31 March, 2012
TOUR REPORT
TOUR OPERATOR: ANNSET HOLIDAYS, INC.
TYPE OF TOUR: SITE TOUR
POINT OF ORIGIN: MAKATI SHANGRI-LA HOTEL
DESTINATION: BANAUE/SAGADA
DURATION: 29 MARCH – 01 APRIL, 2012
VISITOR’S PROFILE:
Tour Group: 2 PAX
BEATRIZ MESA
Nationality: ECUADORIAN but of Chilean origin
Language: SPANISH
TOUR DETAILS:
- I was assigned the tour by Ms. Goya (Mabuhay Guides coordinator) two weeks before the tour but had to wait for further notice from the tour operator for confirmation. I was expecting a four-day tour. I went to see Ms Anna dela Cruz to iron out some details at the Annset office. I informed her that I do speak Spanish but not as fluent as I should be as there are terms that can not be fully translated into Spanish. I can conduct a conversation and will try as best to relay commentaries to our guests
DAY 1:
- I was at the appointed hotel at 06:00 a.m. and met with the guests. I saw them at having breakfast and patiently waited for the guests at the lobby. I was with the assigned driver Boy Barcala.
- The guest had requested that their luggage be left for safe-keeping until their return. I managed it for them and while doing so, guest complained that they had requested for a wake up call from the hotel at 05:00 a.m. and got none.
- Before we even left Ms Salazar asked if the destination was far. I said very far, taking up from eight to ten hours of driving.
- We departed at 07:10 a.m. on board the Annset van taking the
- The drive was full of interaction between myself and guests which I initiated as we left the hotel telling them about the origins of
- Apparently the Philippine ambassador to
- As we reached, NLEX, we were in animated discussion of the road network, infrastructure, Gasoline prices, and urban development in the country.
- They were informed of the rural setting of Bulacan and Pampanga up until we exited at Sta. Rita.
- We then proceeded towards the Nueva Ecija road network. We eventually talked about land reform, property ownership, the friar estates and taxation as we passed by churches. I continued to answer questions on varied points of interests that they saw along the way. We made it to
- We took them on their first stop on
- Unfortunately, we had to contend with unforgiving roads, avoiding potholes, mud traps, road repair machinery and missing traffic watchmen. This was our nightmare! It was getting dark and we were still in Nueva Viscaya. The guests were getting uneasy.
- I even showed them a funeral procession and informed them that usually in the provinces funerals were a source of traffic because close relatives and the bereaved walked behind the hearse. Politicians even had a marching band in front and/or behind the procession of cars.
- At one point, Ms Salazar even asked if we were lost. I answered in the contrary and told them it’s a necessary evil as progress was taking place despite the current economic and socio-political situation in the country. It didn’t help that it kept raining all the way through. We had to drive carefully in these mountain roads.
- The nearer we got to the hotel the more agitated they got. The next question they asked was if there was no airport anywhere near Banaue. I answered we had one in Baguio the Loakan airport, now no longer in use after it had been ruined in an earthquake in the 80’s and that the rugged mountains made it difficult to land on a short runway.
- Next, they were doubtful if I had even been there before. It seemed to the guests that I didn’t know where it was. I was trying merely to re-assure them that we were closer to the hotel.
- It was then they decided, they didn’t want to proceed to Sagada anymore if it meant more driving. They were obviously very tired from driving all day. I couldn’t blame them. On a good day, one can even reach the destination in seven hours. We took eleven hours of driving, through no fault of ours. We arrived at 6:15 p.m.
- Finally, I checked them in and we were informed there was a show for the guests. I informed them that they could watch some of the indigenous songs and dances at 8:30 p.m. They said they would have a light dinner and were reluctant to watch the program.
- When the show started they were right in the front. Needless to say I sat beside Ms Salazar and related the numbers as they unfolded: 1) ritual dance for birthing, christening, birthdays and just about any occasion one can imagine. 2) traditional costumes with men wearing a bahag and ladies with three types of skirts for a specific class, 3) love song – sung by a warrior to the moon to light his way while walking along the mountains to his girlfriend’s house at night, 4) flute music as a learned craft and a past-time when they have the rare chance of doing nothing. 4) ritual dance in diagnosing a sickness killing a pig to examine its liver for the result. 5) marriage ritual with an elder coming in between the couple for wishes of prosperity and happiness, 6) war dance and the causes why they go to war and the eventual outcome of losing was by decapitation.
