Travel Destination 8th Wonder One Batad Rice Terraces Morning

One Batad Rice Terraces Morning

Dawn and Sunrise Landscape Shoot

"Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. by Benjamin Franklin" The image shown above was the last scene in my subconscious whilst laying on my bed. It was just like the last song syndrome ringing with accentuated festive sound of brass gongs, droning sounds, ancient then comes to a mute. The night was warm which was just like the hospitality of the Batad. The cacophony of crickets in chorus then, total silence. I was transported to the metaphysical regions, peaceful, to temporarily rest (my soul in a recharging mode) is the term I prefer to use and not to just call it sleep (which is just physical). A well-rested mind benefits the body. 

Yes, I had a good night's rest. You don't hear any blaring karaoke music around here in Batad. I hope that crass commercialism won't envelop the well-kept traditions & cultures of Ifugao. 
I'm definitely a morning person and I woke up in the very early dawn. the mind is sharpest at dawn. I always keep handy a battery operated headlamp as I quietly sneaked from my attic room downstairs. It was still dark. The inn's area where people hang out and it was in pitch deaf silence.  I placed my camera and camera tripod on one of the tables. I was watching the interplay of light and clouds with a colorful rendition of Batad sky at dawn. A couple of roosters crowed to signal the start of the day.  It's a bit nippy cold as yesterday's late afternoon rains and evening showers left the ground very damp. I selective took images with my DSLR mounted on my camera tripod.

Little by little the landscape begins to unveil itself. Shooting at dawn - blue - golden hours is not that easy. So, I humbly suggest to all, is to use a tripod which prevents blurry handheld pictures.  

The colors transitioning to golden hues.

A gentle giant- Batad Rice Terraces gently "awakens".  

Morning has broken as the sunlight pierces Batad green terrain.

Gradually the morning light inches in Batad.

At this point in time, I smell the aromatic cooking of local Batad spices (garlic, onions, leeks and local breakfast food and I was feeling hungry. 

Batad Breakfast

After a couple of minutes here's my vegetarian breakfast. Butter-sauteed - carrots, chayote, green peas, cabbage and hot local Batad rice (no red rice this time since it cooks longer). That's my lens travel soft case, lens hood and my camera neutral density filter at the left side just beside the freshly served warm food. I had Batad red rice for dinner last night which was excellent. I was one of the first people in the inn to have breakfast a beneficial reward for an "early bird". 

I was enjoying basking in the morning sun's caress ... Whilst sipping slowly hot brewed and aromatic Batad coffee. I must say, it's probably one of the best-tasting coffee with caffeine-packed juices to jumpstart my day.

"The Philippines is one of the few countries worldwide where the Arabica, Robusta, Excelsa and Liberica commercial coffee varieties are found. Likewise, the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) is one of the few regions in the country where the four varieties are grown. Coffee growing is a province-wide economic activity although three areas are particularly regarded as three coffee

producing municipalities – Asipulo, Lagawe and Kiangan. The province of Ifugao has a total coffee production of 1120 metric tons (mt) of which 1105.56 mt are of Robusta variety while 14.55 mt are of Arabica variety. There are 1421 households involved in coffee production covering a total land area of 2520 hectares. Approximately, 0.42 mt per hectare are planted with coffee trees. "

Morning light reveals the terraces of Batad.

I went up the attic and passed by a once empty space before my room, which is now occupied by a new tourist who just checked-in and who quietly watches the terraces. I hurriedly packed my travel stuff and went down the ... to meet my local guide.

Hillside Inn ... that's where I slept for the night at the far right side of the attic. As my guide and I head up to Saddle Point Trail. I checked my mobile cell phone and its signal/connectivity is non-existent. 

I took more pictures as I head up leaving the inn. Batad has been very good to me during my visit.

Batad Trail to Saddle Point Parking

My present state of physical preparedness for the going home journey was accompanied with general muscle pain (calf and legs) so I have to walk very slowly. It's like I was hit by a baseball bat thus podiatry wise I as kinda incapacitated. A hard lesson learned for me that physical fitness and readiness are main considerations before traveling to places requiring long hours of trekking. I just have to suck it up. My attention was diverted to these two local Batad children that I eventually forgot the state of pain I was in. I was just so amused. They also have to take a short break since their chore was more challenging that is downhill and barefooted. I ended my sweet self-induced complaints.

I have to slowly go back to allow incoming human traffic as I see more approaching tourists. It's obvious that this foreigner guy is his first time as his pair of white Nike rubber shoes now all covered with Batad Trail mud takes a beating. I see he is a Nikon DSLR FX user. Whilst in Batad, any opportunity to shoot flora/fauna/culture I say "Just Go For It" again with exceptions I've mentioned in my previous blog.

I have now to focus on my travel back up the trail and repeat the arduous steps now this time going against gravity, upward the elevated, unpaved walkways. You can't deny yesterday's heavy downpour and the proof is it made the trail very slippery and equally muddier. All these made an extra challenge for me and others going to climb up or down up to Saddle Point Parking Area. 

I don't have any complaints whatsoever as to what I see in front of me are two young boys carrying heavy weights of dried rice stalks (like bale), both on bare feet. These are examples that hard work and training begins early. You won't find the vice laziness here in Batad. As a local guide coming downhill followed by a trail of newly arrived tourists with wooden cane implements. 

Financial transactions here at Batad is done on a CASH basis only. Plastic credit cards are all anachronous and irrelevant objects here since there are no Automatic Teller Machines (ATM's), McDonald's, Seven-Elevens, etc. in the area. Speaking of a 7-11 here's a Batad version where I made a quick stop over. I will drill to all readers the importance of not haggling for cheap prices whilst in indigenous communities. Just imagine the hardship and cost it takes to bring food and beverage from Poblacion, Ifugao to Batad. All these translates to sacrifices by Batad locals just to augment their income from different forms livelihood they can offer to visiting locals/tourists. 

During my egress back and as I reached the Batad Trail Parking area which is a recently developed part of the trail as fully cemented road which winds up to Saddle Point.

I boarded the top side (top siding) of a jeep and took this shot. However, after 10 minutes, my contracted-out tricycle arrived to fetch me at the Batad Trail Parking Area. Boy, what a relief.

 

That's Saddle Point up there... Gotta go... Click!

This scene just flashed in my mind during my arrival at Batad Rice Terraces. If you haven't read that part... click - to be transported there.

Till next photo docu session. C 'ya. 😎

-fin-