Benguet Diaries: Baguio in 34 Hours

Everlasting flowers

It was the summer of 1991 when I first visited Baguio, aboard the family car with my Dad controlling the wheel. I don't remember the craggy long ride or the bedlam my brother and I created at the backseat. But I do remember looking out the open window, the morning fog gently lifting from the road and saying: "I smell the pines. We are near Baguio!" But of course, the minty scent is almost nonexistent now, thanks to the heavy influx of tourists and probably the lowering number of pine trees.

For decades, Baguio's cool temperature made it the top destination when the heat peaks in Manila, earning the title "Summer Capital of the Philippines" in the 80s and 90s. But of course, the tides have changed. Local tourism flow has been relatively consistent--there's almost no peak or lean season in Baguio anymore. The reason is simple: The routes to Baguio have become shorter. Back then, a trip would last for more than six hours, in zigzagging roads with sides dotted by pine trees. Nowadays, a bus trip lasts for five to six hours, less during the wee hours of the night.

A Filipino, traveller or not, who has never been to Baguio must be living under a rock. Especially this month, as the city celebrates a month-long Panagbenga Festival. The high days, where the main thoroughfares get filled with floats made of flowers and garlands, will happen this weekend: February 22 and 23.

My sister, however, has never been to Baguio either on a vacay, excursion, retreat, forum, or any of that type. She turned 22 early this month and since she's required to take a leave from work, I promised to bring her there as my birthday present! :)

FIRST DAY:

5AM: We left Manila aboard a Victory Bus (P400++) from Pasay at the dead of night. We took the normal trip and prayed that we arrive by 7am, just in time for breakfast. But unfortunately, we were at the station as early as five, the skies still dark and the air still freezing from lack of sun.

The first thing you do when you go to Baguio (especially on a long weekend) is to buy return tickets to Manila. We were lucky to get 3pm tickets the next day. And in less than an hour, the tickets for the next day's trip were sold out.

Strawberry Taho (P30/cup)

 After almost two hours of non-stop chitchat, we finally descended the station to grab breakfast. Before getting a taxi, we saw some street vendors selling taho (soy mixed with sweet syrup and jellies). They have a strawberry version, which I find steep; its just soy mixed with strawberry jam.

7AM: Our first stop for the day Cafe by the Ruins near the City Hall. The cafe is a favorite among tourists. I never miss this restaurant whenever I visit the city of pines! Its very popular, primarily because the food is filling, healthy, and the staff are friendly.

Tsokolate de Agua

Food prices, however, are not cheap by backpacker standards. Expect to pay P300-P400 per person per meal. For breakfast, I always get the Champorado with Danggit. And lately, the famed Kamote Bread and Kesong Puti.

9AM: The next must destination for the first-timer: Minesview Park. Back in the 90s, Igorots dressed in traditional bahag would stand by the cliffs, carrying long poles where inverted paper pyramids are taped at the top. Visitors would throw coins and they would catch them with the papers, running through the cemented cliffside. Looking back, that wasn't a very good memory, qui?

The throwing of coins is no longer practiced here, thankfully. But going on a holiday would mean sharing the viewdeck with probably hundreds of other visitors, all wanting a shot or two (or more) with the this view in the backdrop:

From the viewing deck

If you're tired of the view and wants to take home a kitschy turista picture of two, you can have photos taken while riding a horse (P10 per shot) and wearing the bahag (P25 rent per person). This is also not the best place to take a leak; the toilets are traditional (imagine floor bowls without flush) but well-maintained and clean.

Typical loots: Quality brooms, goodies, shirts, and keychains

On the good side, the current location is a good place to get souvenir goods especially if you, like me, want these over with at the beginning of the trip. This time, I didn't get the typical ones and opted for something to color my place:

Rose Cactus (P70)

(Warning: A friend of mine who loves cactus says Rose Cacti are disposable cactus--because its hard for this species to survive Manila. If you want to still buy, remember to water it once a week, drenched, and to put it under direct sunlight. Mine's still alive and budding.)

The Minesview area is also the best place to find transient homes in Baguio. Unlike the ones along Session Road, the place is quiet and must be best if you want exclusivity and peace.

11AM: A few kilometers away, The Mansion is along Leonard Wood Road. Famous as the vacation house of the President of the Philippines, a portion of the edifice is open to tourists who want to take photographs. There isn't much people here, probably because there's not much to do but take photos of the place.

So if you're done with potential OOTDs, then cross the road and go straight to...

11:30AM: Wright Park, a small park where you go down a hundred-step stairs that leads to an open field. Honestly, there's not much to see or do in the park. But its worth visiting if you just want a feel of the old Baguio.

The Mansion as seen from Wright Park

There are also keychains here. This combination caught my attention:

Strawberries and Penis--very Baguio!

Back in my childhood, a naughty yet subtle pasalubong (take home) from Baguio was an Igorot barrel man. The wooden "toy" is of an Igorot man inside a barrel. If you lift the barrel, the man's penis will spring out. This always made us laugh when we were kids.