- Ms Salazar could not access her email on the hotel computer and we tried numerous times to do so. She gave up and decided to have dinner. I managed to work my way through and informed her but she had lost interest completely.
- The guests bade goodnight after the show and before I even proceeded to my room, I made arrangements for the trip to Banga-an with the front-desk.
DAY 2:
- They decided to leave at nine in the morning as agreed upon the night before. The guests were in a better mood. I made sure I was on hand to order for them in English. The waiters at Banaue Hotel were friendly but spoke no Spanish. I was there for them to see they were being taken care of.
- They were in a better mood. Mr Salazar told me he heard the cocks crowing and woke up early, getting a glimpse of the brief sunlight before the fog started to roll in. I sat them in a good spot where they could see part of the terraces.
- Mr. Salazar and Ms Mesa were talking animatedly about their backgrounds. Mr Salazar said he knew the Annset van has seen better days as he had a lot of cars and he knew the car was having difficulty navigating the mountain roads as the driver, Boy, would turn off the air-conditioning as the van was going uphill for more kick in the motor.
- Our hired jeep arrived and our assigned local guide was Jun-Jun. Needless to say, Jun-Jun spoke in English. I stayed with the guests at the back and would translate information passed on to me by Jun-Jun. It was raining again.
- We would stop at the designated viewpoints for photo ops but before we even got a third of the way to Banga-an, A big rock fell in the middle of the road. We stopped. Our guide would have attempted to move it out of the way. He went to see if it was safe. He would go back and forth assessing the situation, at least ten minutes had passed. Little by little there were small rocks sliding down the road. A bigger rock fell.. more smaller rocks. Then a loud crack! Next thing I knew, the van was shaking and loud thuds. Boulders the size of the jeep covered the road. Mr. Salazar, Ms Mesa and myself were within ten meters of an actual landslide. I turned to her and said “Tenemos suerte” she smiled and said “Si, muy suerte!”.
- Our jeep had to turn around and along the way we started informing other vehicles of the landslide. Jun-Jun brought us to the Hungduan site instead so they can have an experience of the terraces. I thought that move from our local guide was brilliant and classy. So we went the opposite direction to a higher ground.
- As we climbed up the mountains, the trip proved interesting as they were regaled with magnificent vistas along the way. They were getting impressed (finally?) and were awe-struck by the sights.
- The roads were surprisingly well paved but the zig-zagging and hairpin curves proved to be a challenge for the guests. The guide was able to show the sights as well. I discussed with Mr. Salazar that 1) the terraces were more than 2,000 years old. 2) That the culture of the Ifugaos was tied to the the growing of rice. 3) That land was inherited from generation to generation. 4) That planting was seasonal. 5) That each family owned their land and worked on it. 6) That their lives were tied to their lands. 7) That each terrace was an eco-system in itself. 8) That the numerous waterfalls that they see on the mountain sides are actually watersheds that flow down to each of the separate terraces and act as irrigation. 9) And that the danger was that those who would eventually inherit it would eventually pursue other interests.
- Lunch break was at Banaue Hotel. More of their background was divulged. They own an ice-cream factory in
- Mr. Salazar was thinking there was nothing else left to do for the remainder of the day. I told them I would bring them to a nearby village where they can experience the simplicity of life of the locals. We decided to meet at three p.m. they skies had cleared somewhat. I brought them to Tam-an village which was 240 steps from Banaue Hotel.
- While there, we were invited inside a home to see the wares of a hard-earning housewife who had a livelihood project on-going to augment their meager income. I explained the architecture of an Ifugao hut: its features and its purposes. I made him experience the traditional home’s simplicity in the architecture belying its complete form and function by making him peer into the home of a little old lady chewing momma.
- As we went back to the hotel (240 steps up), the guests were quite out of breath. Mr Salazar wanted to rest but was egged upon by Ms Mesa to experience life in the town. From the hotel, we walked to the public market chatting along the way.
