first time in SAGADA...and i loved it!!!! really loved it!!!!

...It was for our last class meeting actually... for my PE2 class (Outdoor Recreation) with Sir Florendo,..at Sagada, Mountain Province -- my first time to reach his place.
We rode a bus and travelled the rough and curvy dirt road for a totally sleepless 6-hour drive.
It was really exhausting since I'd always got head bumps from left to right.

Around lunch time, we were able to reach our inn. We settled for a while - relaxed, change our clothes, ate our lunch and rest for a few hours. Then we made our way to Sumaguing Cave. We walked until we reached the St. Mary the Virgin Parish...took some pictures and started moving again.

At the entrance of the church...

Walk. Walk. Walked to the slope. In the road.

Passing countless stores, restaurants ans inns.

It was really a long walk.

Exhausting as I would describe it.

Literally.

Walk. Walk. Walk. And more walk.

Houses. Pine trees. Tourists.

Then it began to rain a little...

then it grew stronger.

But we kept our pace.

I think we walked around 5 kilometers. I'm not really sure. I'm bad at estimates.

When we reached the cave entrance, we grouped ourselves.

But first, we gathered at the opening to have a brief history of then place.
It was discovered decades ago and they said that Sumaguing Cave is the largest cave in the Philippines... and it was really great to have known that fact!

Then we had our line which was lead by Sir Florendo followed by our group. The guides said that the slowest should go first to decide our phasing. So here we go!!!

At the first part, it was so slippery we needed to help each other out. The stones and steps were slippery because of mud. And as the other ones, this cave have lots of bats on the ceiling... undoubtedly making the area sting. It's like there were tiny Batmans hanging above us!

When we reached the interior of the cave, we put our slippers off and began our spelunking with bare feet. This time it was easier since the formations weren't slippery after all. It was also easier since our guides were really expert of the place, like they can jump here to there with such an ease.

You can really witness how God was so great with the magnificence of the cave - the color inside, the ice-cold, clear, flowing water , the stalagmites and stalactites, the really small holes where just one person could pass through... There were really great formations in there. I really enjoyed the scene. We were saying that we would like to live in that place... Of course, that was a joke.

Here are some pictures inside the mighty cave:

Come in and see....

Prepare to be enchanted...

Pictures began here... haha... cam addicts!

Going deeper...

I'm the one of he 6 persons who descended through this rope!

The famous "King's Curtain."

A view from the inside...

Imagination works here...

haha...

Pics with Jen, Laila and Je-al....

Class picture.... all in wide smiles!!!!

As we were trying to make our way through the very narrow space inside...

And thank God we made it!!!!

Pictures with Sir Florendo and Sir Perry...

I love the water...though it was really really freezing cold!

Water flowing everywhere....

Nice formations on our backs, right?

We love to stay here....!!!

Going up his time...

We're almost on our way out... oh no....!!

Cute pic...

Last picture while we took our exit from the cave.

All were happy to survive the spelunking experience!

Just a picture at the inn where we stayed for the night.

It took us around 2 hours until we came out. It was such a nice experience. The cold water made me chill but it was part of the picture.

I really want to be back someday... with my family of course.

I want to show them the beauty of this cave...

plus some other tourist spots here that we were unable to explore.

We were able to travel home by 1pm the next day.

Another 6-hour travel.

And I was home at the dorm by around 7:30pm. Just on the right time.

Yes, it was exhausting.

But nothing can replace my experience there...

We made lots of happy memories in this place.

And i really look forward for my next visit here.