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Banaue, Philippines
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This place was Amazing
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I arrived in Banaue in not the best of conditions or moods. I slept for the next 16 hours, waking up in feverish sweats most of the time. You know, you can look at maps and globes all you like, but you never realize how far away mom is until you get sick. I didnt even have an appetite. My back was hurting, but I wasnt sure if it was the 9-hour ride in the uncomfortable seat, or the fact that I was in a cold climate sleeping with no shirt on, sweating all the heat our of my back muscles. Whatever it was, it hurt.
Banaue is an amazing mountain city. Very beautiful, and it has some really nice mountain rice terraces. Rice needs a perfectly flat area to grow, as the plain is flooded with water. Mountains, as you may have seen in photos or in real life, are sloped. 3000 years ago, the answer to this dilemma was to make hundreds of terraces out of the mountainsides. Dig up all the dirt, take out the stones to build a wall, fill the dirt back in, and you've got a fertile terrace.
The most amazing terraces are actually in Batad, which was 2-3 hours away. It was always our plan to head to Batad the day after arriving in Banaue. But feeling the way I did, I had my doubts if I'd make it. Then I thought about it. We only had 5 or 6 days up here. It may be 4 more days before I am better. Might as well make the trip now and recover in Batad. No difference really. The only thing was that the only road in to Batad is so steep that the moto-trikes cant take you up there. After the 1.5 hour moto-trike ride, you need to walk uphill one hour, then down another 30-40 minutes. Unless you get lucky enough to catch the Jeepney that goes up the hill a few times a day. It doesnt have a schedule. Sometimes it comes, sometimes it doesnt. When it comes is one of lifes mysteries.
So we catch a moto-trike to the hill we must climb. No Jeepney there. Darn. We wait all of about 1 minute and figure there is no use in waiting, we could be here until tomorrow. So we hike. We hike this mega-steep hill with 35+ pounds of gear on our backs. Yeah, I'm so glad I brought just about my entire pack, rather than leaving more stuff in Manila. An hour later, we are just about at the top, and up comes the Jeepney. You have got to be kidding me! A load of tourists who were fortunate enough to catch it up the hill jump out all fresh and begin thier hike in to the mountains with zest and vigor. Dave and I are collapsing, paying ridiculous prices for Gatorate the sellers know they can charge to fools like us.
Posted
Nov 23, 2004
by travelhead
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