A Letter To The One

When will you come around to sweep me off my feet? To hold me? To caress me? To tell me that evrything's going to be okay, though it isn't, but I believe you anyways.

I have been hoping for you, not waiting, really! I have sacrificed enough for you to see my goodness. I have done so much for you to be proud of me. I'm so ready.

Can't wait to walk with you on the beach.
Talk with you over coffee.
Trek with you over a hill.
Take beautiful pictures of the nature with you.
Watch a romantic flick with you.
Eat good food with you.
Plan things with you.
Talk about family, our families.
Talk about the future, our future.
Talk about settling down.
Talk about babies.

For now I'll be fantasizing this:
Slow walking as tears roll down my cheeks. I hear a violin's serenade with the oceans wave at the background. People around me are smiling, glistening in white and yellow. Everything is stunning. As i look look up you held my hands then our eyes locked. Perfect.

But it's still a fantasy until you come knocking at my door.

I keep on coming back, I keep on looking back

Clueless and hopless, that's what I feel when you're gone.
'Coz when you leave, you really leave and you take with you a part of me that spins me to the cliffs.
But you do strange magic.

You're always at my doorstep when I'm almost at the edge.
You're there to make me fall all over again, like I always did.

I keep on coming back, I keep on looking back.
I don't know what's best for me, but you're the best kind of drug I'm addicted to.

Just can't move on, and afraid to let go.
Could it be that I'm the real reason for this inconsistency?
Do I need to change me?
Update me?

Then I thought, why not upgrade 'Us'.
It'll either work or crash and burn.

So I hope next time you leave then come to my doorstep at night I won't look back so I won't come back.
'Coz I'm done.

Sometimes, you'll just get what you need!

As the grey sand brushes off your calves I'm sure you were smiling.

Heart thumps at greater heights as skyscrapers hover the view.

It must've been serene.

God knows how much I want to be there, by your side, feeling your angst, the concentration, the dedication.

But you can't always get what you want.

So, just give.

Sagada Visit (Day 3 & 4)

Continuation......

April 3, Black Saturday, I was kind of excited for this day, we were going to see the Bomod-Ok falls or the big falls as other locals say. Some of the tourists say there was this “small falls” and it isn’t great at all, like a waste of time, anyways we weren’t going there. And moreover, we were told that were going to see vast terraces too, so the excitement builds up! The itinerary for today supposed to be falls in the morning and Mt. Ampacao in the afternoon, the latter is kind of not feasible, but anything is possible. The day started with a call, a guy spoke to Arlene asking us to come with them to Bomod-Ok falls. Call time is around 9AM. We immediately dressed up and packed for the trip. We met Mr. Paul and his wife Ms. Brenda at the tourist info booth together with the other two couples. We were eight then and started to go for a ride to the falls.

The trek started with a hundred-step stairs down to the Fidelisan village where their native language is Kankana-ey. While going down you’ll notice the vast terraces they’ve created for rice cultivation. Along the way we saw a gold mine. I never knew there were gold mines in Sagada! The sun began to pierce through my skin creating what we call... sweat! It was scorching hot and we ain’t got any shade. The fun trek seems to be unavoidably becoming an “alay lakad” (a suffering, lol) because of the sun’s heat, but thanks to the beautiful terraces, they made it all worth the slight agony. Who am I to complain? I’m having fun at the same time and Chase, Mar, Arlene and the others seems to be enjoying the view too!

After like an hour, we passed by what looks like a monkey bridge leading to somewhere over the mountain of what seem to be a valley. There’s an urge for me to run to the other side of the bridge like when I’m riding a tricycle, I almost always wanted to jump. Psycho! Anyways, were now seeing trails of water, we are nearing the big falls!!! Big rocks abound the valley, and a hut took its post, were looking at the Bomod-Ok falls. The falls was, yeah, big but noticeably thin. Our guide told us that that because of the weather, humidity, etc. this is what the falls became, then it was massive, he says. After being clouded with that fact I realized that there are a lot of people there, like you would be side by side with a stranger. I immediately took picture of the falls and the area and took out my cigarette and lighted it up, stress released. I sat on a rock where people around is swimming on the pool, I don’t mind getting wet, but I’m not in the mood for swimming. I was looking for them and found Mar sitting against a big rock giving him shade; apparently he’s having some kind of headache. And I found the two ladies looking for some action... massage from kids. The funny thing is the child that massages Chase is in his birthday suit. The kid was bullied by one of the guys around to put his pants on. I got curious if the kids were really good in massaging so I tried it while eating buko ice drop. I was a bit disappointed, I don’t know, maybe I’m not into massages. Haha. But Chase and Arlene enjoyed it. Pierre, one of the kids, was Chase’s favourite. On our far left was Mar, getting massage from three kids and seems to be enjoying it, oh well. Enough of these massages, I want to get something to eat!

