Along with the coffins mounted on the cliffs, piles of coffins fill the burial caves below. As the tradition dates back centuries, some coffins have fallen from the cliffs in various states of decay, leaving the grounds below a bit horrifying. The tradition stems from the Igorot belief that hanging the bodies of the dead gets them closer to heaven, along with the added benefit of keeping their bodies away from scavenging animals.

Igorot Burial Caves - Echo Valley, Sagada, Philippinesįor centuries, the dead bodies of prominent citizens in the small mountain town of Sagada have been hung in coffins all along the cliffs in Echo Valley in the Philippines. Visitors to the island are convinced that the dolls have taken on the girl's spirit or developed evil spirits of their own, and often are seen whispering to each other. As can be expected, he spent the next quarter-century holed up in his house (I'd be afraid to go outside if outside was dolls, too) until he drowning in the very river he is said to have found the girl's body. He believed he was being haunted by her ghost, and somehow thought these creepy dolls would totally NOT be evil, but rather would help keep the girl's spirit at bay. The story goes that Barrera found the body of a small girl near his island on the canals. Your boat's gone, the music's over, and there are only dolls - disfigured, dirty, shitty dolls. Then, you look up and realize that instead of wildlife, you're actually surrounded by dolls. You see other trajineras, colorful boats carrying visitors, some playing live traditional music alongside you as you enjoy a lazy picnic lunch while looking at the wildlife and tastefully manicured gardens on islands floating nearby.

Imagine you're floating lazily down a maze of pretty little canals in Xochimilco, just south of Mexico City.

Haunted House by Rick Wood