Sagada Chronicles: Day Four, Dilemma - to leave or not to leave

Recap:

Sagada Chronicles: Pilot

Sagada Chronicles: Another Dimension

Sagada Chronicles: D-1

Sagada Chronicles: Day One

Sagada Chronicles: Day Two, Unleashing our Extreme Sides
Sagada Chronicles: Day Three, Coming Home


The fourth day had arrived. It was initiated by a text from our guide Sotero saying his invitation for us is still open. Remember the wedding that he invited us to? This day is their preparation day! Kuya Sotero stopped whatever he was doing and fetched us all the way from our inn. Genuine kindness! To think he's doing this for free - just for us to experience their culture. 


As we arrived, the scene surprised me. They were butchering pigs. I'm an animal lover but I was just a guest. I had no right to be squeamish, and besides, I eat pig! This is really what they have to go through to be eaten. It was just sad. You know, to watch your fellow pig be stabbed in the heart, be burned, be opened up and then be chopped, knowing that you're next. Sigh.

8 huge pigs were butchered

The groom. He's not allowed to help. His friends and relatives say they can handle everything for him.

Improvised stoves

Firewoods. A whole lot of firewoods.

Not for the faint of heart. Blood gushes out with every last breath the pig takes.

A local kid worries while the pig cries out for his dear life.

Friends and relatives, armed with their own itaks, come here to help .

I got nothing but respect to these people still practicing Bayanihan up to these days.

Kuya Sotero kept on entertaining us while chopping pig parts. We could have stayed there until lunch but we still have a 10am bus to catch. Leaving is such a sad sad part of a travel. 

Heart is heavier than the bag.

Our wallet says we should go home but our hearts says the opposite. Our emergency money and the lone ATM kept on convincing us to stay. We had to make a choice. We pulled out our phones. I did the first call. I called a client and asked for an extension (work deadline). He said yes. He wanted to text his boss for another leave but I called my mom first. I can't use the "missed the bus" excuse anymore. I just told her we wanted to stay. She did not approve. That was it. 


We had to go home not because we're scared of my mom, but we did not have their blessing anymore. We waited for the bus. And waited.... and waited. 


It was past 10am. We realized we actually missed the bus this time! Oh well. We just waited for the 11 am bus. And waited... and waited. No bus arrived.


We went to the Municipal Hall and asked the personnel there. He said there was no 11am bus going to Baguio. The next one will be at 1pm! How did we spent those last two hours? We saw people riding on top of the jeepneys and thought that would be fun, so we went to Bontoc! Plus, we heard there would be a local festival there so we better check that out.

They call this Topload style.

With a friendly German lady.

The ride was fun! It was like a roller coaster, only riskier. It was a 45-minute ride full of twists and turns. The view was very rewarding but the sun was a bitch. It was the fastest sunburn ever. Wearing sunglasses without any sunblock lotion is freaking bad news for your face. I do not mind having sunburns, I just did not want a bordered one. 

Lang-Ay Festival

Bontoc is Mt. Province's city. It was unbelievably hot and humid out there. It was like I was just in Angeles City. We did not get to see the festival's parade. After we had our lunch, we quickly rode the bus going to Baguio. And then it rained. Good thing we did not extend another day for we would not want to spend half day inside the inn's room. That would have been pointless. 

Cloudy/rainy mountains

We arrived at Baguio at around 7pm. We bought our to-go dinner at SM. It was just a quick hello and goodbye to Baguio - my most favorite city. 

Hello Baguio, Goodbye Baguio.

I feel like betraying my favorite city because, deep in my heart I know, a little place called Sagada snagged its place already. Yes it's not a city, but that's totally the point! Our Sagada travel marked the day I got bit by the travel bug so bad it even infected my boyfriend. It will definitely stay close to our hearts, especially its kind-hearted people. We may go back this December for the SaGGA's bonfire fest. Or maybe this July. We even considered it to be our retirement place. Who knows. 


We got home around 12am. Snap back to reality. After we showed our photos to my family, my boyfriend went home immediately. He still has work at 8am the next day. As we kissed goodbye, we shared a little smile. That was enough. Our little adventure will definitely have its sequel, soon.