Spelunking Callao – Penablanca, Cagayan

“Spelunking – the hobby or practice of exploring caves.”

Callao Cave is located in the Municipality of Penablanca, a 30-minute drive from Tuguegarao City. The road is paved and very accessible by car:

There are two ways of going to the cave. One is by crossing a river by boat (“banca”) and the other by driving directly to the entrance of the cave. We wanted to take the way direct to the entrance. We failed at first. Blame it to the lack of sufficient signs.

While driving for sometime, we saw signs which read “To Callao Cave Resort.” We followed that sign because there were no other signs which indicate otherwise. I was thinking that the resort was somewhere near the cave, thus, the name. Following this sign leads you to “Pinaucauan River” (image below) where there are “bancas” waiting to take you to the other side where the cave is located. They charge about P300. We did not negotiate because my companion, John, was sure that there is another way without crossing the river.

Here are some images I have captured on our (“wrong”) way.

(Above: may not be safe for others but it’s necessary for the locals)

(Above: Pinacanauan River)

So we went back to the main road. We saw two fast approaching vans and a bus loaded with what we presumed to be tourists who are also going to the cave. We followed, until we noticed a sign which reads “To Callao Cave via Quibbal.” That was the right sign, however, it came too late! It was not even conspicuous to motorists.

At the entrance, minimal entrance fee is collected. After that, we’re now ready for spelunking!

(The first set of stairs that greets you going up the caves. I thought we were going down like the cave I have first spelunked in Sagada, which is the Sumaguing Cave, but Callao Cave is different, you go up.)

Finally, we reached the entrance of the cave after 180-something step of stairs (some say it’s 184, some say its 187; I lost my count while going up). Below are images of the entrance from outside and inside:

Once you get in, you’ll suddenly feel an immediate change of temperature. It becomes colder and you’ll notice a different silence and serenity. Add to that the solemnity of the chapel on the first chamber.

(The Chapel: On top of the chapel is a natural light that comes from a sinkhole above the cave. The alcove where the “Virgin Mary” seats is already man-made.)

We were greeted by the caretaker who was sweeping the hardened muddy floor and you can hear an intermittent rhythm of waterdrops from the ceiling of the cave, complemented by some scattered light bulbs which add to the natural rays of sunlight that peeps through several sinkholes at the ceiling of the cave. It is highly suggested that you go early to avoid other tourists who go up in groups for you to have the most authentic “feel” of the cave.

Callao Cave is composed of 7 (seven) chambers. However, some of the chambers need guides. Even without going through the chambers that need guides, the chambers that are easily accessible are enough to experience Callao.

Here are some images taken inside the cave:

Don’t forget to read the “Archeology” of the caves at the entrance because it’s very informative. Example: I was surprised to know that as of 2003, archeologists are still discovering other “chambers” in Callao Cave. Another: Callao Cave is relatively new, having been inhabited sometime from 1960-1980. By the way, Callao Cave is just one of several caves that can be explored in Cagayan Valley. I was informed that the other caves are more challenging, thus you need professional guides.

Opposite the entrance, is another set of short steps going up a viewdeck. You will notice an old tree to the right of the stairs which probably stands now as a living witness to who the early settlers of the caves were.

After about 2-hours inside the cave, it was time to go down. The experience was enlightening. On our way out, I captured this image of what I presumed to be a mother and her child, selling orchid plants to tourists:

After Callao Cave, it was time to go back to Ilocos. That’s what we thought, again! Before taking the road to Ilocos, we decided to make a side trip to (famous) Aparri which I will post next.

See my callao cave video here.

POSTSCRIPT (15 July 2009): Recently, I was invited by a travel magazine called Northbound to write an article on Callao Cave. Incidentally, a friend shared me a link to another article on the cave and found it worth sharing to everyone. See it here.

On the road to Tuguegarao, Cagayan

It was already past 12 noon when we reached the first town of Cagayan Valley, Sta. Praxedes. We were relieved to know that we’re already within Cagayan and sooner, we are now in our destination. That’s what we thought.

