echo valley and the hanging coffins

.....when I had a chat with Dianne, the granddaughter of the owner of Sagada resthouse, she said that one of the best time to visit Sagada is during pyesta ng patay ( All Saints Day) coz they celebrate it in a strange way there. Instead of using candles, they use logs.....it's crazy she said...as early as 3pm, people are already lining up in the church to get their logs blessed before they proceed to the cemetery. And the moment they start firing those woods, the whole place becomes dark of smoke. Bonfire and gimick ng mga tao dito.....

And of coarse, during the old days, people didn't put their dead in the cemetery, they are placed in wooden coffins in fetal position and are hidden in areas like caves or cliffs, and so the hanging coffins of echo valley is another famous destination in Sagada.

It's near the town center, so no need for a guide or ride. All you need to do is locate the church.....

the cemetery on the way to Echo Valley

Saint Mary's church of Sagada.... 


 

getting ready for the group jump in the church ground... 

parang sa Koreanovela lang......

......past the church is the cemetery. We learned from the guide that you don't have to pay for the space here to have your dead buried.Probably the only Catholic Cemetery free of charge in the Philippines.   And if I may say so, one of the most picturesque cemetery in the country.....

those trees seem to be watching over the dead....

the group carefully listening to our guides lecture....

Further down the cemetery is ECHO Valley, here, you can scream all you want and could really hear your echo when you do so, thus its called such.

the trail to echo valley....

wonder why it's called echo valley?

Along the way, you can see several coffins under the rocks....

a little more climb on the opposite hill and you will see the famous hanging coffins.....

naka-hang nga...... 

see the chair...that's where the dead person was seated before he was placed in the coffin....

If you noticed, Justine was not in the group photo. He was told by his girlfriend not to have pictures in the place, and he abided fearfully. hehe. Since we went here straight from Bomod-ok falls, we were already starved. Had lunch in the only resto in Sagada offering Korean food. Owned by a Filipino though so the versions of their Korean food is not as authentic as that of Manila...and it took eternity to serve. Ganun talaga dito siguro sa Sagada, wala pakong nakitang resto na nasatisfy ako sa service nila. Even sa log cabin patagalan din.....

After lunch, we checked some souvenirs down the road and from there parted ways coz our new buddies had to go spelunking with Aps....we took our time in the afternoon to relax and enjoy nearby establishments like the Ganduyan Museum and Sagada Weaving 

Ms Christina, the owner and curator of Ganduyan Museum lecturing a group of visitors...

old Igorot baskets..... 


such rich collection....

We were actually surprised to find out that such rich collection is privately owed. Had the chance to have a small talk with Ms Christina ( who is by the way a cancer survivor) and she said the government denied her of assistance several times and is willing to cooperate with her only until she decides to sell the whole place....and so she has given up and decided to just maintain the place on her own.

with Ms Christina..... 

 Our last stop for the day was Sagada Weaving, just a few meters from the municipal hall. We checked their stuffs and they are quite expensive. If you plan to buy in bulk be sure to go there during your first day as they are to be ordered. We later found out the reason behind the high prices.....

when you see these weavers in person...you'll get to admire them and understand why..... 

Teresa pretending to know how to weave..... 

Indeed, your Sagada experience will never be complete without learning more about the way of life he...Sagada is not just about beautiful cliffs, waterfalls, caves, and terraces. It's about the people who you will admire for creating such a wonderful place on earth---one which is a fusion of man and nature....