December may not be the best month to visit the terraces in Batad, because it’s also the time of the year when the fields gets bald after the harvest and is being tilled in preparation for the next planting season. Even so, it’s always the ultimate experience that makes the journey worth all the muscle pains.
Batad rice terraces is one of the five Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras that is part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Others includes Bangaan rice terraces (also in Banaue), Mayoyao rice terraces, Hungduan rice terraces and Nagacadan rice terraces.
Noticed something? Yes, the famous Banaue rice terraces, the one who always made it to the post cards and history books, the hangdan- hangdang palayan in your one-thousand peso bill are not part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites, ‘due to the presence of numerous modern structures, making it score low in the integrity criterion of UNESCO’ - Wikipedia.
Perhaps that’s a little wake up call for everyone to preserve the remaining natural treasure our forefathers left us.
Trekking Batad rice terraces is but another fulfillment in my to-do list before I die. Well, not exactly, because it’s the one in Banaue I want to get up close with, because it’s the most famous. But after some revelation, I think Batad was the best choice.
But getting up close to her was never easy. We travelled for nine grueling hours from Manila to Banaue, then another two-hour bumpy ride from Banaue to Saddle… an hour downhill trek from Saddle to the village… and more trekking challenge followed ... All these we’re willing to deal with, just to...
go near her…
walk through her...
experience her...
feel her...
to endure her…
celebrate with her...
There were few foreign nationals we met along the way coming from our supposed destination. They all look very exhausted. We all are. Trekking Batad rice terraces is not a walk in the park. Unless you are fit and you’re used to hiking, then you will enjoy this strenuous adventure. Otherwise, you’ll just satisfy your eyes gazing the view of the almost empty-chocolate-brown-colored rice paddies from afar, or maybe from the balcony of Hillside Inn, while contemplating how our ancestors made such a magnificent structure minus technology and machinery.
I won’t think twice going back to Batad rice terraces on summer when the paddy fields were all covered up with ripening yellow rice stalks. Because even when on her non-blossoming days, the rice terraces in Batad are simply a natural beauty.
****
unmarked photos by Inch Datuin
No comments:
Post a Comment