In Claveria, we made a stop in a unfinished “viewdeck” with a view of the of Sta Praxedes and Claveria coast:

It was already past one in the afternoon when I felt I need to be fed. Being unfamiliar to the place, I did not know where to make a stop and eat, until we passed by this place in Sanchez Mira:

The specialty of the house is “pancit batil patong” which we learned from the chef is the specialty noodle of Cagayan.

Well, at least “one of the” because on your way back, we stopped by another place that serves another specialty noodle of Cagayan, the “Pancit Cabagan.” They tasted the same except a tiny difference on the appearance. “Pansit batil patong” looks like the ordinary pansit guisado with fresh egg on top, while “pansit cabagan” looks more of a “pansit palabok” with chicharon and boiled eggs on top.

After lunch, we continued driving, still clueless on how near or far are we from Tuguegarao City. Along the road, are locals planting rice which by the looks of it entails massive talent to make the lines (of the rice) straight (almost, at least) and extreme will-power to stay in the mud and under the sun for the whole day! I have nothing but pure admiration for these people because I know that they may never be wealthy by harvesting rice for themselves but they keep on doing this all year round to feed their families. I know, my father was a part-time farmer and we were religiously fed.

By the way, I’ve posted drying rice on roadside before and finally, I got the best evidence that it’s prohibited to do so which I want to share with you:

Further down the road, in Alacapan, if I’m not mistaken, we passed by this suspension bridge called the “Magapit Suspension Bridge.”

The bridge is claimed to be “one of the firsts” suspension bridges in Asia and it is after the bridge that we took a right turn to Tuguegarao City. I thought we were already very near but when we saw a road sign which says “Tuguegarao – 64 kms,” my energy dramatically went down to its lowest level! Even then, we did not have a choice but to drive yet farther and faster because we still have to look for a place to stay when we reach Tuguegarao. In Gattaran, we passed by this tiny watchtower which resembles that of a castle. At first I thought it was in my history books which merited our stop but upon closer observation, it was not. It was just a part of the front lawn of a residence. Cool! The owner may have been fascinated by watchtowers in fairy tale books.

Finally, at about five in the afternoon, we reached Tuguegarao City. What caught my attention upon our entrance is their version of the “calesa.” The wheels are not the same with the calesa’s of Vigan or Laoag. Here, the wheels appear to be with “interiors” or maybe tubeless perhaps? That would make the ride smoother on humps and potholes!

We also have to stop by this “pagoda” made of bamboo. This is actually a shop that sells plants. We wanted to stop again and check their merchandise on our way back to Ilocos but it was closed, maybe because it was Sunday then.

Hope you enjoyed some of the images I was able to take in Cagayan Valley, as much as I did. In my next post, I will be uploading images of our spelunking in Callao Caves. Do come back to check it out… Postcript: The”Magapit Suspension Bridge” is located in Lal-lo,Cagayan.The correction was supplied by Jake of Lasam,Cagayan.

When local radio turns Chinese

June 9, 2006: We are ready for Tuguegarao City, our take off point to Callao Caves. It was my first time to drive from Ilocos to Tuguegarao City. While in Ilocos, we asked around how long would it take us by land. Some said about 4-hours, some 8-hours, and worst one said 24-hours! However long the drive will be, we were determined to go, afterall, that was the reason why we have to fly to Ilocos.

We left the house in Piddig, Ilocos Norte, at about seven in the morning. On our way, farther north, we had several stops. We checked out the belfry of Bacarra, which used to be called “The Leaning Tower” and some referred to it as “The Acrobatic Tower.”

(This used to be called the “Leaning Tower” or “Acrobatic Tower” because its brick-top portion that have been damaged by previous earthquakes and stood on top for several years until in completely fell due to another earthquake in the 80”s.)

I have noticed that in Bacarra, residential houses were huge! Indeed, I can only describe them as “mansions” and there are a lot still under construction, which reflects how progressive the town is.

