Baguio: Rediscover the City of Pines
Sunday, February 28, 2016
It’s always fun
to explore a new city with the people you’re close with. Let me take you to
places we’ve been when we’re in Baguio. J
Though we
rented a van on our trip to Baguio, I loved that it has been very spontaneous.
While one of my friends created a comprehensive itinerary, we were faced with
problems beyond our control.
We left Manila
around 11 in the evening and arrived in Baguio at around 3 AM. I know, that’s
pretty fast, right? I think it really was, because I wasn’t able to get a
proper sleep while we’re on our way!
When we were
riding through Kennon Road, all of us seemed awake aside from my boyfriend who’s
controlling his dizziness by staying asleep. I couldn’t help but to tell them
how I remembered the movie “Mama” in our current situation. We were surrounded
by cliffs and a full moon. It’s fun to talk about something scary at three in
the morning and one or two of your friends would just scream. :D
Our first stop
was supposed to be at the Strawberry Farm but it’s still too early, so we
parked at a nearby gasoline station and wait for the sun to rise.
I’ve been
wanting to witness a fog and it all came true that one cold morning. It’s also
calming to watch how simple it was to live there and observe how the people
start their day, and carry on to earn money. The goods were unbelievably priced
at a low amount compare to those in the city, so we grabbed the opportunity to
buy lots of veggies.
We took the 252
steps at Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto. I’ve been here when I was three years old,
and the place changed a lot in a good way. I love how they’ve been taking care
of the place.
After breakfast,
we visited Bell Church and headed on to Tam-awan Village. The place requires a
minimal amount of PHP 100 as entrance fee. Tam-Awan Village is not your ordinary
tourist spot. It looks like a mountain designed to be an outdoor garden. Though
some of the areas we’re not properly maintained, it’s still a nice place to
enjoy Baguio and its culture.
By lunch, I was
informed that our driver has fever and we have to change our itinerary because
he needs to rest. While eating at Diner’s, we decided to just go home, take a
nap, and continue the sight-seeing at three in the afternoon.
Good thing that
the house where we’re staying was near Burnham Park. Having regained a two to
three hour of sleep, we went to the park for boat sailing. We were a group of 8
and our boat was not quiet sturdy, so I must say, it was as nerve-wracking and exciting
ride!
We walked our
way to Session Road. I love how I felt like a resident there, just walking and enjoying
the cold breeze. It felt so refreshing and normal – in a way that you’re in your
own city, just wearing your old top and ragged shorts, while looking for a
place where you can indulge in a hot coffee and a slice of cake.
I can’t believe
how the La Azotea building along Session Road was hiding a jewel behind its venerable façade. Oh-My-Gulay
is at the top floor of the building and I felt like I was transported in a
whole different place. The pasta I ordered was not that outstanding, but hey, just
by the ambiance, I thought I’m already full! I think we spent an hour taking pictures in almost every corner of the restaurant. It’s breath-taking.
We tried to
have our dinner at Zola but it’s crowded and we thought it’s not a wise
decision to have a meal there. The place looked like a bar, but according to my
friend who lived in Baguio for a couple of years, Zola wasn’t like that before.
We ended our
first day at the night market. How I love to watch thrift sellers side by side
there on the road. The prices were really low, it’s insane! You could find a
lot of merchandise on sale, from shoes to clothing, name it.
We walked our
way on the market to buy breakfast and souvenirs. We’ll be leaving that day, so
we bought souvenirs as much as we can. The most exciting part that morning was
the shower. The water was icy cold, it awoken every sleepy nerves I got. It’s
so liberating and fun, I wouldn’t trade the experience for a hot dip. ;)
I was able to
enjoy a cup of strawberry taho while we’re on our way to Mines View Park. I love
how sweet it tasted, that’s one of the things I’ll miss in Baguio. We had a
quick trip at The Mansion before heading to Camp John Hay. I think it’s the best
place to end our Baguio tour. It has a lot of Baguio feels.
Though we weren’t
able to go on some of the places in our itinerary, still, I had so much fun
being with the people that matters. I love their company and this trip wouldn’t
be as much as fun and enjoyable without them.
Have you been
to Baguio? Tell me about your experience in the comment section. J
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