Horseback riding in Wright Park

The highlight of the park is basically the open area where tourists can ride horses for 30 minutes. When I was seven, the place was big enough for the horses to run around and it was covered in thick greenery. Now, there are shops and stores around the area. The good thing: Rides are cheaper. (I feel bad for the horses, though. Some owners colored the mane--which is against animal rights!)

12:30PM: By the middle of the day, we were tired and weary from the walking. Luckily, there's a compound of restaurants across the horse station: The Ketchup Community. The community houses many different restaurants, offering different fares.

As expected, the place was teeming with tourists and we only got a table at Rancho Norte. The menu boasts of Filipino specialties and servings are good for sharing. A filling meal per person costs P150-200, lower compared to other food spots.

Bagnet

Bagnet is a famous Northern dish and it'd be a waste to not get veggie meals in Baguio, where the freshest greens are sold in the markets. The meal is a combination of stir-fried vegetables topped with pork. I was never a fan of bagnet, though. But had developed a fixation with this dish:

Binagoongan

Rancho Norte is surprisingly a good stop if you want no-frills Filipino food. And an option if you want reasonable meals.

2PM: After lunch my companions wanted to see the sunflower garden. We weren't sure where to go and opted to check the Botanical Garden instead. Its also along Leonard Wood Rd and is walking distance from Wright Park. (Well, everything else is--it just depends on how long you're willing to walk.)

2:30PM: We didn't stay long at the garden and headed to my must-visit location: the Tam-Awan Artist Village. Aside from being a place for eaters, Baguio has become a nest for artists. And this rustic village houses those creative souls.

Fifty pesos per person serves as an entrance fee and comes with a map of the spots to be visited within the village. Covered by thick foliage, the area is littered with bohemian indigenous materials like Igorot kubo (nipa huts), bamboo bridges, and painted tires designed along the pathway.

The place is best visited by middle of the day, where you can linger and feel the breeze in this quiet side of Baguio.

4PM: After our artsy stop, the group decided to visit our second church for the trip, the famous Pink Sisters Chapel, which according to my cousin brings love luck! As the name implies, the chapel is washed in hues of pink. The church is only partly opened for guests and the Pink sisters (yes, they wear pink nunwears) are separated by metal bars.

5PM: By the end of the day, we we're all tired and ready to hit the sack. But my troupe wanted to visit the Burnham Park, probably the most-visited park in Baguio. Aside from the now muddy-colored man-made lake, the place has become famous for its little clustered stalls that sell anything from sweet treats to shirts to home furnitures and fixtures. With the Panagbenga coming up, the place has more to offer than usual.

If you want to go traditional, like my group, a boat ride costs P150 for 30 minutes. You can either paddle on your own or have someone do it for you. Manong Magsasagwan told us that the prices lowered because of competition. Numerous boat operators offer rides and true enough, the lake is littered with these boats.

7PM: The group was famished by the time we ended up in Steakhouse for dinner. This small joint along Session Road is a favorite among my friends when we go to Baguio. A hearty meal of T-Bone or Porterhouse Steak is cheap and filling for  less than P200. Its a spot for backpackers and meat-eaters who don't want to gamble on its popular vegan neighbor Oh My Gulay!/Vocas.

9PM: If its night-time, Baguio goers do one of two things: Party in Nevada Square or scourge the Wag-wag Night Market along Harrison Road. We did the latter. I took home a couple of pastel-colored knitted rags for the house (so hard to be independent) and a few silver pendants. The flea market also offers shoes and bags, much like Greenhills.

SECOND DAY


7AM: Baguio is not Baguio without The Baguio Public Market. Its a good stop for buying cheap greens like cabbages, cauliflowers, brocollis, and other veggies. It is also a good stop for fresh strawberries that costs P100 per kilo. And yeah, this market is my favorite among all the other markets I've visited in the Philippines.

 There are also freshly-made pinipig bars and kakanin. Local sausage-lovers will also be thrilled finding different types like the garlicky Vigan longaniza. Watch out for pick-pockets, though.

8AM: For breakfast, the group decided to attack another staple food joint: Visco's. The place is popular for its cakes. The place is along Session Road and is easy to spot.

 I love love love the sun-dried tomato pesto pasta and the blueberry cheesecake here. Yeah, something sweet to start the day!

12NN: And the last stop before heading for the bus station is good ole' Good Shepherd for its strawberry, ube, and mango jams. This time, I bought a jar of orange marmalade, which I intend to eat with cheese. Lines are always long so its best to go here early to avoid missing the bus.

1PM: Literally beside the Victory Bus Station, Te Quiero is a Spanish restaurant that offers staples like gambas al ajillo and paella.

 There's wine in the menu too. Not my favorite restaurant in Baguio but the meals are decent, a bit steep for the price and the servings, though. But at least you have this pleasant view:

The prime advantage of dining at this resto is that its directly connected to the bus station. - 2/3/2014