Next stop is “Bangui Wind Farm” which have been subject to a previous post . It was so unfortunate that my driving alternate, John, did not see the windmills working out their fans, maybe because it was early in the morning when we got there, and the wind may not have been strong enough to propel its big fans. However, we saw a private residential house built on top of one of the hills which has a tower that resembles the shape of the “Burgos Light House.”

Private residence on top of a hill near the windmills:

After Bangui, we checked out “Maira-Ira Beach” in Pagudpud commonly referred to as the “Blue Lagoon” or the “Malingay Cove.” It may no longer be a “hidden secret” as alluded to, because it’s gaining popularity. On the way to the Blue Lagoon, you will pass these wonders of nature:

They call it “Bantay Abot Cave”; “bantay” meaning hill or mountain and “abot” meaning hole:

“Timmangtang Rock:” “timmangtang” because of its “bell” shape:

To the locals, the “bantay abot” and the “timmangtang rock” are collectively known are “Lovers Rock” not only because they are side by side but beause the former is believed to be a “female” and the latter, a “male.” Oh, I don’t need to explain any further…their shapes leave no room for further discussion. Upon reaching Blue Lagoon, you will be greeted by these signs which one can tell that the place is not yet fully developed.

We were lucky to have seen it before concrete structures are put up along the seashore. I hope the local government maintains it that way because I don’t think it will be as beautiful if there was development along the “lagoon’s” shore. The 2006 Edition of “Lonely Planet (Philippines)” reads: “In Maira-Ira, Luzon’s whitest sand and bluest water conspire majestically to be situated in one place. It’s also a good snorkle and dive spot…“

The ‘Blue Lagoon’:

The Floating Cottage:

The way I see it, the place is not for overnight stay (up to this moment at least), because only “sheds” are available, except one. Further down the road parallel to the shore, you can find “Kapuluan Vista Resort” which offers bed and board. However, the shore fronting the resort is full of corals which makes swimming unfavorable. You need to go up the road if you prefer sand over “coral rocks.”Kapuluan Vista Resort:

The resort just opened last April 2006, and just in case you experience some “below standard” service just like the watermelon and mango shakes served to us which nearly tasted as “water with crushed ice,” you know why. Aside from the shakes served, I personally do not have any knowledge of the other services they offer. I just hope its better because the place is the farthest best in appearance in the place so far. Check their site here.Our last stop before we reached Cagayan Valley is the “Agua Grande River Park” still in Pagudpud. It’s a classic example of “river meeting the sea.” The boulder-bed river crawls down from a mountain and to the sea. If you prefer fresh water over salt water, you might just find this place interesting. No overnight accommodation though.

Their version of the ‘Infinity Pool’:

When the river meets the sea:

By the way, do not be surprised if your local radio immediately turns Chinese. Understandable, because you are already at the northern tip of Luzon (well, at least before the Batanes group of islands).

We have been driving (and stopping) for about 5 hours already, and we have already reached the last town of Ilocos Norte. We did not re-visit some old favorites such as the “Saud Beach” popularly known as the “Pagudpud Beach” and the “Burgos Lighthouse” due to limited time. There are other attractions in the area which are the “Kabigan Falls” and the “White Rock” which entails minutes of trekking. Because of the trekking part which may take so much of our energy, and considering that we did not have a clear time frame before we can reach Tuguegagao City, we opted to forego with the last two.

In my next post, I will be publishing our experience of Cagayan Valley.

“Cebu” is in Laoag!

The newly acquired Airbus 319 of Cebu Pacific made its inaugural flight to Laoag City on June 8, 2006, Thursday. I was one of the 150 passengers to have first tried flying Cebu Pacific’s newly acquired airbus.

The new A319 bound for Laoag:

Leis made of shell for passengers:

The flight was short, approximately 45 minutes. After take off, the crew served snacks. “Games” which Cebu Pacific is known for, were conducted immediately thereafter. Then, we were told to get ready for descent. Wow! Even before I can get over the rigors of checking in at the airport, I was told to get ready for landing. Travel time to the airport was even longer then going to Ilocos by air!

