Sagada…….a breathtaking place where the sky kisses the earth. Located at 5,000 feet above sea level in the Cordillera mountain range of Luzon in the Philippines, it is far, far up from the smog and the noise of the cities below. This little Shangri-la is a tourist’s favorite, since it is not as crowded as Baguio City yet the cool weather and the plush scenery is just as pleasing. It is also famous for its world-renowned hanging coffins, 60 underground caves and charming waterfalls.

How to Get There

You could reach this mountain-top town in two ways: from Baguio, take a bus going to Sagada and pass through Mt. Halsema Express. It will take 6-7 hours, but along the way you would pass Benguet and the Chico River. From Banaue, you will take 2 jeepney rides and the trip will take 2-3 hours. During that time, you would pass Bontoc and get a view of the Banaue Rice Terraces, dubbed as the eight wonder of the world.

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Posted in Philippines, Things to do |

Cravin’ for some cool livin’? Drop by at the beautiful mountains of the Philippines - Baguio City!

Located at 5,000 feet above sea level and with mild temperatures ranging from 9 ^o – 28^o C (48^o – 82^o F) , this city is called the ‘summer capital’ of the Philippines because people climb to the city to escape the summer heat.

Imagine this: the cool breeze ruffling your hair as you drive by the roads of the mountainside. You gaze at the blue skies with low fluffy clouds above you. All around are fragrant pine trees and flowers of all the colors of a rainbow.

Nice isn’t it?

Well then, take it all in as you visit the many parks and places that abound this little paradise. (No need to fret too much; hail a taxi, tell the name of the place and they’ll take you there.)

But First: How to Get to Baguio

The trip to get to your destination matters. You could choose to go by bus, by air, or by car, depending on your taste and temperament.

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Posted in Philippines, Things to do |

It’s been a while since our last Filipino Language for Dummies. By this time, you should have memorized most of the words from the previous three lessons. Now moving on to our fourth lesson, it’s about asking questions in Filipino. When you visit the Philippines, it is inevitable that a visitor would ask questions to know more about the place. Simple questions of what, when, where, how and why.

So here is Ingrid again with her fourth video on how to ask questions in Filipino.

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Posted in Language, Philippines |

Continuing on with our lessons of the Filipino language, or Pinoy in slang, here are some basic verbs that are very handy to use.

Here is Ingrid again with her video on Pinoy for Dummies.
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Posted in Language, Philippines |

Last time, you read about how to greet your Filipino friends. You also learned how to ask for someone’s name, tell your name, and ask some basic questions. This time, you will learn how to call the Filipino people around you, in particular, Filipinos call their family. You see, family is very important for the Filipinos.

Watch the video and listen carefully to how the words are pronounced. Watch the video a second time and read the accompanying text below while reading the words allowed to yourself.

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Posted in Language, Philippines |

More probable than not, you have met a Filipino or Filipina personally or online, worked or currently working with, or have been introduced to someone who is from the Philippines. Why not try to impress them with a greeting in their local language, Filipino or Pinoy in local slang. Or when you do get to visit the Philippines, try to impress the locals with your expanded vocabulary

In learning a new language, it’s important to start with the basics. So for today, Filipino language for Dummies 1 brings you the greetings.. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Language, Philippines |