Last weekend was a long breather, literally. The fresh air of Baguio (well at least in several parts of the city) was a welcome respite from the smog of Metro Manila. It was also our long overdue family vacation. Not an outdoor trip this time, and no pressure in capturing that "perfectly lighted landscape". I did not even think much of photographing anything. That would sound ironic if you've seen us that day - we were lugging around several kilos worth of photo equipment hehe (my brother is also into photography). I was tempted quite a few times to veer off the well established destinations and explore but I'm glad I didn't.
So what does one do in Baguio?
Well, the nice cold weather (a nice 15-20 degrees Celsius) is perfect for lazily waiting for the fog to creep in while sipping a hot cup of choco or coffee.
Dusk as seen from our cabin
Then there are the parks. If you are into flowers then Baguio is the place for you. Its the only one with a flower festival (Panangbenga Festival)
Purple overload
Our long overdue prenup hehe (Wright Park)
Of course when one is in Baguio, the PMA (Philippine Military Academy) grounds is a must. There you'll meet the finest, bravest, and brightest of our soldiers (and future politicians?) and defenders of our motherland. :)
Who is the odd one?
We also visited some of your not so typical Baguio destinations. On the way to the strawberry fields in La Trinidad, Benguet, we passed by the Bell Church (aka Chinese Temple). It was a very serene place and we were practically the only group there. There was a koi and lotus pond right in the center of the courtyard. Everywhere you look there are intricate Chinese designs on practically everything.
Gateway into the Bell Church
Here's a clown, Bell Church or not :)
Weather turned sour when we reached the strawberry fields. It rained and the fog cover began to thicken. So we forgo the plan of strawberry picking because of the mud.
A foggy day in strawberry fields
If you want to visit an art gallery in a native setting, there is the Tam awan Village in the northwestern outskirt of Baguio City.
Bamboo bridge in Tam awan
The place also features authentic Ifugao huts, a coffee shop, Eco tours, and portrait sketches for souvenirs.
And the food in Baguio? Well, you go can't go wrong with the ultra fresh vegetables there. In fact I didn't have time to take pictures of the food, I'm too busy eating :).
So what does one do in Baguio?
Well, the nice cold weather (a nice 15-20 degrees Celsius) is perfect for lazily waiting for the fog to creep in while sipping a hot cup of choco or coffee.
Dusk as seen from our cabinThen there are the parks. If you are into flowers then Baguio is the place for you. Its the only one with a flower festival (Panangbenga Festival)
Purple overloadOur long overdue prenup hehe (Wright Park)Of course when one is in Baguio, the PMA (Philippine Military Academy) grounds is a must. There you'll meet the finest, bravest, and brightest of our soldiers (and future politicians?) and defenders of our motherland. :)
Who is the odd one?We also visited some of your not so typical Baguio destinations. On the way to the strawberry fields in La Trinidad, Benguet, we passed by the Bell Church (aka Chinese Temple). It was a very serene place and we were practically the only group there. There was a koi and lotus pond right in the center of the courtyard. Everywhere you look there are intricate Chinese designs on practically everything.
Gateway into the Bell ChurchThe Bell Church
Here's a clown, Bell Church or not :) Weather turned sour when we reached the strawberry fields. It rained and the fog cover began to thicken. So we forgo the plan of strawberry picking because of the mud.
A foggy day in strawberry fieldsIf you want to visit an art gallery in a native setting, there is the Tam awan Village in the northwestern outskirt of Baguio City.
Bamboo bridge in Tam awanThe place also features authentic Ifugao huts, a coffee shop, Eco tours, and portrait sketches for souvenirs.
And the food in Baguio? Well, you go can't go wrong with the ultra fresh vegetables there. In fact I didn't have time to take pictures of the food, I'm too busy eating :).
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sarap mag unwind lalu na pag ganyan kalamig...
ReplyDeleteWhichever season, Baguio will always be the Summer Capital of the Philippines.
ReplyDeleteBeatiful images.
wasnt able to go to the last 3 sites. theyre beautiful. maybe theyre reserved for my come back. hehe
ReplyDeleteyou have great photos. Thanks for the comment.I do have a flickr account.
ReplyDeletewhen i was young, the mention of baguio excites me no end, ngayon parang di na masyado. but the thought of eating out in baguio is another thing hehe.
ReplyDelete@mimi - yup Baguio (well at least some parts of the city) is perfect for a quiet weekend getaway :). thanks for the visit
ReplyDelete@Traveler on Foot - exactly! thanks for the visit
@The Islander - Make sure to visit them bro next time you are there. thanks for the visit.
@Lutchi - whats your flickr id? thanks for the visit.
@zherwin - well baguio has its ups and downs (pardon the pun hehe). but the food ah... the food's great if you know where to eat. What we did was buy the fresh veggies from the market and cooked them ourselves. I think they tasted better that way :). thanks for the visit bro!
namiss ko bigla ang baguio ha. makadalaw nga uli.
ReplyDelete@erick - oo bro visit baguio again. it may not be what it used to be but Baguio still has a lot to offer if you know where to look. thanks for the visit bro!
ReplyDeleteI love all your travel photos! ang gaganda. No further introductions needed, truly a feast for the eyes.
ReplyDeleteglad you had fun in baguio. i consider this city my second home. just a lovely, lovely place.
ReplyDeletemas gusto ko nga lang sya dati noong wala pang sm at ibang establishments.
by the way, sorry for not visiting sooner. just had a weeklong vacation and the work just piled-up. i'll catch-up on my readings/blog-hops once my sched returns to normal. have a nice day friend.
Halos magkasunod lang pala tayo nila Oggie ang putna nyo dyan. Missed bagiou din, laki rin ng development (and traffic) pero mabuti malamig pa rin.
ReplyDeleteKatuwa ang family outing nyo.
@ar-wee-der-yet - thank you very much! do drop by here from time to time.
ReplyDelete@oman - the city proper is a bit crowded na nga bro pero maraming pa ring spots na maganda i discover/rediscover. been quite busy lately too. thanks for dropping by.
@ferdz - bai! oo nga e nag Sagada pala kayo. Saw bai Oggie's pics already. Baguio was a nice break for the our family. tinamad na nga ako mag shoot kasi puro kain lang kami hehe
Maayong aga! I'll ask sana for an exchange link here in your travel blog pero naunahan moko :) Thanks for the add and I also added your site so I can visit more often.
ReplyDelete@ar-wee-der-yet - thanks bro!
ReplyDeleteahhhh---Baguio, a very good place if you want to commune with your soul.....nice pics
ReplyDeletei still have much to explore in Baguio. pabalik balik na ako dun but I haven't gone to the strawberry fields.
ReplyDelete@salingpusa - yup Baguio is a nice place for relaxing if you can't travel to Sagada, perfect for bringing the family along. the center of the city is quite congested so you just have to find a nice quite nook at the outskirts :). thanks for the visit!
ReplyDelete@estan - ey bro try visiting the fields. I heard by Nov/Dec the strawberries are ripe for the picking :). thanks for the visit!
bai, thanks for the tip. might squeeze in a baguio trip sa november kahit man lang daytrip sa la trinidad.
ReplyDeleteey bai! i'm planning to go back there this Nov too, maybe the week after Nov 1. Baka magkasabay pa tayo :)
ReplyDeletehello, where did you stay/ mukhang maganda ang view from your cabin
ReplyDelete