2024-8 Sagada: Cold Summers and Heartwarming Hot Chocolate

Camille and I decided to celebrate my 30th birthday in Sagada, Mountain Province. We wanted to explore a place even farther than Baguio, so we spent almost double the usual travel time-about 12 to 14 hours-to get there. On our first day, we wandered around to familiarize ourselves with the area. We stumbled upon one of the well-known eateries, Sagada Lemon Pie House. We ordered lemon pie and other dishes. Honestly, the lemon pie wasn’t as delicious as expected, but it had a unique flavor that was still enjoyable.
Next, we tried the local public transportation and visited Sagada Pottery to learn how to make pottery. Afterward, we took a brief shelter from the rain and then headed to Sagada Brew. Their small cake tasted like Champorado (a chocolate rice porridge), and it was delightful. The following day, we visited the Abandoned Bus, a famous spot for photos. Later, we joined a tour to explore The Church of St. Mary the Virgin. I learned that it has Catholic origins and similar beliefs, although there are some differences. According to the locals, their pastor can marry.
During our stay, I also discovered aspects of the local culture, such as animism and their beliefs related to why they hang their belongings on the mountainside in Hanging Coffins. Our local tour guide also showed us the burial sites of an SAF44 hero and a World War II veteran. One highlight of our trip was visiting the ‘Isang Wow Cafe by the Clouds.’ The food there was incredibly delicious. From the veranda, we could see the clouds, and the café’s unique upside-down house design added to the experience.
Later, we took another tour to hike Marlboro Hills, which I affectionately called ‘Marlboro Blue.’ It took us only 45 minutes to reach the hills, where thick clouds resembled a sea. We spent almost 3 to 4 hours exploring the Blue Soils area. The sand turned literal blue when wet from the rain. Finally, we roamed around Sagada, trying local delicacies like Wheat bread with chocolate on top and the famous Etag with soup.
I also experienced something strange in the place we stayed in, like someone was walking in the hallway even though we were the only ones booked there. It seemed like something was making its presence felt between 8pm to 12mn. Camille also felt it, but we just talked about scary stories when we were on our way home. We were already at the rice terraces of Benguet then. Luckily, we didn’t talk about it right there in that place.
- Sagada, Mountain Province 2024

[@maynardrams]

This looks exciting! Made me miss Sagada even more. Planning to go back next month if weather permits. New subscriber here! 🫶🏼

[@AgentKabisote]

Thank you for subscribing to my channel, Maynard. I hope you can come back to Sagada with new beautiful memories