Baguio has been one of those places that I will never get tired of. I think it's mostly because of the cold weather since it ALWAYS feels like an oven here in Manila (except during the 1D concert). So from time to time, it's nice to feel that cold breeze.
Our original plan was to go straight to Cagayan Valley for the Holy Week to visit my grandmother from the father's side, but we've experienced the long drive too many times that we were just so tired of having to sit for 8-12 hours in the car. So this year, we decided to visit Baguio City before going to Cagayan.
Our first destination: Burnham Park. Out of all the things that we can do in the park like biking and taking a stroll, we just chose to row a boat. Actually no, just my brother and sister chose to row a boat. I wasn't really into rowing but my younger siblings insisted on it so obviously we would do it anyway.
Since it was the start of the Holy Week, thousands of tourists visited the summer capital. News reporters were looking for tourists to interview about what they think of the place. It just so happens that we were there at the right place at the right time. We were all too shy to talk in front of the camera, but of course my brother was game for it. The short interview was shown in TV Patrol later that night.
Aside from boating, I tried the skating rink with my siblings. I was hesitant at first because I've never done roller or ice skating, but my sister told me it was easy peasy. One thing I learned that day... never trust your siblings to tell you the truth.
I was either holding the bars with my life...
... or just on the ground.
After a few bruises and wounds here and there, I finally gave up. Skating, on ice or on hard ground, just wasn't for me.
My parents didn't visit the Mansion with me because my siblings were riding horses and they needed someone to watch over them. As usual, tourists weren't allowed to go inside the building and were only allowed until a certain point.
There's really nothing too exciting about The Mansion. There was nothing new from my last visit and tourists don't really get to do anything except take pictures of The Mansion... and the military men (lol).
Mines View Park is also one of Baguio's famous tourist attractions. We got to see some of the gold and copper mines of Benguet from a deck and take some pictures. It's main attraction is the view, but there are a lot of shops to buy souvenirs.
Since it's Holy Week, we made sure to visit Our Lady of Atonement Cathedral, also known as Baguio Cathedral.
Top: SM GTW
Shorts: Hip Culture
Bag: Lacoste
It is not our first time to try Cafe by The Ruins. We wanted to try something different, but the other restaurants were either full or just not as interesting. My family loves the ambiance of the place so we just decided to eat lunch here.
Their champorado was different from any champorado I've tasted. It actually surprised me and my mom how good it was. It had the right amount of sweetness and combining the dried fish was just perfect. But even though it was better than we've expected, I think the price of the food was too much for it's worth.
Tam-awan Village was something really different for us. It isn't like your normal hotel that tourists would usually prefer to stay in. Since my brother requested something a little bit more adventurous, staying here for the night was just right.
We stayed inside "Luccong", a Cordillera hut. The purpose of these huts was to let the people know how the Kalinga people used to live.
There's really nothing inside except for a few mattresses and pillows to sleep in, but it was totally fine for us. They had a cafe with a really good Wi-Fi connection beside our hut so dinner and internet weren't really a problem. There was also a bathroom just outside the hut so that wasn't really a problem either. The whole night just felt like we were staying in our house because there was no one else to share the whole place with.
2nd Day Outfit:
Dress: Forever 21
Camisole: Uniqlo AIRism
Shoes: Converse
Inside Tam-awan Village, there are a few view points where people can take pictures. There is also an art gallery for people to see and buy artworks. Basically, the purpose of Tam-awan Village is to spread the culture of the Cordillera people. People will be able to understand and appreciate the culture of these people.
Since it's really cold in Baguio at night, the bonfire was a really nice addition to our hut. It was located just outside our hut for us to use so it was very convenient. We did have to pay for the wood though, but since it was my brother's request my dad was fine with it.
We ate at Rancho the next morning and we're glad we made it there early before the restaurant was packed with people. The place was beautiful, but the food wasn't that extraordinary. I wouldn't say it was bad, but since it was recommended by a lot of people, we were expecting for something that would exceed our expectations.
Lourdes Grotto was our last stop before we head to Sagada. Visiting Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto was kind of mandatory even though it was kind of a pain to reach. But to be completely honest, my parents and I used our car to reach the top. I do feel guilty for not enduring the pain of climbing 252 steps though.
After visiting Baguio so many times, I've learned to love the place. It's different from the other places here in the Philippines. It's not like those been there, done that places where the second visit feels like a total waste of time. I could seriously go back again and again. Like I said, I'll never get tired of the place and I don't think I will anytime soon.
