We got up at 430 AM to watch the Sun rise over Kiltepan Rice Terraces. The early rise was so worth it, we were given quite a show. 2 planets (my Night Sky app told me it was Mars and Venus) were in attendance and the rays from the rising sun was spectacular. I felt so lucky to have witnessed such a wonderful show.

A quick snooze after getting back from the early morning jaunt and then we were off again trekking. We headed to Bangaan Village, an Igorot Village, to pickup our guide that would take us through a steep incline weaving through rice paddies to Bomod-ok Falls. We got lost due to my distracted navigation which turned a 45 minute walk to the village into an almost 2 hour trek! At last we arrived at the info center and found a 54 y/o mother of 10 and grandmother of also 10 as our guide. She was a cracker and at 54 y/o had quite a strong grip not to mention a very dynamic energy to her. Manang Elisa, as I ended up calling her (manang is Tagalog for elder sister) was full of laughs and at one point even offered to carry my heavy pack (filled with camera and lenses) for me! She said "you look like you're having a hard time with that pack so do you want me to carry it for you?". Of course I said NO! Much as I so wanted to but that would have been sooooo embarrassing! Lol!

The view during the trek to the falls was again spectacular and despite the difficult steep stairs we had to trek, I didn't mind it one bit. My knee of course was in extreme pain by the time we reached the Falls but OMG, it was so worth all the grief I had to go through during the walk! The falls was AMAZING! It was about 75 meters high and fell in a natural pool where trekkers could take a quick dip. It was mesmerizing looking at the falls from below. I was in awe! I could feel its power and eventually I had to get out of the pool for fear of getting sucked in!

That black pipeline crossing the top of the image is a water pipe that takes water from the waterfall and brings it to the private mining company located a few kilometers down the valley. Our guide said that there are heaps of copper and gold that can be found in this area but the way she said it, it sounded like she couldn't care less about it. Instead she proudly talked about the different crops they plant to alternate with the rice and that they only sell crops that are in surplus. Most of the harvest goes to feeding their big families. She also talked about how the village kids would walk 2 hours to and from their village to school everyday. There was such a light feeling to how she talked about things that I could not feel anything but admiration for this woman and her community.

We ended up walking back to the village in the rain and it felt so right to be walking beside rice paddies soaking wet down to our socks. When we got back to the info center, 6 women (most of them grandmothers) were waiting for us and we were surprised to learn they were all guides! What an amazing place and amazing people. Truly a beautiful experience to have. Makes me believe even more that age really does not matter for the adventurous of heart and spirit.