Cool it up Baguio!
Monday, November 16, 2015 |
| Bell Amphitheatre |
Yeah, a
lot has enough blogs about this place, but who wouldn’t? Baguio is a nice place
and its very close to my heart. When my mom died the first place me and my dad
went to is Baguio.
Why do
I always come back? Well its because of the weather, the thing of waking up in
the morning with a nice somewhat air-conditiony type of weather brings smile on
my face. I don’t like heat so I prefer cool places. I can’t go to Japan, Korea,
US or any place that has winter, so this is the most accessible. I remember my
friend’s cousin laugh about me, when I woke up and thinking out loud on how I
love the coolness of the place, he thinks I’m weird actually.
Well,
how many times have I’ve been to Baguio? Actually, I can’t count anymore. But
every time I went there is a different experience, like this one time, I ask a
friend of mine if she has been to Mines View Park, where you can see the trees,
several houses and clouds on top of the mountain. She answered “Yes”, of course
she lives there, but I’m a weird person so there’s a follow up, but have you
tried going there at night? Well of course she says no, what will you do there
if its dark? Personally I just want to see it without people in it, and its
really dark :D I’m just crazy. So what I did is repeat that moment with her. There’s
a problem though, there’s a storm, signal no. 2 if I may say and its raining
heavily. But who could stop a person like me? Hahaha! So its already 5pm and
the sky is close to darkness and we head to the park, put our jackets on (3
layers! First time I wear in Baguio) umbrella in my hand and just went there.
Well there are no people, no vendors or whatsoever, just like how I wanted it.
We went to the edge and voila! You can’t see anything except for clouds, fog
and rain, every now and then we can see a glimpse of trees and houses but most
of the time, none. But I loved it, my purpose has been served :D
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| Mines View Park during the storm |
Since
I’ve been to Baguio too many times, what do I do there? Where do I go? Of
course, I revisit every tourist spot and mind you! Take a picture of it as
well, lately I’m discovering new places because I have a friend who live there.
Aside from Burnham, Mines View, Camp John Hay there are Lourdes Grotto, BenCab
Museum, Tam-Awan Village, Chinese Bell Tower, Crystal Cave (still haven’t been
here), Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad, SM Baguio (don’t tell me you will not go
here!) and PMA. I’ve discovered a new place, I’ve been to Camp John Hay too
many times but I didn’t went to Bell House, well I thought its off limits all
this time so I wouldn’t dare hehehe. There, me and my friend talk for hours with
a cool breeze of the wind under the pine trees, it’s a nice feeling that we
forgot to eat lunch.
Speaking
of food, Baguio is like Singapore, not how the way they cook food but a variety
of cheap and delicious food. Unlike Manila, there are times you can go to a
resto and regret that you went there. In Baguio, pretty much all of the places
I’ve been to is worth my taste buds. I have a favorite place that I will not
miss going there when I’m in Baguio and the place is called Good Taste. Yes
this is very popular, it has this reputation of good food, large servings and
affordable price. The best seller? Good Taste Fried Rice, this includes Fried
rice, egg sunny side up, veggies, roasted chicken, asado pork and few lechon
kawali for only P115! What a treat! :D There’s a lot of signature restos in
Baguio, just explore, the latest I’ve been to is Café Yagam, it’s the road
leading up to Hotel Elizabeth just a few yards from it in Gibraltar Rd. The
ambiance of the place feels homey and there is a fireplace that they use every night, there are books and their Lemongrass Iced Tea is a
revelation to me, its so refreshing! Their menu is a traditional cordillera
food with fusion from other regions, its like eating and discovering their
roots at the same time. I also had an experience in most artistic place, the
place is art itself, its along Assumption Rd and its called Balbacua, I know
its not cordilleran food and its from Mindanao but the idea of Baguio being
open to different kinds of cuisine from different parts of the Philippines
opened my eyes that the people here appreciate traditional cuisine.
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| Balbacua |
Where
do I stay? Now when I go there, I stay at my friends house, they are like a
family to me, and the one I will miss most when I stay there is the Pinikpikan
with Etag and the taste of it is heavenly. Its like you tasted art! No kidding!
Not to brag but I’ve been to a lot of best high end restos in Manila but this!
This is one of the best I’ve tasted! Just making it is an art from the chicken
to etag and a simple tinola like cooking is the best. I can even taste the
smokey flavor of both meat and the deliciousness of the soup base, it takes me
back to I don’t know when! So I have that privilege that I don’t go to hotels
after that hahaha! But here are some of the place I’m staying before, Dely’s
Inn is no. 1 for me besides the location, beside Burnham and at the back of
Good Taste who wouldn’t like that. Its cheap too P1500 for 2 persons and what I
like is the strong water pressure when I take a bath, it’s a plus for me. Another
one is DL Divine Inn its also below P1500 and walking distance from SM Baguio
and Session Road. Those are affordable places that I stayed before, I’m not going
to mention the 3k and above because there are lots of it in Baguio.
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| Pinikpikan with Etag |
One
thing I was curious when I was there or when I’m looking at blogs is Session
Road. I travel by car all the time when I go up, that I don’t walk when I’m in
Session, usually I’ll just pass it by. Lately, my friend made me stroll around
Session that I’m finding new places to eat and malls other than SM to go to.
There is a place called Porta Vaga, where cheap items were being sold, a lot of
restos too at the ground floor, even the buildings in front of that mall has
restos from vegetarian (Azotea Greens) to pizza lovers (Volante). The one that
catches my attention is The Tea House! I love their cakes that is placed in a
microwavable container, not in a box so its not messy to eat, and the taste is
very good and its cheap too. I like how creative they are, that’s why they pop
to the masses.
People of
Baguio are open minded, cultured and they want to preserve it as long as it
takes. Even my friend is an advocate of cultural preservation, that all of us
should follow, so we will not forget where we came from. In this world of fast
paced economic growth, I think sometimes we should take time to slow down and
take in as much culture as we can. Yes, Igorot is a very unique word for a
local of Baguio and Cordillera Region, it means people from the mountains, but this
place within the mountains will teach you a lot about nature and culture, and
you will love it as much as the cool weather.
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