We stopped at a small school outside San Jose City and spent a short time talking to the instructors and children before getting back on the road. What was supposed to be a seven-hour ride from Banaue dragged on and slowly became an 11 hour ride. The outskirts of Manila, and into the center proper, [...]
“Travel Tips & Advice on Luzon”
Hindsight is Always 20/20: Luzon, Philippine Islands
March 20th, 2012 
Sheila Simkin 
Posted in Featured, Luzon 
Tags: adventure, culture, destination, events, hotels, log, Luzon, Manila, nature, philippines, San Jose, sightseeing, travel 
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An Ifugao House and Balete Pass on The Road Back to Manila
March 19th, 2012 Sheila Simkin Breakfast, packed and ready for a seven-hour ride back to Manila (with some luck) along the North Luzon Expressway via San Jose. We’d spend tonight back at Traders Hotel in Manila and then begin the next leg of our journey with a flight to Puerto Princessa on Palawan Island. The four of us had hoped [...]
Posted in Featured, Luzon Tags: adventure, Balete Pass, Banaue, culture, Dalton Pass, destination, events, hotels, Ifugao, log, Manila, nature, philippines, San Jose, sightseeing, travel, World War II No Comments »
The UNESCO World Famous Banaue Rice Terraces of Luzon
March 18th, 2012 Sheila Simkin A 1-1/2 hour back-wrenching ride down the mountains back to Banaue Hotel & Youth Hostel for a fast pee break. The fog was beginning to clear. Perhaps we’d get to see the famous Banaue Rice Terraces after all. We’d all seen rice terraces before (some fabulous ones in China including Devil’s Backbone rice terraces in [...]
Posted in Featured, Luzon Tags: adventure, Banaue rice terraces, culture, destination, event, events, hiking, hotels, island, log, Luzon, nature, philippines, river, sightseeing, travel, UNESCO World Heritage, views No Comments »
The Teeny Village and Rice Terraces of Hapao, Luzon
March 17th, 2012 Sheila Simkin If there’s one thing I’ve learned only too well in over 50 years of travel it is know my limitations. Brain looks at narrow (possibly treacherous) path, processes the literal down-side, asks if I really need to do it and if answer is “no,” brain sends a message, “Then let’s not.” Silly me thought the [...]
Posted in Featured, Luzon Tags: adventure, Banaue rice terraces, culture, destination, events, Hapao rice terraces, hiking, hotels, log, Luzon, nature, philippines, sightseeing, travel, UNESCO World Heritage, views 1 Comment »
A Miserable Jeepney Ride to Hapao Village, Luzon
March 16th, 2012 Sheila Simkin Joey with his one-horsepower, undecorated jeepney was waiting for us at the Banaue Hotel & Youth Hostel. He refers to it as a “one horsepower” jeepney because there is a small stallion statue on the hood. I fell in love with the bright and creatively decorated jeepneys in the Philippines but riding in one is [...]
Posted in Featured, Luzon Tags: adventure, Banaue, culture, destination, events, Hapao, jeepney rides, log, mountains, nature, rice terraces, sightseeing, travel, tribes, unesco 2 Comments »
Shopping in Little Downtown Banaue, Luzon
March 15th, 2012 Sheila Simkin Banaue may be nothing more than tin-roofed houses scattered along a ridge but they did have a “Traditional Videoke bar.” Does that mean a video shows behind a person while they sing karaoke? And, several stores did have “older” items cum antiques. There’s always one big problem is buying one of these. Not cost, but [...]
Posted in Featured, Luzon Tags: adventure, antiques, Banaue, culture, curios, destination, events, log, nature, rice terraces, shopping, sightseeing, travel, tribes, unesco No Comments »
A Night at The Banaue Hotel & Youth Hostel, Luzon
March 14th, 2012 Sheila Simkin Welcome to rainy, muddy Banaue, home of the famous rice terraces carved out of the mountains 3,000 years ago by the Ifugaos, the oldest mountain tribe in the area. The Banaue Rice Terraces could arguably be called the premier highlight of Luzon. The Banaue Hotel & Youth Hostel is located in the center of Banaue [...]
Posted in Featured, Luzon Tags: adventure, Banaue Hotel & Youth Hostel, Batad, culture, destination, event, Hapao, hotels, Ifugao, log, Luzon, nature, philippines, review, rice terraces, sightseeing, travel No Comments »
Bontac Local Ethnic Museum, Luzon
March 13th, 2012 Sheila Simkin Up to now, the military aspects of Luzon have surprisingly turned out to be the star attractions along with the hike to Mount Pinatubo. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on your perspective, the four of us are very well-traveled. Margie and Art do things that I wouldn’t consider in my wildest dreams. Grabbing an ice axe [...]
Posted in Featured, Luzon Tags: adventure, Bontoc, culture, destination, ethnic, event, log, Luzon, museum, nature, philippines, sightseeing, travel, tribes No Comments »
The Ancient Coffins of Lumiang Cave and Echo Valley – Sagada
March 12th, 2012 Sheila Simkin Saturday is market day in Sagada. I had high hopes for a really good market with interesting stuff, but it turned out to be very disappointing. The locals descend from the mountains with produce (fresh vegetables and fruits, poultry) to sell in the three-block long town center. The locals dressed in blue jeans, sweatsuits, and typical western [...]
Posted in Featured, Luzon Tags: adventure, culture, destination, event, hanging coffins, log, Lumiang Cave, Luzon, market, nature, philippines, Sagada, sightseeing, travel No Comments »
St. Joseph Inn/Guesthouse in Sagada, Luzon
March 11th, 2012 Sheila Simkin It was late afternoon before we arrived in Sagada dead tired. Parked the car and walked into a very unprepossessing building. This was St. Joseph Inn, Guesthouse, whatever you want to call it? Four completely slap-happy individuals followed June through this building and looked down a slope where a few small cottages were visible among [...]
Posted in Featured, Luzon Tags: adventure, culture, destination, events, hotels, log, Luzon, nature, philippines, review, Sagada, sightseeing, st., St.Joseph's Inn, travel 1 Comment »
