Cagayan Valley, rediscovered

The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land. -Gilbert Keith Chesterton, (1874-1936) British journalist, novelist and poet.

: Cagayan Valley best characterized by its rice fields

My mother was born in Cagayan Valley in the Philippines. I remember spending the summers of my youth there (wow, sounds romantic eh?). We always used to go in May, during the fiesta. My cousins always get to be the star of the fiestas. We would dance the night away. But I don’t remember getting to meet a boy of my age like in the movies because most of the boys are my cousins too. I also remember how bumpy the roads were. Traveling to Cagayan has always been loooong and bUmpy. Ordinary city kids will cringe and get cranky but we enjoyed the most of it. I remember how my hair will stand after a jeepney ride from the city proper to my mom’s place because of the then-unpaved roads. When we finally get to our destination, our hair will be “teased” and our face “powdered”. But that was more than ten years ago.

San Pablo, Isabela, Philippines — The San Pablo church is one of the oldest churches in the area

Camalaniugan, Cagayan Valley Philippines — The Sancta Maria in Camalaniugan is the oldest church bell in the Far East

Fast forward to 2009, our last visit to the Philippines… Cagayan seemed unchanged to many people. Endless rice fields passing through mountains remain to be the trademark of this province. The Cagayan river cannot be missed. In some places, its strength coupled with the wrath of typhoon Peping can also be noticed.

: The wrath of Peping

What also seemed unchanged is the fact that Cagayan Valley remains to be a secret up the hills. It is still NOT the first choice of tourists who go to the Philippines. It is still the warmest spot in the country during the hottest period of the year. To some people who live there and assume the simple provincial life, Cagayan must remain unchanged. The spanning rice fields coupled with the hardworking Carabao is seen everywhere. But to me, who has been to Cagayan many times during my youth, it was anything but unchanged.

: White sand beach in Cagayan Valley

The Cagayan that I saw last year was still full of ricefields (thank God). The Callao Caves were still there (again, thank God). But having been away for sometime from the province and also from the country, I must say, I have never seen Cagayan in all its glory. The Cagayan that I saw last year was far from the one I knew during the summers of my youth (ahem… ).

Callao caves, Penablanca, Cagayan, Philippines — Callao caves in Penablanca

It was fresh and refreshing. It was rich in virgin forests. It IS full of promise. Most roads are already paved. New tourism destinations were even discovered like the white sand beaches that will rival those of Pagudpud. Historical and beautiful churches still stand. Which makes one wonder why Cagayan has always been difficult to sell as a primary tourism destination.

The Philippine Dept. of Tourism was one of my beats before as News Reporter for NBN-4. That’s why I know that Cagayan Valley, however full of tourism capabilities, is hard to sell to tourists. But an international airport is reportedly in the works. I hope that helps the tourism in this province.

Virgin forests, Cagayan, Philippines — View from the mountains

It’s not even JUST the sights, but the food and the people. Of course, you do go to the Philippines for the food and the people, right? But in the north, I do get the impression, not to sound regionalistic, that the people are not just hospitable and friendly but more honest and humbler too. And yet, they have a lot to offer.

Oh and the food. The heavenly food. Try all the seafoods and fresh vegetables, which are, cheaper here than in Manila (of course, they are grown here!). Try the pansit when you get the chance to come over. Did you know that Tuguegarao, Cagayan is now the Pansit Capital of the Philippines? #

The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.

Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936) British journalist, novelist and poet.

johnna

January 20, 2010 at 9:16 am

lovely photos cha *clap clap*

January 20, 2010 at 10:16 am

Goda

January 20, 2010 at 10:08 am

Can please tell us why you did not grab your husband and go back to this beautiful place?!! …Vlardingen… and not Cagayan… I can not understand this! …and now you even made me hungry already with the link to the pansit (which they btw have in Indonesia as well) hmmmm, lekker

Lotte

Thank you for making me feel so hungry plus wanting to go to the Philippines so badly!!!! What am I still doing in the Netherlands????

January 20, 2010 at 11:08 am

Tone

January 20, 2010 at 10:09 am

Gorgeous! – yes, I really want to go there!!
Have a great day!

January 20, 2010 at 11:09 am

Nino

January 20, 2010 at 8:09 pm

Maybe we lack promotions and priorities…
Politics are busy corrupting pork barrels and government funds, If government officials knows how to put funds on its right place, Cagayan should not be boring now. LOL
wala kasing gimikan at papasyalan hahaha… nose bleed…

January 20, 2010 at 9:09 pm

sparrow

January 29, 2010 at 10:57 am

What can i say?for almost 6yrs not go back 2 my motherland i dont know whats going on there already,what maybe the changes it takes but know what?still im wishing that someday i can go back there.

January 29, 2010 at 11:57 am