Bontok, Mountain Province

dateline : bontok, Mountain ProvinceSaturday, April 11, 2009
I am overwhelmed with so much calm. Waking up and seeing the mountain with a mist hovering over its peak can do that to me. Going outside just to feel the air really made my teeth chatter. It's been a long time since i saw a mountain with mist and my teeth chatter over cold air. When we spent a night in Bagiuo in 2007, i didn't notice the mountains at all, the cold sure. What registered to me was the houses that took over most of the mountain side.
Here, you can't help but notice the mountains. Bontoc is a plateau. It is flatlands sorrounded by mountains on all side. The trip from Baguio to Bontok was long and winding. I think the beatles wrote this song for this particular piece of road. Magnificent is truly a word to describe God's creation. You would not know what i am talking not unless you will experience it first hand. The roads are in good condition except for some rough patches due to road slips and cuts, mostly in sabangan. One thing is true though, the roads are itched into the side of the mountains so that all throughout your trip, you will feel like one slip and you will fall all the way way way down. It's cliff driving all the way to Bontoc. He is one fine driver and the fortuner is one fine suv. Me, I am just plain cold. I am wearing short shorts, our clothes wet because the galloon containing our water came undone during our trip and we only discovered it halfway before reaching sabangan.

BESSANG PASS

The trip to Sagada from Sabangan crossroads was only 7 kms upland but since we were traversing a new route over the mountains to Ilocos Sur, he decided we might as well pass on Sagada. Add to that was the fact that we were told that we needed to cross a river before reaching cervantes. We were looking up at the sky and saw rainclouds on the horizon. We needed to pass that river before the rains starts. We didn't know yet how high the waters would be so he was driving as fast as the roads will allow.

Again, the roads are literally breath-taking. I thought that the roads will be different now since we will be going through interior through Ilocos Sur. I thought wrong. Again, we were cliffdriving.

The Bessang Pass in the Ilocos sur was constructed so that it feels like you're in the great wall of china. When you are on top, you can actually see the downward spiral of the road. By this time, all gadgets are low on power so no documentation on that. But my, you have to wonder at government efforts to make the road safe and in good condition and there was even no credits on billboards on whose effort the roads were made. I think, in a few years many will be traversing that road and be in awe of everything that can be seen. It's not your regular tourist attraction but if ever your visiting banaue , i highly recommend going to ilocos sur on road trips via bessang pass. By then, the bridge that they are currently constructing over the river would have been completed already. If you decided to visit it now, i recommend taking only suv. Cars would drown in the river. Thanks to his skillful driving and the fortuner's make and God Almighty for HIS provision, we were able to cross the river. There is something that can be said about overcoming hurdles and barrier. IT makes you believe in yourself even more. And while we were fearful, and happy to overcome those mountain roads and that river pass, when we are only passengers, how much more self-affirming could it be to him who drives us through? A can do attitude could certainly get you places.