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"Rainy season at the other waterfalls of Up-uplas"
-pagnapagna
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Please let us practice the LNT (Leave No Trace) outdoor ethics/principles when going to these nature places.
Manage our waste products properly (pack it in, pack it out), don't leave your trash. Let us not vandalize/write/etch on its rock surfaces as well as on trees. Be respectful of the community's culture and traditions.
-my pagnapagna-
(September 1, 2017 a Friday)
My journey started with a bus ride going to the last northern town of La Union which is the Municipality of Sudipen. At downtown Sudipen, I took another ride, back-riding on a passenger motorbike with a 100 pesos fare going to the Barangay (Village) of Up-uplas.
The Up-uplas proper is located at the eastern side of the town. Its residential area and the Barangay Hall is located at the other side of the mountain which is along the famous Amburayan river.
And so, I did arrived at the Barangay proper where I met a woman (sorry I did not quite got her name but she was a Barangay official) who was selling "Halo-halo" at that time. She remembers me as the one who visited their place after a storm last year.
I needed a guide going to "Kaladanganan" and "Gipit" Falls but she said that the Barangay Captain was not around as he went to the nearby Amburayan river working on the rehabilitation of the dikes. She let a teenager (I again forgot his name and let just call him "Jonathan") guide me instead.
It was rainy season and the route along the Amburayan river which was our route with the Barangay Captain almost three years ago during a sunny day, was not an option. We took the mountain route. It was a bare earth road traversing up on the side of the mountain that terminated into a stream where around it were fields and a small rice terraces.
We dropped-by at a farmer's hut, owned by a relative of the Barangay Captain. There I left my rubber shoes as I put on my slippers. We went on our way and walked along the waters going upstream.
Our first stop was the Kaladangan Falls.
Kaladanganan Falls
It is a small waterfall with around 50 meters drop (free fall) and with an indistinguishable pool area.
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| Kaladanganan Falls |
We went back few meters downstream to get to the other tributary. From there, we went upstream.
Our next stop was the Gipit Falls.
Gipit Falls
A short and small horsetail type of waterfall where its waters where naturally directed to a cave-like passageway (created by a boulder). It has a very small pool area few meters away from the waterfall.
After taking some photographs and videos, we went back to the farmer's hut, got my shoes and went back on that mountain road.
I got a little tired after walking that elevation and decided to rest at the concrete dike overlooking the Amburayan river. While sitting and just enjoying the wide open space, the river and the distant mountains of Alilem and Bakun, from across the river a small flock of crows came flying by and afterwards it rained. I'm glad I had an umbrella with me.
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| a portion of the overlooking view along the Amburayan river |
We went back to the Barangay Hall and ate Halo-halo. The woman, selling halo-halo, told me that the Barangay Captain was looking for me and had invited me to have lunch at their house.
I went to the house of the Barangay Captain. He is Barangay Captain Cong-o.
Their residence has a beautiful garden in its front lawn complete with stone sculptures that were as beautiful as that of "Bahay na Bato" of Luna, La Union which was now closed to the public.
He insisted that I should have lunch and while at it he discussed a small request (just some photos and frames). We ate or I should say I ate "Tinolang native na manok" (Native chicken stew) and a "inkirog nga Udang" (cooked crayfish). I also had known from him that he was retiring from being a Barangay Captain as he will be assuming another post in the municipal level. As of writing this blog post, he must have ceased to be the Barangay Captain of Up-uplas and replaced by a kagawad.
After we had a sort of a "meeting" and eaten a sumptuous "country-side" meal, I then left the area riding on a passenger motorbike. It rained along the way that we took shelter at a waiting shed.
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| (ex) Barangay captain Cong-o and my lunch of "Tinola" and "Udang" |
After we had a sort of a "meeting" and eaten a sumptuous "country-side" meal, I then left the area riding on a passenger motorbike. It rained along the way that we took shelter at a waiting shed.
To cut the story short, we did arrived at downtown Sudipen where I took a bus going back to Home Sweet Home.
-end of pagnapagna-
For my previous visit to Barangay Up-uplas:
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