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Banaue mornings and a stopover in Dupax
2007-12-07 16:39:00 Imagine waking up to the cool Banaue morning with a view of the rice terraces and tree-covered mountains just outside your window. That's what I experienced at the Banaue Hotel for the past few days, with rooms, function rooms and a restaurant that provides panoramic views of the rice terraces. That's one cluster of terraces in the Banaue poblacion which is still free from eyesores and other unsightly structures.It was our last day in Banaue and I'll definitely miss the cool mountain air and the great views. Before leaving for Manila, we listened to Ifugao Governor Teddy Baguilat talk about the challenges they have been facing in the preservation of the rice terraces and possible solutions to these problems. It's indeed very difficult to push for the preservation of these terraces when almost every young Ifugao dreams of making it big in the city, when G.I. sheets and hollow blocks become a status symbol. But there is definitely hope since the community realizes now that they ar...
By: Ivan About Town
Protecting endangered traditional landscapes
2007-12-06 14:45:00 International heritage luminaries are meeting in the Philippines for the first time from 2-8 December 2007. They are members of ICOMOS (International Council of Monuments and Sites), the official international organization of architects, landscape architects, urban planners, archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, tourism professionals, lawyers, and other professionals involved in the heritage conservation profession who are recognized as international leaders in the field.Headquartered in Paris, ICOMOS is the international organization that regulates the worldwide conservation profession and is the only NGO accredited to advise the UNESCO World Heritage Committee on cultural heritage matters. Its Philippine members are prominently involved in conservation projects for the government or private sectors and are also members of the academe.Read more...
By: Ivan About Town
Rice terraces in Hapao and Hungduan
2007-12-04 13:58:00 Today was a fantastic day! I finally visited one of the UNESCO-inscribed terraces, the Hapao and Poblacion clusters in Hungduan. There are five all in Ifugao and the cluster in Banaue poblacion is not one of them! These five are Hungduan, Mayoyao, Nagacadan in Kiangan, and Batad & Bangaan in Banaue.It was a one and a half hour jeepney ride from the Banaue town proper to the Hapao Terraces in Hungduan. Then from there, we motored to the Hungduan Terraces in the Poblacion. We were welcomed by the mayor and other city officials. Lunch was served in front of the municipal hall. Around the area were examples of traditional Ifugao dwellings.Before proceeding back to the hotel, we then passed by Lagud Village Learning Inn, a community-based tourism project where tourists can opt to stay in traditional Ifugao dwellings. In fact, there have been five Japanese exchange student living there for several mounths now, immersing with the community. We also donated P200 for kids to a plant tre...
By: Ivan About Town
We're off to Banaue
2007-12-03 13:09:00 Today, the delegates of the ICOMOS-CIAV Scientific Conference 2007 proceeded to Banaue where we will be staying for the next few days. The scientific conference is an annual meeting of vernacular heritage experts from around the globe. I was asleep for most of the trip since I did not get enough sleep the previous nights. We stopped by Balete Pass along the way. More popularly known as Dalton Pass, this marks the boundary between Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya, and therefore Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley as well.We had a sumptuous lunch at the Governor's Hotel in Solano town. As we arrived, we were welcomed by a marching band from the local elementary school. After lunch, we were off to Banaue. Again, I was fast asleep so there's nothing much I could say. And the next thing I knew, we had arrived.The view from my room in the Banaue Hotel was great. Imagine waking up in the morning and the first thing you'll see are rice terraces and tree-covered mountains. Dinner was superb too...
By: Ivan About Town
Old Baguio charm at the Baguio Country Club
2007-11-14 09:08:00 There are still a few patches of serene and picturesque areas amidst the urban chaos of Baguio City. And the Baguio Country Club (BCC) is most definitely one of those remnants of Baguio City's old charm. It was a great opportunity for me to relax after a tight schedule the last two weeks.As soon as I arrived in Baguio, I went straight to the BCC since I wanted to rest before the wedding. I had a late lunch at the veranda and chatted with my relatives who were also billeted there. Then it was a power nap before proceeding to the church.The reception was at the ballroom of the BCC. The food was great! But I had to eat in moderation. Sigh! Anyway, I woke up late the next day since I didn't have any sleep the night before.After lunch at the veranda, I was time for some recreational activities at the club's many facilities. I was toured around the golf course on a golf cart by the facilities manager. Then we passed by their new driving range and golf academy. It's an unusual driving ...
By: Ivan About Town
The waterfalls along Kennon Road
2007-11-12 16:54:00 Finally, a trip I can really call a vacation! I drove up to Baguio a few hours after I had arrived from Iloilo City. I was rushing up to attend the wedding of my cousin at the Baguio Country Club.The trip up Kennon Road was very refreshing. The views were so picturesque and it was only now that I noticed there were so many waterfalls. So I stopped several times to take photos of them. Two of them are quite popular namely Bridal Veil Falls and Colorado Falls. In fact, you could actually swim in Colorado Falls as the water is very clear and there are facilities in the area.
By: Ivan About Town
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