Although the day was long and tiring, we decided to go down to Echo Valley to see the famous Hanging Coffins. Starting from Sagada, the trail seemed smooth at first, but as soon as we got out of the houses, the truth was revealed: an endless series of stairs snaking up and down the mountains.
The view was worth the struggle, however. The hanging coffins were hung in holes drilled into the steep cliffs or on fixed wooden beams. This special burial method is an ancient tradition of the Igorot tribes, who believed that the dead should be placed as high as possible so that their souls could be closer to the sky, and that they were also protected from floods and wild animals.
The return was another strenuous climb, and our muscles were already begging for rest. As we hobbled up the last few steps, panting, the impossible happened: according to Murphy’s Law, which applies anywhere in the world, my wife ran into an acquaintance in the middle of the mountains of the Philippines! The incredible coincidence brought smiles to our faces, it was the perfect, strange ending to a memorable adventure.
After the incredible day, however, came the black soup: it turned out that the local ATM – the only one in the entire area – was broken, and we couldn’t withdraw cash in an area where this is practically the only payment method. After a long search and as our cash started to ran out, we were finally saved. We found a small but life-saving restaurant, the Salt N Pepper, where luckily we could pay by card! So in the shadow of the divine rice fields, although the modern financial system failed, local hospitality and technology still saved us from starvation.
