Bloggables 003 - Baguio's coldest, Sagada Squash Noodles and a Blasting Priest

Some interesting news items, captivating blog posts, and a trio of Igorot bloggers are in my third bloggable.

First, the news - Business Mirror reports that Baguio had its coldest day in 23 years hitting 7.5C on Thursday, Jan 14. Frost affected towns across the Cordilleras such as Atok, Buguias, Kibungan, and Mankayan, Benguet; and Bauko, Sagada, and Besao, Mountain Province. If only Chicago winter is this warm, sigh! Inquirer reports the launching of the Sagada Squash Canton Noodles. And, SunStar Baguio published a rebuttal of the Baguio Flower Festival organizers that the yearly Panagbenga is a "commercialization of Igorot culture". Read this article with eyebrows raised - BFF brass denies using Igorot culture to lure tourists.

Interesting Blog Reads:

• Photographer Fung Yu wrote on his second visit to Enchanting Sagada and he blew me away with his 360-degree VR images of Arroyo's visit and other Sagada tourist spots.


• Chez Razzbuffnik had an enthralling post on The Blasting Priest of Barlig. The photos accompanying the post offers a glimpse of life in Mountain Province's smallest town in the mid 70s.


• Atty Cheryl did a piece on Marky Cielo's Igorot role on "Marky, reshaping Igorot image".


• The man behind the blog, lagal[og], a frequent visitor to Sagada laments the negative manner that Sagada was portrayed on a National Geographic Adventure feature.


• John Grant's Reaching for the Gods in Sagada offers great detail on Sagada's traditional rituals for the dead. I must admit, this foreigner knew more about this topic than me, an i-Sagada.


• Luvina's Sagada Misadventure photos and captions were funny. Did she really date those three foreign tourists? Hmmmmm, maybe. Its her business not ours, hehehe.


• Paul Manansala's post on the Rice Terraces on Google Earth feature awesome views of the terraces from the air.

Additions to my Blog Roll included the following Igorot blogs:

1. Postcards from Miss Igorota details the worldwide travels of an Igorot doll named Miss Igorota, or Miss Iggy for short. This blog has been active for a year now, so it's surprising that I just stumbled across it just now. I believe the bloggers are ladies from Benguet.

2. Life - the good, the bad and the ugly is the Friendster blog of our friend, Atty. Manja B of Demang, Sagada. The lawyer / activist / mother / world traveller writes about her adventures and her passions in her own "brutally frank" way. (I remember over-using that description back in high school.)

3. An Igorot Journey: Brisbane-based Martin Polichay of Mountain Province chronicles his thoughts and experiences on this blog.