I have been really wanting to go to Sagada since 1999. That was when I found out about the place. Friends tell me of how hard it is to get there, the long and bumpy ride you have to endure, but when you arrive, you will be transported back in time.
That was exactly what me and my Weekend Getaway team went through last week when we headed there for a shoot.
Going there, we went the Nueva Vizcaya route (apparently there were 2 routes getting there from Manila), which should save us 2 hours travel time if we went via the other route Baguio City. I was asleep, I didn’t notice if we encountered bad traffic or not.
Rewind, days before we left Manila, I emailed the Pentaxian Mailing List and asked which interesting places and things should we be visiting in Sagada. Many thanks to all that answered. You know who you are.
When we arrived, I was expecting piercing cold weather. It was 4 in the afternoon. To my surprise, it was just as cold as in Tagaytay. Well, it must be the unusually hot summer we are experiencing now.
To my dissappointment, Sagada was not what I imagined it to be. I was thinking more of rolling mountains with terraces, old Ifugao houses made of wood, soil walkways etc. To me, Sagada is just like Baguio City, only with fewer buildings and commercial establishments. This is the town of Sagada. I am not saying it’s bad or good. Maybe I was just expecting to be arriving on a textbook definition of a place.
But upon closer inspection and actually spending time in Sagada, I have discovered that the wholes Sagada experience is not just what the eyes can see, but with how you feel it through the places you visit and the people you encounter.
Sagada really is one of those “time-space warp” places. Old and new blend together seemlessly and beautifully. You can even feel the town and people’s sense of community once you get to talk to the poeple.
Sagada is one of a kind. It really leaves a lasting impression.
TOOLS USED: Pentax K10d, DA* 50-135 f2.8, DA 35 f2.4 al
*heavy setup but I’m glad I brought it because of the heavy fogging and dampness of the weather. Especially in the early morning and late afternoon to earyly evening. Weather sealing takes one thing off my mind, worrying about slight drizzles or even heavy rain. Most of the time, the da35 stays in the van. 🙂
Pentax Hunter 