Lemon and lime

My sister and I just saw “Don’t Give up on us Baby” by Judy Ann Santos and Piolo Pascual. No, no, I don’t have the intention of criticizing the movie. The only reason that I went to see it was because I heard they filmed some scenes in Sagada, Mountain Province. Even in the movie, the place never missed to mesmerize me of its beauty.

I have been there, Sagada. It was a long, tiring trip. From Baguio, my hubby and I took a “big” bus meant for the mountains. The road was all-dusty and bumpy (not to mention steep and narrow) from the Buguias town all the way to our destination. The view down the highway was a thrill on its own. Since we left the city early in the morning, we actually saw the sun rise to kiss the mountaintops, and to dew the sunflowers below. These made me even more excited.

After 6 hours (at the most, from Baguio), we finally got to the foot of the mountain road to Sagada. On the way up, little surprises of what you will be expecting ahead will greet you- the terraces, the waving kids and old men on the roadside, the smell of pine trees, and lots more of beautiful sceneries. Pleasing enough, when we finally got to the heart of the town, the welcome was even more warm. We were double lucky that it was the Town Fiesta thus the place was packed with flea markets, people from the neighboring towns, and lots of foreign and local tourists.

What I loved most about Sagada was the tranquil feeling it waves inside you. It was soulful. The trees were so inviting, the cold wind too. Since there was an affair on our first trip, I took advantage of our second one (yes, we went back) to let myself be taken away by the serenity of nature. At the side of the Episcopal Church were huge pine trees. I went there alone holding a pen and a paper, sat on the grass so inspired to make as much poetry I can think of. But before I even finished one, the drizzles started tapping my head. While the fog covered the whole town with me in it, the feeling that took me was just indescribable.

Of course, aside from that experience, there are other things that one shouldn’t miss there – the cave trip which was an adventure just the same, the Igorot specialty- Pinikpikan, the “pat-tong” or what others call “canyao” dance, country and reggae which are their choice of music, the other tourists we befriended during our stay, and the residents themselves who were soooo accommodating.

Jutes? It’s not as openly available as we think it is. Or maybe they were just hesitant to offer. =)

It was a long and winding road to the heavens, but it’s all worth it. And oh, didn’t I say cheap?