Pagsanjan Falls (aka Cavinti Falls) is located on the Pagsanjan River in the Philippines. The 390 foot plunge waterfall has been a popular tourist attraction since the Spanish Colonial Era in the late 1800s.
I was able to visit the falls in 1970 with my Navy shipmates during one of our R&R visits to the Naval Base at Subic Bay.
We took a bus from Subic Bay to the Pagsanjan Falls Lodge, stopping for lunch in Manila. The ride was interesting, our bus had wooden slats instead of window and a great collection of passengers, some carrying live chickens in nets. I preferred taking local transportation after hearing that Navy buses occasionally get fired upon by Huks, a communist guerrilla movement.
When we arrive at the Pagsanjan Falls Lodge I checked out the boats that we would use to “shoot the rapids” along the Pagsanjan River.
Two boatman would ferry us upstream to the falls. They paddled most of the way but jumped out to push the boat along manmade channels of piled rock. These formed the “rapids” that we revisit on our downstream return to the lodge.
I regret not taking more photos of the Gorge. The scenery was spectacular.
The lodge offered us a glimpse of all things Filipino including a cock fight. I’m not a fan of blood “sports” and it seems unfair to fit the birds with razor knives on their spurs. We probably had the loser for supper.
After supper a dance troupe performed a number of Filipino folk dances. I really enjoyed this trip.
One of the dances performed was the Bamboo Dance (Tinikling). I couldn’t resist giving it a try.
The dance is performed with two bamboo poles slapped together in a rhythmic pattern while the dancers step between them.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WLfqDMwA_o?rel=0&w=560&h=315]
After the show, I remember sitting outside in the jungle sipping a San Miguel beer and chatting with men armed with rifles. I asked about the weapons and they explained that they were protecting the lodge against any attack from the Huks (communist guerrillas). It was just one more chapter in my strange life.
