On to Sagada and a Log Cabin Thanksgiving

The phenomenal rice terraces were only half of this journey - Palawan is so far from anything - and Sagada so far from Manila - that I knew this would be my best chance to explore the area...and the idea of having Thanksgiving with most of my extended PCV family, who had been dispatched throughout the Philippines, was something I couldn't forego  - especially since my trip to Thailand to see Ashley was canceled due to the floods.  So, after we toured Banaue, we began the 2+ hour drive to Sagada.  The weather was crisp and  beautiful, the skies clear, and the scenery outstanding - wilderness as far as you could see.  It just didn't jive with my notion of "Philippines".

Rita in Batad told me that Sagada was cold - hmmm, I thought Batad was rather cool - but I wasn't prepared.  People were dressed in parkas - it was as though I was back teaching in South San Francisco during the summer months when the fog chills the air.  It was cold and damp...well, wet.  We got to a village at the top of a mountain and I saw an ukay-ukay (2nd hand) store - with lots of jackets displayed.  However, most of them were so 'damp' that they were moldy - with help from my fashionista PCVs, I selected a drab navy (new) fleece and bundled up - warm again!  What a difference that made - jeepneys do not have heaters, nor do they have windows - just heavy plastic to protect from the rain.

Justin Tabor's partner, Marlon, was just as
awestruck as I

Will Shields taking in the geology

Matt looks like he belongs in Maine - not here

And Chris has tripled in girth with all his layers

That's Marlon's foot - he's riding on the
roof of the jeepney for incredible views

Krystal is renowned for her ability to sleep anywhere

       

       

High above the clouds!

Rice terraces were still visible in these high mountains

Almost at the top of the range,
we suddenly came upon these workmen

They are trucked out en masse

And work for weeks on end
in the middle of nowhere

You can see their lean to shelter,
with lunch cooking over uling

Almost all work is done by hand - even the highways



The incredible views along the way

Out of the landscape would suddenly appear a village

Sorting rocks to build the retaining wall

Almost no vehicles - except
An occasional work crew

Wilderness as far as your eye could see

Loved this shot of Krystal

The Road Less Traveled

And We Made it to SAGADA!!

Absolutely gorgeous

The dichotomy - gorgeous geology, flora and fauna


...And poverty everywhere

Watch your head!

Now this is the way to travel!

Our log cabin destination - 
we took over the entire place

Well, he was already in the CR, so 
I shared -that's a 2 x 4 he's against 
- biggest spider I've ever seen

        

Justin got the turkey - but it escaped
into the wooded yard

I heard a shrill scream - Justin's, not the turkey who had taken flight

   

Justin back in control

It was a rainy day, and the guys had made this shelter and fire
with a wooden spit to roast the turkey and chicken

Sayonara at Salamat Sir Pavo

Marlon gutted and stuffed the birds and manned the spit for hours

Oh - and killed the turkey too

I didn't offer to help with this

Paj enlisted help with the egg rolls

                                                                         Lots of help - and lots of work!

The egg rolls were amazing -
but so much work!

Ah - Crispy Egg Rolls!  (but we had no towels to drain them
- not many people here have paper goods)

Carmen and her crew made deviled eggs

Morgan assembled apple crisp

Aja and Jessica made cheesecake while Will whipped

Whipping cream by hand isn't
as easy as you might think

Krystal and Matt made their famous garlic mashed potatoes

The bustle of Thanksgiving dinner for 30

The birds took FOREVER!

But there was lots of chatting around the spit with spirits

Looking good!

As I said - Marlon was the poultry chef

Matt, the pyro, made gargantuan fires

And our cluster reunited!

Paj has always had a major phobia of cats and dogs -
this is an incredible shot of her petting a puppy!!

Aja and Paj enjoying Matt's creation

And the meal was finally ready!!

LOL - The Brownout just as we sat down to eat!

But it didn't last long and we piled our plates high

I made the kamatis at pepino (tomato and cucumber) salad
and kamote (sweet potatoes) with marshmallows

Chowing down - no one went hungry

Our lovely innkeeper, whose husband hailed from Palawan!

But, I must say - I felt incredibly guilty for killing the turkey - it was the very worst turkey I've ever tried to eat!  What a happy Thanksgiving Day!

We planned on going to the famous Sagada Caves with the Hanging Coffins....but Chris has claustrophobia and I got sick and knew that would make me sicker - and, I had to get back early to Manila to pick up my two new puppies in time to board an early plane home on Sunday!

But, I had no idea that the 12 hour ride home from Sagada would be so spectacular and reminiscent of the mountains in California's Yosemite Valley!!