We went back but taking a different route, it seems we passed by a different village but still with rice terraces. Again we stopped by a house to eat halo-halo with elbow macaroni, haha, and by the way, there was this one cute little girl who kept on saying hello to everyone passing by. So cute in red, I want to squish her. Lol. The vast terraces and ended up in a community gymnasium where they sell “Palamigs” (cold beverages). We were having problems with our guide at that time; he did not told us earlier to contact our van back home along the way knowing there isn’t any signal in the gymnasium. I was about to go back to the rice field and catch a cell signal but luckily one of us got a Smart line that surprisingly got a signal. This is not publicity, I’m a Globe subscriber. Lol. While waiting for our ride home they were chit-chatting and I was looking over the village’s simplicity and provincial-beauty. Then I felt tired. All I wanted to do is eat good food and rest for the next adventure. The ride back to the town proper was kind of gloomy for me. We ate at the Yoghurt house with Mr. Paul and Ms. Brenda. The food there is scrumptious I tell you!!! I got chicken, again, Chase and Arlene got pasta and salad and Mar got chicken too, I think. All were good, they look good and tastes good. A highly recommended resto! Next stop, our inn, we’ve got to freshen up!

The plan to summit Mt. Ampacao was really cancelled out, we kind of ran out of time and we would not want to be in the wilderness when the sun sets. So what do you do when you have nothing to do? Shop!

First, we headed looking for the Civet Cat coffee Dr. Rivera was requesting from Chase. We saw it but the hell it was expensive. From what I remember it was 1200php per pack of what I believe is only 150 grams or so. And to think it is a collection of cherry beans pooped by a forest cat. Lol. But these Civet cats only choose the finest fruits of the cherry tree. They only eat high grade cherries so when they poop the beans you’ll get are the best coffee cherries, selected by nature itself. Whew. We failed to try it since the coffee shop already stopped brewing for the day. Oh well at least we got what we wanted, thanks to Arlene.

I bought woven table runner, a souvenir shirt, tea leaves, neck purse, a map, etc.

Upon returning to our inn we decided to check out the Echo Valley, just a 15 minute walk off of our place. Mar bailed out on us, he seems to be tired or maybe fantasizing about next day. Haha. We headed to the Echo valley but to our dismay the gates we’re already closed. We just opted to check out the Church of St. Mary the Virgin. It was pitch black dark inside the church and the only light we see is the torch coming from the outside. It was nearing dusk. Arlene wants to stay to attend the late mass. Chase and I went back to the town proper shops to buy ‘pasalubongs’ (take-home) for our fellow cathlab staff. With us together emo mode arises! While waiting for Mar and Arlene to join us for dinner, Chase and I ate grilled hotdogs on the sidewalk. Upon meeting up with everybody we just decided to try yoghurt from the Yoghurt House. I personally wouldn’t wanna go home not trying the infamous yoghurt from the said resto. Again, Chase absolutely didn’t like it which, again, I did! It was getting late and we have to walk home so we started the ‘night trek’ a good 15-minute walk to our inn. I kept on thinking what’s in store for us tomorrow. Here’s what: Bontoc, Banaue Rice Terraces, Bayombong, Nueva Viscaya, as designed by Mar to visit a princess. Quite hectic right? In my calculation this is not possible without stress. but we can’t just scratch this! If April 1 is my day and April 2 is Arlene’s day and April 3 is Chase’s day, definitely April for is Mar’s with no questions asked! So there, I slept with qualms.

