A Hushed Sanctuary — Sagada, Mt. Province

Teaser: One of my beta readers (slash incredibly supportive friends) asked once— of all the beautiful places in the Philippines, why did I choose the quaint town of Sagada, Mt. Province as the setting for my first ever book project.

It took me a while to give her an answer because my beloved country indeed boasts countless scenic locations that would as a great background for a novel.

The Philippines is blessed with endless destinations that can take anyone’s breath away. We have world famous stretch of white beaches, thousands of vibrant islands, challenging mountain peaks, majestic rock formations and rich historical sites to name a few.

Thinking about it further, it had been a personal choice from the very start. I haven’t written a word of the manuscript when I first visited Sagada. But being there, experiencing what the unassuming place had to offer gave me more than enough drive to fulfill one of my life long dreams (of finally completing a book).

When I came back to reality and the noise of the city, I started to write. Little by little, until it got me to this point.

I read somewhere that it is hard not to believe in God (or some other supreme being) when you actually get there. Heaven on earth — is a very apt description.

So I go there to escape, every once in a while, whenever I run out of words,   if I needed to restore my faith in life or simply just breathe. Located 275 kilometers north of Manila, it is definitely one heck of a trip to make but nonetheless worth  every curb in the road.

Words are never enough to describe the inexplicable feeling whenever I am up there. Regardless of how many photographs I take, they
never do justice to the one place I fell in love with when I discovered it years or so ago.

Curious? There’s Google or you can come over and see for yourself.