Before Sunrise @ Kiltepan

The much talked about Viewpoint has been getting a handful of attention. Thanks to Angelica's emotional scene, screaming at the top of her lungs hoping in doing so, it will take the pain away ( That Thing Called Tadhana ). But let's not get overly dramatic. Kiltepan Viewpoint is actually a perfect spot to watch the sun rise on the east. It's a place to gather your thoughts, commune with nature, find serenity and just be content at the stillness of surrounding. Now, there's a disclaimer to this - Should you attempt to go there at 5:00 am during peak season, then tough luck. Chances are, you'll only being seeing heads, tripods and iphones up in the air, blocking the majestic sight of sunrise.


It was our last stop in Sagada before we head off to Baguio. Our Van pulled in at around 05:00 am and much to our surprise, the place was already jammed with tourists with their hi tech gadgets in tow,  trying to secure this spot to capture the perfect photograph of the Sunrise. I felt discouraged as I tried to squeeze myself in the crowd. It was hopeless to even raise my camera up to get a good glance of what about to transpire. We saw people going in a different direction and so we decided to follow them as they climbed to what seemed like a hill. There were already a group of people in the forefront but fortunately, we found a spot enough to see the sun as it breaks the dawn. We stood there, waiting patiently as more and more people gathered at the point. After a few more minutes, the fog cleared up and soon it was bright, golden and warm. Sunrise will always be one of the most beautiful showcase of God's magnificent creation. It was beautiful and no filter can ever do justice to the magical experience you'll have as you watch the sun comes out and breaks the darkness.



After 15 minutes or so, we decided to wander around and saw these giant pine trees - light bulb comes on. Backdrop! It felt like Autumn in NYC with all the browns, rust and vermillion colors around us. The sun streaks were peeping its way in through the branches of the trees, touching the amples of our cheeks. It was certainly a good, reassuring morning. We event witnessed a proposal which I found to be slightly cliche considering Kiltepan Viewpoint was considered the Brokenhearted's Solace. I lost count at the number of photos we took with us leaning on the trunk of the tree. A cameraman passed by and asked if he can take the photo of our friend. He asked him to move away from the trees a bit and angle himself partly facing the sun and the camera. The photo came out excellent and one thing we learned that day was, subjects should move away from the background as they will appear as false attachments resulting to a confusing photograph. Thank you Mr Cameraman! Photography 101.





As we make our descent to Baguio which was a sign that it's indeed the end of our Sagada stint, I felt a sense of unexplained happiness and peace. Yes, it was a series of sleep-deprived and exhausting itinerary but the adventures, memories and bond we created during this strip will be the stories we would tell to our children and grandchildren. It was one of those precious things you will save to your core memory and one that you'll unlock whenever the itch of wanderlust kicks in. Sagada was one of the first few places I had a chance of visiting when it was still unknown to many and it has been kind enough to still offer the same sense of serenity and beauty as it did back then.

Xo,

Jhesy