very unlikely that you wouldn't notice these nice rock formations on the road.

Reminds me of "Scary Movie"

You've never been to Sagada if you failed to experience spelunking on their ever famous Lumiang and Sumaging Caves. I have to admit, wala akong kamanak-manak sa mga pinag-gagawa namin dun. Hindi ko akalaing penetensiya pala ang trip ng mga classmates ko. 5 hours inside the cave.. kamusta naman yun diba? beating the usual record of 4 hours. hihihi! Kami na ang lampa.

Sha sige.. ako na ang nag-spelunking ng balot na balot at puting puti! Fail!

Ang mga nagkalat na coffins... hindi nakatulong para mawala ang creepiness

Since all of the pictures here were captured using my friend's cam, nakakalungkot kasi wala siyang kuha sa loob. Nasa cam ko ata lahat. Ang lakas ng loob kong isabak ang camerang hindi naman water proof. hahaha! Lucky enough, meron akong napulot na pruweba sa old harddisk ko. Check this out.. Lalo akong nanlumo. Naalala ko ang mga panahong, walang sumisilip na bilbil kahit mag inhale-exhale pa ko ng nakaupo. hahah!

At nakuha ko pang ngumiti pagkalusot. hahaha! Kahit kelan talaga. lol!

On our way to St. Mary's Church to attend Sunday Mass...

Sinong may sabing si Barney ang original purple dinosaur?!?! hahah!

The altar

For that year, holy week was celebrated way earlier than the usual. That's the reason behind this covered crucifix. If there's something I'll never forget in Sagada, ito yun. Since it was the day after the dead tiring cave connection, getting up from a comfy sleep is the hardest thing to do. Idagdag pa ang sumakit na kalamnan, kasu-kasuan, tadyang, at lahat ng parte ng katawan. Naman! Parusa to! But hey we managed to wake up and attend their mass FTW.

We were surprised to see that covered image; surprised to hear an Ilocano mass celebrated by four priests; surprised to witness that people drink wine in just ONE cup during communion, and lastly... surprised to see that they don't have cushion on prayer kneelers. Define P-E-N-E-T-E-N-S-I-Y-A talaga. hahaha! Just imagine how difficult it is for us to kneel and to get up. And yes you read it right, they share wine in ONE cup. Yeah I know, it's an unsanitary practice but they've been doing this for the longest time you could ever imagine. Actually, you have a choice whether to just dip the Ostia (Communion Bread) to the wine and eat it or eat then drink directly from the cup. Hindi sa maarte ha, pero I'm thankful my group was the first one on the line. We chose the first option kaya gulat na gulat kami sa mga kasunod.

Ang bellas bow! lol! that's me and kinah

Parusang Bomod-ok Falls

What differs Sagada from the other places I've been, effort kung effort bawat spot. But when you finally reached your destination, you would realize... everything was worth it.

So hindi naman masyadong obvious na na-shokot lahat sa tulay? hahah!

Hi Rice!

O diba? parang cancer patient lang.

The hanging coffins

Underwater Tunnel (?)

I totally forgot where we're heading...

Don't forget to buy Spanish bread here! Superb taste!

From Left to Right: Ali, Tots, ?, ?, Kat, Me, Kinah
(For the 2 ?, Iba na ang tumatanda.. Please forgive me)

"Sorry I'm CLOSED" ^_^

Nothing beats the traditional Sagada weaved attire

Thank you guys! Hope to see you all soon

To give you a little trivia, my passion for traveling started here so I really owe it to these guys. Salamat talaga at sinama nyo ko. Hopefully, I'll be able to pursue my Sagada trip next year with other bloggers too. Though I mentioned before that my purpose of going back is just to capture another set of Sagada memories, and it's ironic I found all of these, still gusto ko pa rin siyang bisitahin. To pay tribute to the one who started it all is not a bad idea. hahah!

Isa pang trivia before I end this flashback entry, after my trip, I was diagnosed to have PTB and was treated for 6 months. Ganung katinding pagod ang epekto sakin. But don't wory guys, I'm perfectly ok and good to go! Adios!