![\"\"](\"http:\/\/karlgrobl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/TEL_0050.jpg\" "\\"TEL_0050\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nSunrise in this mountainous area of the Philippines often brings low clouds which settle in the valleys\u00a0 and move in and out as the sun crests over the horizon. This phenomenon allows us tremendous photo opportunities.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 One of the unique things to see here in Sagada, are the famous hanging coffins.\u00a0 the local Filipino people here in Sagada\u00a0 often “bury”\u00a0 their dead\u00a0 in coffins attached to the sides of cliffs.\u00a0 The belief is that the spirits of the dead are more easily freed when they don’t have to rise up through 6 feet of earth.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0 <\/a>
\nIn the photo above, you can see Robbie Hamper,\u00a0 she’s a long time Jim Cline photo tours client,\u00a0 whose first trip\u00a0 with me was in Peru\u00a0 many years ago. Robbie\u00a0 is an avid photographer and traveler who\u00a0 seems to have boundless energy to explore and capture interesting scenes.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nAlong the road, we passed the highest point in northern Luzon.\u00a0 At 7,400 feet above sea level\u00a0 the temperature is cool,\u00a0 with our current conditions and lots of\u00a0 Pine trees.\u00a0 Another long time Jim\u00a0 Cline photo tours client, John Rickaby,\u00a0 is along on this trip with his wife Vivien.\u00a0 Both John and Vivien are also avid travelers and enthusiastic photographers who are always looking for unique offbeat destinations to explore.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nOnce we arrived in Sagada,\u00a0 we availed ourselves of some colorful local transportation…. a Jeepney\u00a0 that took us around town and to\u00a0 the best spots for photographing these rice terraces.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>
\nThe road leading from Sagada to\u00a0 Cervantes could even be considered more scenic than the road from Baguio to Sagada.\u00a0 As you can see from the graph above, it is a winding, cliff side road with fantastic views everywhere.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\nIn the photograph above you can see Ferdz Decena,\u00a0 our local guide. Ferdz is a photographer and author who\u00a0 I discovered when reading the Philippine Airlines in-flight magazine. Ferdz\u00a0 is an active promoter of Philippines tourism. His local knowledge, insights and\u00a0 Philippine know-how, have helped to make this tour a\u00a0 more culturally rich\u00a0 experience.\u00a0 If you get a moment please have a look at Ferdz’s\u00a0 excellent blog<\/a> for more information about interesting travel destinations in this amazing country!<\/p>\n