April 4, Easter Sunday, we woke up like robots to catch the 9am bus to Bontoc. We hadn’t eaten any breakfast; I bought some snacks from a store near the jeepney terminal to fill me up. Chase bought some suman (rice cakes) which I prefer not to eat for some reason. Then she remembered that we did asked the people from yoghurt house to reserve us like 4 packs of cookies for today, since they had their stocks emptied the night before. We like ran the whole stretch in fear being left by the jeepney. Oh well, the jeepney’s engine started and we left on time. The road is quite winding, and there were several points where the walls of the mountains roads were carved by massive erosion. Quite creepy I tell you. And you can tell that the road we are taking is under construction on many sites, there were bridges under construction as well. We as well passed dry terraces.

Finally a bus stop, I mean a jeepney stop, it was friggin cold there and foggy. At the town proper we hopped into another vehicle, this time a real bus. While on the road, I felt like I’m in a foreign land, it is cold and what makes it more foreign is the man beside me, a Swiss national. His name was... I forgot, He’s something years old, around forties I think. He was going to Banaue as well. He’s been travelling all over the world for the last six months or so as I remembered him talking about his escapades in Palawan, Vietnam, parts of Europe, etc. He said that the nicest place he’s been to is Vietnam, it’s cheap and beautiful. Furthermore, he said that here in the Philippines it is quite expensive to travel compared to our Southeast Asian counterparts. But he was quite surprised to get a room for only 200php in Sagada and was teasing me for getting a room cheaper compared to our 250php per night. I asked what does the room comprised; he said there were a bed, an end table and a desk lamp. I boasted of course and knowing that he failed to charge the batteries of his handycam (which he metioned earlier as he record the view to Bontoc) told him that I had all my gadgets charged. Haha. Anyways, he was like an aeronautical engineer of some sort and our conversation went long and reached to pharmaceuticals. He told me that he was so surprised that when he bought medicines in Mercury Drug, back in Manila, it was way too much of a mark-up compared to the medicines sold on an upscale pharmacy in India. Evidently, it is known that India is a big manufacturer and exporter of pharmaceuticals. Not much of a debate, but he said that he would probably settle in India for a while since coming from a divorce and resignation he doesn’t have all the money in the world, he has to live within his means and live cheap in the country of India.

After the long talk with Mr. Swiss, we arrived at Banaue. We took another van to the viewpoint to see the majestic rice terraces. It was truly majestic, though we haven’t really seen the best of it. The van driver said that the best view of the terraces is way up to the mountains; we can like see it but costs more and time. Since we are in a time-sensitive itinerary we got contented for what is in front of us. We had pictures with the local geriatrics. Lol. You can take or have pictures with them in their Igorot costume. You can give them any amount for that moment.

Again, since we are in a time-sensitive plan we took another jeepney to Solano, I think it is in Nueva Viscaya already. We had lunch before hopping in the jeepney except for Mar, he was promised a feast from a princess in a mansion. Anyways, this trip was the worst trip I had been to in this 'trip'. It was damn too dusty and humid and long. We reached Solano by 2PM; we were fetched there by Mar’s friend Apple, the princess. The ride to Apple’s abode is swift and awkward. Then we were welcomed by a gas station, possibly owned by Apple’s family. We had a splendid after-12 lunch/ merienda, and I completely forgot what the food was. Haha. Anyways, they were so hospitable; they even offered to bring us to the bus station for Manila. Anyways before dusk came our bus for Manila came, we were like chance passengers and stayed between the bus aisles, It was okay for Mar, Chase and I since we experienced this before, but for Arlene who travels in reservations this is a no-no, but she’s a cowgirl at heart! There, we rode the bus standing, sometimes sitting on our own luggages. Mar was the most resilient one; he stood for hours while watching movies shown on the bus. A very long ride indeed.

We arrived safely. I can’t remember what I’m thinking at that time. We did have dinner on one of our stopovers but I felt empty. All I know is that I want to go home, eat my mama’s home-cooked food and sleep. I bid goodbye to everybody and waved for a taxi.

Thanks Arlene for doing this with us!
Thanks Mar for swaying the pests away!
Thanks Chase for constantly reminding me!