Day 17

The last few days we have been visiting the local area here in the Mountain Province.

First we journeyed to Bontoc, the capital, in a jeepney. Ole was able to ride on the rooftop which affords the best views of the dramatic landscape of heavily forested higher slopes and meticulously tended rice terraces at lower elevations. In Bontoc we met Dr Penelope Domogo, a local physician who works in local health promotion efforts. We had a long conversation with her about traditional diets and lifestyles. Apparently, many locals are now succumbing to Western-style chronic diseases, like hypertension, diabetes, and coronary heart disease brought about by the radical change in eating habits. The traditional mountain diet had no refined carbohydrates or oils, for example, but nowadays refined fats, sugar, and carbohydrates have become the norm. She herself suffered from hypertension and was taking two medications. This lead her to examine lifestyle changes that could reverse her problems. She adopted a near-vegan diet and was able to get off her medications. This inspired her to open the Chico Restaurant where native and vegetarian foods are available. Every Wednesday the restaurant offers an all-you-can eat vegetarian buffet of traditional foods.
The following day we stayed in Sagada where we visited the local Anglican cathedral, St. Mary’s High School, Echo Valley with its steep limestone formations, Sagada weaving shop, Bokong Waterfall and our first rice terraces.

Yesterday we journeyed to a nearby village of Banga-an, about a 20-minute ride by jeepney. Ole again sat on top of the jeepney. We walked more than 1,000 steps down to a neighboring village, Filidisan, to see a well known waterfall. As this path is the main one, the villagers have installed a concrete stairway all the way to the village, a distance of at least half a kilometer. So long is the walk that they have constructed several shelters along the way. We met in one shelter a man carrying a 50-kilo sack of rice on his back! Here is where we photographed some of the nicest views of the rice terraces, where almost the entire mountainside has been transformed into lush rice paddies. We were told the village was on a holiday and that we could not go into the village as it would bring bad luck to them. The woman said that the elders of the village sacrificing a pig under the big pine tree. Later, we found out through some villagers we met that it is a 5-day holiday to celebrate the end of the rice planting season. The killing of the pig is to bring a good harvest. So we were unable to see up close the Bomod-ok Waterfall, although it is visible (and audible) from the top also.

Today is market day in Sagada and the plaza outside our guest house is covered with vendors selling local produce as well as imported goods. Normally there are only a dozen or so vendors. Today there must be a hundred. From the photo you can see Alfredo's Inn where we are staying. The market actually continues down the street several hundred meters with more stalls.

12:16 pm
Many vendors are packing up now. The crowd was heavy between 7 to 11 am. There are bus loads of tourist pouring into town today. Many probably are coming here for the day only. Alfredo’s Inn is fully booked for lunch.

We spent around PhP300 on fruits (papayas, mangoes, red bananas), some pastries (steamed grated arrowroot with fresh shredded coconut), and a very delicious lightly fried veggies (carrots, beans, pechay or bokchoy) and aromatic red rice. We also had one tsisa—-a pasty bright yellow fruit.

After that feast, it’s time for siesta. We’re taking the day easy today, maybe just walk around town. The last 2 days have been exhausting because of a lot of sun on our backs as we trekked in the villages. We also spent quite a bit of internet time trying to find out our options going to Puerto Princesa in Palawan.

Tonight, we went to a vegetarian buffet at the Log Cabin Restaurant prepared by Chef _____. He sounded French. For vegetarians there were rice, baked tomatoes and zucchini, soup (possibly with potatoes), baked sliced potatoes (unfortunately with cheese), local greens salad, sourdough bread, and lemon cake (unfortunately with eggs) with chocolate topping and strawberry sauce. It was an all-you-can-eat for PHP150 per person.