By Dione Chungalan
NATONIN, Mt. Province - The town opened its tourism portals 3 years ago!
Besides the Municipality having the longest stretch of rice terraces interconnecting 8 villages along the winding road to the Poblacion; one remarkable attraction is found at Sitio Purag which contains a mountain of stone naturally big. Farther out in the boondocks, one finds more interesting the forested presence of Patikking View Point - staged by a well founded colossal boulder that overlooks Kadaclan, Mount Amuyao, Isabels, mountain ranges of Aguinaldo, Mayoyao of Ifugao and vast hunting grounds.
"It's fantastic,' commented by Hungso Lee, a Korean tourist who slept at the Kadaclan Homestay then went hunting wild cats one night.
Smith Lenmamag, Banao Barangay Captain attested that when we went to remove the weeds grown at one side of the majestic rock, it appears like an elephant in a distance upon entrance.
He continued, "As long as the naked eyes can see, it's wider to wink more than Mines View. The barangay council members made a trail with hard ferns as steps of less than a kilometer from the road."
'The Natoninians who ploughed those wondrous rice paddies still make "lempeh," rice wine. The rice grown on the paddies which climb up to the dizzying heights is exclusively grown for the fermenting of rice wine. For these tribal natives, the "lempeh" conveniently doubles up as a ceremonial libation and a drink to keep their bodies warm or more likely tipsy during a festival or in a conversational brotherhood.'
Below Patikking View Point is Sayococna that offers sleeping quarters for weary hikers in the aroma of green environment never reach yet by vehicular amenities and electrification. Experience a life in a far, far away time.