In our descent, I have seen spectacular views of Ilocos’ skies and landscape which I can only describe as breathtaking!

Badoc Island:

Ricefields:

On touchdown, fellow Ilocanos greeted us with their grace of dance and flair for sounds. The moment was festive, complemented by the warm smiles of wellwishers. It was then I realized that I have now landed in the Sunshine City, Laoag!

“The moves”

“The sounds”

“The smiles”

“Cebu has landed in Laoag”

“Welcome to Laoag”

Inspite of the 25 minutes delay, the experience of an inaugural flight was worth it. The flight was pleasant. You can fly Cebu Pacific to Laoag every Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Power Walk Tour – Binondo

Days before classes will start and before the streets of Binondo/Chinatown shall become super-hyper-mega-ultra congested, I had the pleasure of conquering it by foot in a 4-hour power walk tour through “Old Manila Walks.” Thanks to our tour guide, Ivan Mandy who was very Chinese from head to foot…

The tour was not much feast for the eyes but more for the tummy. This is a classic example of learning through your tongue! Opps, “palate” for more finesse. We got 6 food stops in 4 hours, so that’s about eating every 40 minutes.

The food are, as expected, very Chinese, but there were some which I found interesting like the (chicken) eggs boiled in tea, the fried siopao, the Chinese lumpia or spring roll which tasted so good, and the “kiampeng”- fried rice that has the reputation of being a “peasant food” in China. Below is an image of a Chinese delicacy described as the “pineapple cake” which is as important as the “tikoy” on Chinese New Year.

(Pineapple Cake)

In our visit to a Buddhist temple, I noticed red plastic plates with writings in yellow hanging on the walls of the temple.Our tour guide explained that these are donations made by devotees with their names and the amount of their respective donations in Chinese (there were also some done in English). It shall hang on the walls of the temple for a year before they are replaced (hopefully, higher than the previous plates :>).

(Donation wall in a Hindu Temple)

The tour was also part historical. I know not much of my (Filipino) history but I realized I should have listened more in my history class to fully appreciate what I have seen in the tour. Even then, when I saw structures which serve as living testatment of history, I valued my history more. Example is the building of the first bank in the Philippines which is the Monte de Piedad Savings Bank of Spain.

(Building of the first bank of the Philippines)

Another is the Plaza Carriedo named after the person who was responsible for the first water system in Manila.

(Plaza Carriedo, Sta. Cruz, Mla.)

Escolta was likewise interesting because of its old, art-deco buildings. Our generation may not know much of Escolta now except being familiar on how it sounds but generations before us have so much stories to tell because it was during their time that Escolta was very popular. Our tour guide described Escolta as the “Greenbelt” several decades back. The edifice below may not be the most breathtaking, but I found interest in it because as our tour guide described it, the architect is Andres Luna, the son of Juan Luna, the great Filipino painter of the “Spolarium” who is a native of Badoc, Ilocos Norte.

It is only during this tour that I have appreciated the Manila Post Office building. I pass by it everynow and then, I go get my registered mails from this building sometimes, I know that it is a landmark in Manila, but I never knew how beautiful and majestic it was until I saw it in its full glory. I don’t know much about architecture but from the eyes of an ordinary person like me, I have appreciated it as a piece of art, more than a landmark of historical. significance.

Manila Post Office Building:

To close, the tour was not only heavy on the walk and the tummy, but also heavy on the information of Chinese-Filipino culture in the Philippines.

His name is Ron, but they called him “Joe”

Here’s another post by a guest blogger. It is the personal account of Ron Scott, my brother-in-law, of his visit to the Philippines particularly in Ilocos. He was amazed by the culture of the Ilocanos especially when he came to know how the “rice” is produced from the time the grains are sowed until it’s milled. He did not look for a five-star comfort; he ate what was served on the table; and more than the place, he enjoyed the people.Read on…

“In November of 2004, I had the pleasure of visiting the Philippines for the first time. Coming from Canada to see such a beautiful country is an experience I will never forget.

