20 June '11 - Rice Terraces from Hungduan & Banaue

this was our first time to see the "green" rice terraces
one of the best month to visit this place
some are common to most, some are not

Hapao Rice Terraces

 Dakkitan Rice Terraces

 Gohang Rice Terraces

19 June '11 - Ujah, Banaue, Province of Ifugao

it was Jose Rizal's 150th bday
so we decided to go for a short vacation
this time, with Mama, Aunts & cousins

but the question was,
where should we go?
Vigan or Banaue

one of the main concern when travelling with a large group is "travel time"

to make a long story short
we consulted Austin aka niknok if where should we take our "companions"
first he explained why not Vigan, there's only one street to explore, that's it...
while the Province of Ifugao has many things to offer
if there's a thing called "beach/island hopping"
there's also "rice terraces hopping"


spent two nights at Uhaj, Banaue
our 4th time since 2009

View from Uhaj Native Village Inn

18 Dec. '10 - Ujah Elementary School

our 3rd time at Uhaj [definitely not our last]
2nd time this year alone
1st time with the Remolona's

excerpts from 2 way conversation while driving our way thru muddy roads [as usual] of Uhaj

ton: pre ano ba nakita mo dito sa Uhaj?
thobs: wala

thobs: pre, may dala kang ID?
ton: bakit pre?
thobs: si Aoi nagdala ng ID, para daw pag nahulog sa bangin, madali makilala

some of you wonder why we keep coming back to this place. one of the reasons maybe is the remoteness & serenity of the place. 

thanks to the Black Pencil Project for the inspiration.

tsinelas anyone?

  Live One Day at a Time
  One Province at a Time
  > thobs

the rest of the story here 

30 Oct. '10 - Uhaj, Banaue to Sagada, Mountain Province

we had a good night's sleep inside the traditional Igorot house or "Abung" which has no windows and it has only the main entrance as the door.


we commence our journey @ around half past nine in the morning, after having our breakfast at  http://www.nativevillageinn.com/




we have to traverse the same road, roughly 6 to 10 kilometers of mud road (can't recall the exact figures, sorry) from Uhaj to Banaue town proper junction.


Banaue, Ifugao to Sagada, Mountain Province is a sixty two (62+-) kilometers of winding paved road but there are a couple of landslides here & there.


if you'll drive straight to Sagada, it would only take you 3 hours, but since we had to make a few stops, we arrived at about 2:30pm. 


first, we registered at the Tourist Info Center of Sagada 
(a must)
then we have to find a place to stay for 2 nights, luckily there's enough place to choose from. after we agreed to stay at George Guesthouse, it's time for late lunch, also at George's. 
we tried also the infamous "yoghurt house". 








Live One Day at a Time
One Province at a Time > thobs

29 Oct. '10 - Uhaj Native Village

exactly a year after, we decided to visit Uhaj, Banaue for the second time.

started our journey 12 midnight
more than 9 hours of night driving (for passengers it's 9 hours of sleep time)
100 plus shuffled songs from Aoi Ue's iPod

full tank at Sh__l Cabanatuan
bought a few hot pandesal from mamang bicycle potpot vendor, some even tasted like amag! (molds)

30 minutes past six am we had an early breakfast at Jollibee Solano, bought some extra rice too 'cause we have some baon (bacon & adobo) as requested by Audi

fill up at P_tr_n Solano, Nueva Viscaya as well

made a short stop at Bagabag Nueva Viscaya to buy some Buko Pie. (yummy!)

upon reaching Lagawe, the town before Banaue, thobs asked himself, "what am i doing right here?" "why am i taking my family to Banaue this time of the year specially after super-typhoon Juan hits North Luzon a week ago."

there are a couple of landslides at the main road going to Banaue, what could be possibly waiting for us at Uhaj? more landslides? 

the remoteness of the place makes it more charming or should i say enchanting?

mind you, from Banaue town proper to Uhaj is more or less 10 kilometers of unpaved-narrow-muddy-chocolatey-road. 

we have an option, Graham offered us the night before we depart manila a ride which will pick us up at Banaue town proper then bring us to his own piece of heaven on earth. but we opted to bring our ride instead & asked Kuya Max, Stephen for short (weird huh?) if he can meet us along the town proper & guide us to Uhaj, he's a good spotter/navigator. If you need a tour guide here's his digits. 0926 9162406

see our previous post. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=123494&id=686573575





Live One Day at a Time
One Province at a Time > thobs

01 Nov. '09 - Banaue View Point

day 3, it's time to go home, but it's not over until it's over, with the help and guidance of kuya Stephen aka Max we left the beautiful place of Native Village Inn at Uhaj, and head towards the town proper of Banaue, made some stop at a couple of viewpoints in Banaue. 

We Came, We Saw, We Conquered



Live One Day at a Time
One Province at a Time > thobs

30 Oct. '09 - Uhaj, Banaue, Ifugao

Destination Ujah.

Travelled 386.7 kms for a total of 10 grueling hours. 

Left house 11:30 pm
Heavy traffic on Edsa
SCTEX Exit 2:30 am 
Baloc N. Ecija 3:30
Sta. Fe road was not in good condition.
Bought some breakfast at Jollibee Solano 7:00 am
Banaue town proper to Ujah is a 10 kilometers (more or less) 1hour heart pumping journey. 'twas a blast!

Thobs was so afraid because of the road condition, even experienced stomach cramps, was so terrified that our ride won't make it... super thick & slippery muddy road rolled into one. our beloved Austin cried, too afraid that our vehicle might slide & eventually fall off the cliff.
At last we made it...
Arrived at Native Village Inn around 10:30 am, it was a paradise indeed. 

http://www.nativevillage-inn.com/

Original plan was to spend only 1 night at Native Village Inn at Ujah, but it all changed after our kids saw the beautiful & serene place where we are staying. They immediately asked if we can spend 3 days and 2 nights. Request granted.
No cable TV, internet, but still they want to spend more time here rather than going elsewhere.

"Heaven on Earth" thobs description of the place.



Live One Day at a Time
One Province at a Time> thobs