Tuesday, December 8, 2009

December 27-30, 3rd Best Time!

3rd Best time to Explore Sagada (Christmas Time): December 27-30. Three days & 2 nights. Register early!

1. Fun activities await seventeen backpackers and their families in Sagada
– a municipality on top of caves in the northernmost . They will stay
at St. Joseph's Resthouse. It's going to be a little more than 6-hour
travel with Lizardo Bus in Dangwa (Baguio) as dropping point after a
little less than 6 hours from Manila with Philippine Rabbit, Sta. Cruz
as the group's assembly place @ 8pm. Join our BEST TIME FOR A SAGADA TRAVEL!

Spelunking, Rappelling, Swimming, Mountain trekking, Walking over rice padies,
Wine tasting, Souvenir shopping, Lemon pie/cinnamon/ French bread eating with lemon and mountain tea, Pinikpikan, Family bonding with colleagues, Touring Bontoc Museum & library visits, Visits to Echo Valley, Calvary, Lake Danum, Sumag-ing Cave, Burial Cave, Bomod-ok Falls, Bok-ong Falls, Hanging Coffins, Historian Scott's tomb searching, Community outreach through book donations w/ scholarship fund-raising, Yoghurt pie tasting, spending a little while stretching a lot, pottery-making show & view, snow wishing, etcetera.

2. Fee: 2,900 w/o food (inclusive of of transportation, 500-peso room
reservation fee, accommodation @ St. Joseph's Reshouse (best guest house) with blankets, tourism fee, tour packages of many trips, 2
guides for 10 persons and group tips, lamp for caving, van for tour,
Bontoc transpo, museum fee, registration fee, except food.

3. Less cost, if you join our group.

4. Text @ 09187318010. You may partially or fully pay through:
LANDBANK Savings Account No. 1987-1262-36
ACCOUNT NAME Ramos, Roderick B.

5. For other specific details, itinerary, do's and do's, read features & other stories found in this blog.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

November 27-28-29, 2009

2nd Best Time of the Year on Holidays: Sagada Travel, Librarians and Book Donations

Fee: 2,900 pesos is inclusive of transportation, 500-peso room reservation fee, accomod with blankets, tourism fee, tour packages, 2 guides for 10 persons and group tips, lamp for caving, van for tour, Bontoc transpo, museum fee, registration fee, except food

Contact: Roderick B. Ramos @ 09187318010 or 2519034

If backing out on or after Nov. 13, room reservation fee becomes un-refundable due to accommodation, and other travel pre-processing needs. A slot is given right after paying the room reservation fee. Register early not to miss a slot.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Sagada 2 Nights

Trip organizer Roderick and 15 young professional teachers, with 2 mothers and a father, from different schools distributed TJIC's Growing in Courage- Stories for Young Readers to Sagada kids as they met them in Ambasing and on their way to Mount Ampacao for 3-hour mountain trekking with guide Greg and free heavy lunch courtesy of a celebration's host/tour guide/hometown leader Egbert Dailay beside the next day's mountaineers' national summit camp place – Lake Danum last May 17(Sunday). They proceeded to a pottery shop listening and witnessing potter Tessie's handwork – a manual demo. The shop was built by American missionary Stapleton's son, Archie, who speaks Kankana-ey fluently and only exhibits products on invitation. Ice pellets and a heavy rain shower split the groups into two after pie afternoon snack break (lemon, blueberry & eig pies) with brewed coffee and lemon tea at the Lemon Pie House with comedienne Candy Nadal. A small group aimed for Calvary and Echo Valley by passing SMS, padi's cottage and a cemetery.

Prior to this and on a Saturday, they had Sagada's best offer for tourists and that's Sumag-ing cave spelunking with rappelling activities for four hours with Dave, Tiny plus two more Igorot guides. Lum-iang Cave, a burial cave, amazed each and now an entrance to the newest Cave Connection (priced @ 400 pesos for a group of 4). Mother and daughter from Dasmarinas,Cavite explored only the cave's belly and went back with shaky legs and knees due to rain showers and ice-cold water. Participantes, also, were surprised to see kids inside the biggest cave of Sagada.

2 Obaya days – sacred holiday – did not stop participants to see the biggest falls, Bomod-ok Falls, but insisted on delaying bus transport to Baguio and waited for Monday when everyone can make noise, see farmers in the field, and avoid village punishment for touring around Fidelisan and Aguid for beautiful terraces and long walk on rice paddies. Fidelisan kids, also, served as recipients to TJIC's generosity through Director Reysa Alenzuela with its book copies of Growing in Courage- Stories for Young Readers.