Our drive from Manila to my wife’s family home in Ilocos Norte was a real eye opener to me. The countryside was amazing and the roadside shops are so magical the way they narrow the road!

(roadside shop for “rattan” products in La Union)

(roadside shop for wood carvings and furniture in La Union)

The shopkeeper are ever smiling and courteous and gives out the vibe of down home spirit. And oh well, where else in the world you see a lady washing her little pig on a leash by the roadside! Her prized pet—and eventually may end up on the table for Sunday dinner!

Or a farmer sitting on a handmade sled pulled by a cow. Priceless! Time isn’t so urgent to him it seemed.

The efficient “jeep” and tricycles that form part as a very necessary mode of transportation system adds a touch. I got in one of the tricycles-being a rather big white man, getting in is a struggle but getting out took time and dexterity! The specially decorated jeepneys were a treat to the eyes and the repetitive names are like music to the ears – like, Bong Bong; Jon Jon; Mac Mac; Bing Bing, etc. The names painted on the tricycles are very western and the countries is a whole array of nations. I later learned that the family who owns such has a family member in that country.

(the “jeep” or “oner” to Ilocanos)

The locals were very interesting–they amused me. Everybody called me “Joe”. A tricycle driver tried to sell me a shirt (just to find out later that he’s just practicing his English!). Teenagers said a lot of “Hey Joe, what’s up!” but some children ran away from me.

Most heartwarming was seeing the farmers in the rice paddies, up to their knee in mud, with cow pulling a single plow. Such hard, manual work. I so much appreciated how hard working they are. I was so proud to shake their hands, but felt so welcomed when I felt they received me warmly.

My wife and her family showed me old majestic churches which is far different from where I’ve been.

The amazingly vibrant business center in Makati amazed me–makes most of the cities in the world in which I have traveled runners up.

(Insular Life and Philamlife Bldgs.)

The wonderful history of old Manila which shows the pride of Philippine heritage and the valiant struggles that they have to endure to be free–how can you not love the Filipinos!

Intramuros:

Two weeks was too short a time to truly see the scope of the Philippines and truly appreciate the resilience of its people. My world has widened yet even more when I experienced the Philippines.”

Postscript: I was told that Ron’s travel album to the Philippines/Ilocos is one of the best among his travels. The visit was short but the memories live on forever…

Creativity floats – Piddig

One thing which you may enjoy in Ilocos is the parade (“parada” in Ilocos) of interesting little prince/princesses and little kings/queens aboard their equally exciting floats that go around town in the heat of the sun. This is usually a fund-raising activity during fiestas or towards the end of the year. The order of the parade: the first float contributed the least, and the last, the most!Effect: people will know who has the fat, the fatter and the fattest purse!.I don’t have a problem with that, it’s for a good cause anyway.

The night before the parade, families of whoever shall be in the float are busy decorating up to pass midnight to make sure that “theirs is the best” on the day of the parade. They can decorate a tricycle, a jeep (or “oner” to Ilocanos), or those who have more may make use of a 6 or 8-wheeler truck.

(The Tricycle)

Unfortunately these days, I don’t see floats using the “karison” (the cow-driven carriage) or the “calesa” (horse-driven carriage) anymore. In my opinion, the rule is, the bigger the float , the better; the taller, the more thrilling; the more decorations, the more fascinating. 

(The “Oner”)

Be that as it may, what astonishes me is the fact in occasions like this, the creativity of the Ilocanos come out. Notwithstanding the fact that they (usually) make use of materials native to the place, they surprisingly come out with better ideas. In the end, it’s the group effort that matters most, more than how the float looks like.

(The 6/8-Wheeler)

If you happen to chance upon a “parade” like this, make sure you are in the front line to have a share of whatever they toss from the float, the most popular are candies, though there are some who would give out coins, small tokens, and if you’re lucky, you may be able to get a shirt. Exercise a bit of vigilance though; they may even throw the container if all candies are gone! – Joke!!! See you at the “parada!”