- They were relating their experience of the hotel as “largo pero sin lujo” (large but not luxurious). The rooms were large but bare, the bathroom was awful, the beds were not nice. I explained to them that the Banaue Hotel was a project of then First Lady Mrs. Imelda Romualdez-Marcos in 1969. It was her effort to promote tourism in the
- Then we hit the town and onto the Public Market. Mr Salazar noticed some of the locals marry early on in life. I mentioned to them that it is in the Banaue culture. Marriage is an eventual outcome of adult life. In some villages, they had an “ulog” where teenagers were free to explore their sexuality until such time they decided they wanted to marry someone.
- Before dinner time, Ms Salazar said she wanted to try emailing again. I taught her the process to access her internet account which she took down in writing in 7 easy steps.
- After dinner, I encountered them in the fireplace area warming themselves and interacting with the other guests. I spent time while there translating the stories to them of a newly-wed Filipina with a French groom. Mr Salazar and Ms Mesa were showing photos of the landslide in their digicam to the other couple while the newly-weds were relating their experience of their experience in Batad and Tapiya falls.
- I translated how the Filipina’s legs were sore from taking a 7-hour hike the previous day and the couple’s journey from
- It was here I knew that for them, their favorite get-away from the stress of work was a twenty minute plane ride and they were at the beach.
- Before we called it a day, I made arrangements for departure the next day. I had asked for food to be prepared for the advanced departure. The 01 April breakfast coupons were used for take-out sandwiches.
- Needless to say, I had been reporting all events to Ms Anna all the while I was with the guests. We were working on getting them a room at the cheapest rates at Makati Shang and I was still haggling until Mr. Salazar had said yes to the rates given them.
DAY 3:
- The usual preparations were taken care of. I made arrangements the night before.
- I ordered the food for take-away. Even before I finished breakfast, Mr. Salazar was calling me to help them access Ms Mesa’s email account again. They could not seem to get the hang of it even if they had written down the procedure.
- I went up to the room to get my personal effects.
- Mr Salazar made a call to my room to ask me to help them again. I again went down to help them re-open the email account of Ms Mesa. Mr Salazar had asked me to stay until such time they had completed their tasks. I was seated beside Ms Mesa just in case she needed to ask for instructions.
- They turned to me to ask if Mandarin Oriental was at a good location. I said if they want to walk to the shopping areas, it was further than Shangri-la. Mandarin Oriental was offering a room rate of US$140.00/night. I said you can walk to the financial district and shopping areas and there would be interesting things to see. Mentally I was already preparing a list of areas for them to visit without repeating the City tour items.
- They decided against Mandarin when they heard they were going to walk.
- We left Banaue at 9:00 a.m.
- The trip back was a little faster. Less traffic along the way especially at Nueva Viscaya.
- We stopped for lunch again at
- They were conversing about private family matters so I allowed them some privacy. I wouldn’t dare intrude. They even related how Ms. Mesa’s mother once owned a store like the one we stopped in at
- From time to time, either one would ask me some questions and I would reply as honestly and as accurately as possible. Topics on care for the elderly, healthcare and costs of living were taken up.
- We took the SCTEX route at
- I again pointed out certain sites. I gave commentaries about
- As we reached
- We arrived at Shangri-la at 6:00 p.m. where I assisted them until they were shown their accommodations.
OBSERVATIONS /RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Guests should be given information on how long each trip takes to get to the destination. They just knew it was a beautiful destination but no idea of how they were getting there and for how long..
- Shorter drives for guests over fifty. Or a combination of air and surface travel.
- Find out what the guests really want to do. In this instance, I found out so much about them. The destination was not a perfect match for their idea of a vacation. A twenty minute plane ride is what they were used to for breaks.
- I found it incredulous for guests to say that I didn’t explain anything. They were probably “tuning off” or they were extremely tired. I would catch Mr. Salazar speaking to waiters in English when I wasn’t around while Ms Mesa would sometimes correct my grammatical errors from time to time. Ergo, they understood me. Besides, as a Mabuhay Guide, we are trained to give commentaries. We even update our spiels.
- The guests were amiable and were cordial. I made no pretense at my abilities. I should have hoped that if they wanted another deal, they could have used another excuse to get out of a planned itinerary. They missed out on my discourse on Ottley Bayer and William Henry Scott’s research on the
Nothing follows.
Submitted by:
Dennis Geronimo Red Maristany
Mabuhay Guide
dgrm/31.III.’12
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