Participants who stayed for 2 nights at St. Joseph's Resthouse were: Bicolana lass call center pretty agent Shermyn, Roderick's favorite joiner Kristine with parents (King Joseph & Aurora), elem teachers Lea, Jam & Andeng, picture addict-model wannabe Ana, sweethearts Fe & Ronald, youthful Mark & Rachel, mother-daughter tandem Mommy Bonny & Mary, Charito Solis look-a-like Cecil, labelled by joiners Igorota Grace, Ms. China Abby and wife material Aileen Aha came from Diliman Preparatory School, Infant Jesus Academy Antipolo, La Salle Greenhills, St. Jude Catholic School, Philippine Normal University. They were not able to visit and missed one best museum in the northern which is the Bontoc Museum with a library, souvenir shop and an outdoor park/museum. The trip ended with a treat at Goodtaste Restaurant, Baguio for some Chinese cuisine @ 8:30 in the evening and hugs, kisses, well-wishing who are now Bff bestfriends forever.

Newsworthy: Sagada National High School, through Genevieve Gewan Daoas, continuously receives books through this activity while a scholarship fund is created from joiners' registration fees for an alumni group of librarians.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Quick Travel Tips: What to Do, What to Bring!

1. Travel light!
2. See a map thru Eric..
3. Warm up and flex your muscles with basic exercise postures.
4. Be there (Phil. Rabbit, Sta. Cruz/alternative bus) BEFORE 10pm.
5. Bring water at all times.
6. For the cold weather, wear a thick jacket/sweater, gloves, a bonnet or a cap for the head plus socks, neck protection.
7. Water in Sagada is ice cold but tolerable during shower.
8. Hot water is available in the Resthouse for 50 pesos per timba; 2 pesos per glass. Charging is at no cost!
9. Take care of your personal belongings: camera, phone, etc.
10. Jeans are a no in doing spelunking in the Sumag-ing Cave or walking over rice paddies to Bomod-ok Falls. Appropriate shorts are puwede! There will be pool swimming. More than 50 year old participants and children can go down the cave or aim also for Bomod-ok Falls for 4 hours each!
11. No step-ins down the cave. We are going down barefoot or barefooted!
12. Sunday travel to Bomod-ok Falls: bring food for your merienda-lunch. Swimming can be done also.
13. Little fasting is a yes-yes! But eat fruits, bread, drink water or juice or go vegetarian! Never drink cola starting from the bus station.
14. Sagada is 0-crime!
15. Bring 3-in-one drinks, bread or ready-to-cook bihon, canton, etcetera for less expensive snack.
16. Inform us if you decide to eat or go somewhere: Masferre Inn, Alfredo’s, Log Cabin, Cuisina Igorota, Sudimay, Yoghurt House, etc.
17. Listen to your tourist guides and tourist guides are accommodating. If you have inquiries, ask each of them. I give a group tip to guides.
18. Don’t forget to try lemon pie with brewed coffee at the Cooperative Store inside the Mission Compound before the St. Mary’s The Virgin Church.
19. Optional: Bring a self-help book to be donated to Sagada students!
20. See Sagada on-line resources for other tips for an exciting, relaxing and pleasurable trip to Northern Philippines!
21. Opinions are welcome before, during and after Sagada trip!
22. Worry not about travelling to Sagada because your trip organizer coordinate with people from Baguio, Sagada, Mountain Province, Bus station.
23. 500-peso room reservation fee is not refundable unless the group's travel gets blocked/stopped due to weather conditions, landslide.
24. Exploring Sagada is team-building and one learning experience to share!
25. Bring your medicines! Bring extra money for food, souvenirs, etc.

May 15-18, 2009

Travel Schedule

FIRST DAY (Friday)

9-10 pm Assembly, Philippine Rabbit, Sta. Cruz, Manila/alternative bus is okay!
10 pm Departure

SECOND DAY (Saturday)

6 am – Baguio , a walk to Dangwa Station plus breakfast
7 am - Dangwa for a Sagada bus
11 am – LUNCH at a stopover
1 pm – St. Joseph ’s Resthouse
2 pm – Sumaging Cave : a four hour spelunking activity
7 pm – Dinner Together at CI (Cuisina Igorota/Sudimay), cheapest but good
food awaits us all, brown rice is served, 85 peso per meal. St Joseph's @ 150 per meal.
8 pm Free Time

THIRD DAY (Sunday)

7 am – breakfast
8 am – from William Henry Scott Foundation Library Underground River, to Bokong Falls , to Bomod-ok Falls , exciting trekking to the tallest falls, bring bread/water, will stay until 2 pm
4 pm – Lake Danum/Echo Valley
7 pm – Dinner/Food Tripping

