It started to rain, then pour, so by the time we pulled into Sagada it was a full on storm. We looked at one or two guest houses and picked the busiest and cheapest. It wasn’t fancy but clean and comfortable. As usual, we dropped our bags and went looking for food. We also stopped at the tourism centre where everyone visiting is supposed to register and book guides. They encourage guides to protect the area from vandalism. We figure if they didn’t insist on guides they’d just have entrance fees, at least this way we get a guide to tell us a bit about the area.

Other than hiking and the caves there isn’t much to do in Sagada so after an early dinner we just headed back to the guest house. Sagada, like many northern towns, also has an early curfew. It’s mostly to do with keeping the crime rate down but we think it also has to do with the lack of power. Without power at night it’s pretty dark, if I lived here I end up just going to bed early and getting up with the sun.

Sugong Coffins

December 3

Our alarm went off at 7 am. I moaned and groaned. I’d had the worst sleep. James suggested we do our walking tour today (that we could start later in the morning) and do the guided your (that was supposed to start at 8 am) tomorrow. I agreed, rolled over and fell back asleep.

A few hours later I woke up to find James reading the Lonely Planet with that worry wrinkle on his forehead. The one that means something is up, and not always good. When I went back to sleep he started reading the LP and found we’d missed doing a cool hike just outside Baguio that had mummies in a cave. If we decided to do it we’d have to back track and travel a bit faster, or skip something. Never ones to pass up mummies we rearranged our plans. We decided to give up the trek through the cave and just do the entrances where the hanging coffins were and a hike where more were on cliffs. So we got up and went looking for a guide.

To get a guide we just went to the tourism office where they hang out. It’s only costs about $10 a day for an English speaking guide. A few minutes into the walk we came upon three dogs. They came up to our guide, he gave them a kick and they scurried away. A few minutes later three more dogs approached us and he allowed them to follow us. They were his dogs I think. We remarked that there were a lot of stray dogs in northern Philippines and he said they weren’t strays. They were food. Huh? He explained they were like the chickens and goats and pigs roaming around; food. I asked if any were pets. He said yes but only the pure bread dogs. Pretty much all the dogs we see are being raised as food. If you want to buy a dog, like a chicken, you just approach your neighbour and ask how much. Or if you have extras of your own you can sell them. I’m not sure why but this seems wrong to me. I’m okay with chickens (I don’t even like the mean things) but not dogs. Our guide says he just doesn’t think of them as pets.

A beautiful view for the hanging coffins.

We walked down the street past some small guest houses and a few hotels and one very large hotel being built. We also saw quite a few tourists. Our guide told us in peak season the town is over flowing and that there aren’t enough rooms for everyone. I’m glad we’re here in off season, even if it’s a bit wet.

We eventually came to a path and followed it to Lumiang Burial Cave. In the mouth there were over a hundred coffins stacked haphazardly, the oldest believed to be about 500 years old. The coffins are shorter and thicker because people are tied in a fetal position after death. Well first they are propped up in a chair and left at the front door for family and friends to come pay their final respects. I guess the same way we’d do a wake. Once in the coffin, one or two people carry it to the mouth of the cave, or the cliff. They believe in all kinds of omens and often the coffin is moved, meaning families may not be together. For example if they see a snake while carrying the coffin it’s considered a bad omen and it will be moved. Most coffins, especially in the old days, are unmarked and it’s not customary to visit. They light candles on all saints day, but it’s just at the mouth of the cave, or near the cliff, not on or at a particular coffin. The coffins are made of wood and in time rot and fall apart. Some coffins also slip down into the caves or off the side of cliffs. If this happens they just leave it, bones and all.

This custom is only done in this area (although something similar is done is a town nearby) and the Catholic Church in the area has somehow managed to blend the old traditions with the catholic religion. Most people are now being buried in the cemetery but a few times a year someone gets hung from a cliff.

Sometimes the wake chair is hung with the coffin. More recent coffins have names.

After the cave we walked back to town, past the church, through the grave yard and on to Echo Valley. After a short hike we came to some coffins hanging from a cliff. A river ran past the limestone cliff and the guide said that all along the river coffins were hung on the cliffs rising up. Some hanging coffins are centuries old; others were put there recently. It was a peaceful walk and I could understand the appeal of having your final resting spot high on a limestone cliff overlooking a gently flowing river and green mountains.

This was the end of our tour so we took a slow walk through the Saturday market. It was a bit boring as markets go and had a lot of used clothing and tools. The afternoon rain eventually started so we went back to our guesthouse and watched tv in the common room. Like I said before, the place wasn’t’ fancy but was clean so when I went to the shared bathroom and found that someone had cleaned their muddy shoes and left the room covered in mud I was pissed. The place was family run and really cheap ($5 CAD /person /night) and it is frustrating when someone is so disrespectful. I went looking for the person but I think they checked out after cleaning up. The bathrooms were cleaned in the mornings so it meant the rest of us had to use a mud filled shower/bathroom the rest of the day. So rude!

James and I bravely (we are both afraid of stray dogs) went out for dinner after dark. The place was packed, had great food and cheap beer. If you had some time to hang out Sagada would be a perfect spot.