Trail to Batad Terraces

When we do not know where we are going, we will have no idea if we have reached it and what if that place doesn’t satisfy us at the least?

I knew we were going somewhere, when he headed to our trail to Batad. It is a place where one of the original rice terraces in Banaue could be found. Stories told to us that said it was where we could one of amazing farming fields built for a thousand years and have lasted thousands of years till now. That must be truly an awesome thing to see.

We were told that the trip from the poblacion to Batad will take us to the mountains for 1 to 2 hours, and the trek down to the mountain would take 30 minutes. We had no idea of what the road would be like because we were not informed of it. The same way, we were not told of what we could expect from the site. We were there to appreciate the ingenious farming technology of our native ancestors. 

We were excited that we could jump off the jeepney that took us through a rough ride looking over ravines on the sides along the way. The road to Batad is an adventure, exhilarating really breathtaking and not for those who have fear of heights. It was like you are on a sky but with the bumps of the clouds as the road alternates from smooth to rough, going up on rocky narrow steeps. 

From the viewpoint, only a slice of the famous Batad Rice Terraces can be seen, but I was awed with the great mountains dressed in lush green and kissed by huge white clouds. The temperature was a little low, but it would not give a chill. The scenery just took my senses away that I did not bother to ask how we are going there. I was with some people at 40’s and 50’s, a girl at 8 and a teenage girl. I am in the mid 30’s by the way, but I haven’t really gone on a mountain trek except that of walking for 6 hours from Manila to Antipolo on Holy Wednesday.

We took the trail down the mountain to Batad terraces for almost an hour. The trail was rough, but the natural scenery was awesome although walking to see that site was tiresome. But our tired body was relieved with the sight of the first group small terraces we saw, beautiful layers of green and brown fields of rice. A stop for five minutes kept us going again. We weren’t even midway, and I could see that we have probably walked a kilometer down from where we came from.

I love how we were greeted in English by the lady tending the store in the Midway of Batad, but from there, it seems that we need to walk more than a kilometer down. Minutes after, we saw a sign, five minutes to Batad Viewpoint, but that five minutes took us like 20 minutes of non-stop walk. Time is not just the same in that place. People there could probably walk up and down that trail in less than an hour, but our legs don’t seem to match that of theirs, more so our energy.

From the guest registration area, I searched for that amazing rice terraces. But, to my dismay, what I saw were eroded fields, no greens, all soil flowing from the mountain top. We just took the time there to have lunch and some rest before we got our feet back up to where our ride was parked. The trail took us almost an hour. While going up, the clouds turned dark. It would be a dark rain, and lightning is hitting some parts of the far mountains. Our best option was to take the 450 steps up the main view deck. In my mind, were the complaints of the elderly I was with. In my mind was a question could they make it?

Pressure was on us, to take that tiring climb up the steep paved ladder. Some steps are as high as 1 foot or more, others are just 6 inches high. We were able to climb, everybody did, even the asthmatic did. 

  

We got to Batad expecting an awesome view, which we did not see. However, the trail will be part of our memory. To the elderly I was with, they could not believe they were able to make a 6 kilometer walk. I myself could not believe it. We all felt great, yet tired, not because of what we saw but because of what we were able to do. Then the hard rain fell. We rushed to the jeepney, before the road would start to get really muddy and soft. 

A life's adventure is not really about seeing what you want to see, but seeing how you can go through its trails to get there and get back. That is the most magnificent wonder in every man. I just hope that the people of Batad could get the glory of this once magnificent terraces back.