FOURTH DAY (Monday)

9 am – Bontoc
10 am – Bontoc Museum
12 noon - Lunch
3 pm – Departure (Baguio/Manila)

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Sagada: Well-spent Summertime of Librarians

Sagada National High School English teacher, Genevieve G. Daoas, received the second set of book donations of Thomas Jefferson Information Center and Architect Gener of Sampaloc, Manila plus individual donations from Wilma Bitmal (SIST, Cavite), Mr. & Mrs. Macabata (Divine World Colleges, Mindoro), Ms. Florita Simeon (PNU) and Mr. Cris and Mrs. Chavez (Congressional High School, Cavite) last April 5 for Bomabanga National High School, St. Mary’s School and the other 8 national high schools of Sagada Municipality, Mountain Province through Mr. Roderick B. Ramos, group’s trip coordinator. )

This became possible through the support of Sagada librarian-backpackers, their families and friends who composed the 19 individuals who joined and walked over rice paddies for more than 2 hours, did mountain trekking to Bomod-ok Falls, Sumag-ing Cave spelunking and rapelling, etcetera.

Participantes were Mr. & Mrs. Macabata (Divine World Colleges, Mindoro); Mr. Elizalde and Mrs. Consuelo Estigoy and daughter named Zanny Ayesha (Cabanatuan); Mr. Cris and Mrs. Marites Chavez (Cavite); Mrs. Evelyn and son Eric Regin Nabus (Marikina); Ms. Medina (Sta. Isabel College) and Ms. Thess De Castro (San Beda College) and their cousin Jocelyn Malata; Lulu Salvador (PLM) and her daughter Alyanna; Ms. Florita Simeon (PNU faculty), Mrs. Annie Almeda (Manila Science High School), Ma. Isabel Balalad (Novaliches), Ofel Irabon (Caloocan) with Roderick Ramos (PNU).

The April tour also brought the group to Bontoc Museum, an hour trip from Sagada, and allowed joiners to see personally an outdoor park where authentic traditional Igorot houses made of cogon, girls' and boys' dormitories, Ulog, dap-ayan, etc. are showcased plus a visit to its souvenir shop.

1. Three backpackers spent their birthdays in Sagada namely Ms. Simeon (Valenzuela), Mrs. Chavez (Cavite), and Ms. Irabon (Caloocan).

2. A scholarship fund obtained from registration fees of the travel was accepted by Mrs. Chavez (PNU-LISAA Vice President) who also made an ocular visit for a seminar-workshop in July.

2. The trip ended with a treat at Good Taste Restaurant in Baguio for some Chinese cuisine surprise.

3. Batch year 1987 of PNU LS had its annual reunion in Sagada and conferred at St. Joseph's Resthouse with Mrs. Nabus, Mrs Almeda, Mrs. Salvador, Mrs. De Castro, Mrs. Chavez and Mrs. Estigoy.

4. Five (5) men and fourteen (14) ladies were barefooted and crawled like lizards in the Sumag-ing - “The Big Cave.”

5. One woman joiner failed to trek to Bomod-ok Falls.

6. Municipality Mayor Eduardo Latawan called "Angaraw" - travel organizer- the best guide the group could ever have and who is now an adopted son of Sagada. This was announced by the good mayor and was witnessed by eighteen (18) librarian-backpackers last April 4 before aiming for Bomod-ok Falls.

Next BEST TIME time schedule for one best well-spent summertime is on May 15-18, 2009. For particulars, please e-mail ramospnulisaa@yahoo.com or text 09187318010.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Sagada For Librarians and Non-librarians

I need 15 interested individuals to bring for a Sagada travel!
PACKAGE PRICE: 3,000 per head

Schedule: Pre-Holy Week/Best Time For A Visit To A Beautiful Place On Top of A Cave
Summer: April & May
Semestral Break: Nov-Dec
Christmas Break: Before & After Christmas

or

Follow Me!
Step 1: Create a group of 10-15-20.
Step 2: Schedule the trip.
Step 3: Register early.
Step 4: Travel & enjoy a wonderful trip with Eric!

You may partially or fully pay through:

LANDBANK Savings Account No. 1987-1262-36
ACCOUNT NAME Ramos, Roderick B.

Keep your deposit slip. If backing out one week before scheduled travel, registration fee becomes un-refundable due to accommodation, and other travel pre-processing needs. A slot is given right after paying the reservation fee. Register early not to miss a slot. Please send deposit slip number for verification.

Ramos
“Health of Body, Mind & Soul Through A Sagada Travel”
Text 0918-731-8010.