Breakaway 2015: Catching Waterfalls (The Pinsal Falls Exploration)

"You meet a new person, you go with him and suddenly you get a whole new city... you go down new streets, you see houses you never saw before, pass places you didn't even know were there. Everything changes. "

   ~ Samuel R. Delany, Dhalgren

Project: Live

   Traveling to Ilocos isn't new to me. Yearly trips to my papa's hometown Sta. Catalina is a regular activity, and every time we pass through every town of Ilocos, we make short stops on some of its famous tourist spots along the way. If we were to post pictures of them, I bet I would have the most number for both films and digital ones (haha, exaggeration intended). However, we were not particular of going in the eastern portions of Ilocos - Pinsal included.

   My wanderlust self has been in hiatus for quite some time now and I have long craved for another adventure after that Tangadan falls visit last May 2014, so when the boyfriend's officemates cooked up a northern escapade and said Pinsal falls was on the list, this rang my bell. I needed to come...

The Road to the North

     We all had to meet up for a 7:00 am trip to Santiago, Ilocos Sur. The boyfriend's officemates hired one van to accommodate thirteen of us for convenience. Upon reaching Santiago from San Fernando, La Union, we hired another jeepney that would take us to Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur. The trip overall took us around two hours.

     We first paid a visit at the Our Lady of the Assumption Parish perched atop a hill in downtown Sta. Maria (yes, you will have to climb 85 concrete stair steps to reach it!). This baroque church never fails to mesmerize - a structure of red-brown bricks and mortar that brings you back to the Spanish era. You have to visualize this UNESCO world heritage site in Sepia while visiting, as if traveling back in time to how our ancestors lived hundreds of years ago.


The Road to Pinsal Falls

     Off we went to the falls after that brief church visit. From Sta. Maria downtown, we headed north until we reached the bridge that links Sta. Maria and Narvacan. Right after the bridge was a road heading east. This was where we turned to get to Brgy. Balballasioan - the home of Pinsal Falls.

     The road from the national highway to a few meters to the falls was already concrete-paved and took us 20-30 minutes to drive to. The sweltering heat though took its toll on my little head, and while we would be deprived of doing a little hiking like Tangadan, we hungered more for the cool pool dips and the early lunch.

     We did one last turn, and then... 
 

 

     Behind the escarpments revealed what could be one of nature's most beautiful northern fountain!

     Pinsal falls was enchanting; its cascading blanket of clear waters flowed like gem curtains and ended in grandiosity! Lucky that the rains from the previous days augmented the water on this "twin falls," its course falling mightily to its twin basins.

     Concrete stairs were constructed on the sides of the gorge to reach the falls. We were itching to set foot on the pools and have a dip already, never minding of the grumbling tummy.

     There was another concrete stairway that led to the topmost portion of the falls. Curiously, we ascended. The giddy hike uphill was worth doing, as this revealed the beauty of Pinsal more.

     She offered us more pools to dip into, with waters endlessly cascading. This was very enchanting - white stone-covered bedrocks, hillsides adorned with bright green foliage... Ah, I could stay here all day. Why have I not known this in my soul-searching days? (OA lang)

     Both ascent and descent were a slippery feat because of the algae that sprung on its bedrock. Carefully though, we managed to reach the topmost portion. The view above is something that the cameras will never fully capture. It is a view best seen for yourself.

     Like kids in a candy shop, we found our happy place in one of the pools above the falls where the waters gushed vigorously. We instantly had our free luxurious (and hard) spa massage, thanks to Mother Nature! The boyfriend though, that one sitting on the ledge... He had the most of the water massage, depriving one of our friends below him (Buti hindi siya umihi... Maalat ba, Dax?).

 

     It was past 2:00 p.m. already when we bid Pinsal farewell, but she left me with a little temporary pabaon, that feeling of the water still massaging my back.

Back to Santiago

     We planned to camp out for the night at Gilmonica Resort in Ambucao, Santiago. We had the resort to ourselves. It does not boast of white sandy shoreline like in the neighboring popular Sabangan cove, but its similarly clear waters and coral-and-seaweeds-covered bed were perfect for a calm afternoon snorkeling.

     This was also the venue for a secretly planned proposal. It was not full of overacting gimmickry like flash mobs and scripted acting stints - I usually raise a brow with these. Theirs was simply colored with white and red rose petals and spontaneous genuine words, and surrounded with their closest friends as witnesses. Isn't it more magical doing the natural?
    

     The rest of the night was spent with a few beers, chips and S'mores. 

     The morning after, I saw some of them sitting on the edge of the beach, the waves splashing on them. I joined in the fun!

     Leaving places like these is heavy-heartening especially when the day after means going back to monotony. It was a wonderful experience though - meeting new people and doing things out of the ordinary. I will never have second thoughts of coming again.

P.S. 
    Thank you Kuya Jao, Rose Lynn, Dax, Debry, Krizza, Arnel, Aldrin, Rina, Jez, Shindy, Kevin, Thom and Christian for the invite and the borrowed pictures! I may not be your officemate but, you see, I was once part of DSWD too... hehe! 

2010 CBR Outreach Program in Urayong, Bauang