To the North! To the North! – A Travel Diary (Part 2)

Coming from La Union, we were ascending Marcos Highway by 2PM. *Time check brought to you by Mentos, The Fresh Maker (Thanks to Jing for the gum)*

As we were winding up, we noticed the dark sky atop the mountains which, as anticipated, was rain that welcomed us as we entered the city proper.

We had to snake through traffic for some time because a new flyover is being constructed. As we surveyed the area, Doth was busy with her phone verifying locations with a travel coordinator of the city.

Our first stop was Burnham Park to wait for the travel reps who shall escort us to our accommodation. Most of us got out of the bus to stretch and pee. As I hopped out of the bus, there was a taho vendor calling out and I was enticed to try the strawberry-flavored taho. Taho is a yogurt-like treat (although a little denser) made of soy and usually served hot. I grew up knowing only the typical taho which is topped with small sago (gooey pearls) and light syrup for flavor. The Baguio variant has small strawberry preserves. I must say that it was likewise good although mildly sweetened and my sweet tooth makes the regular flavor still a personal favorite.

I quickly sipped my purchase as we walked towards the nearest public toilet. It’s just one of the few around the park which were considered a significant undertaking of the Dept. of Tourism. It charges P5 when you are to pee but you get some tissue papers. We had the first of Baguio tap water when we washed our hands and brrrr…. it’s cold!

A variety of things are sold in the park. I was accustomed to seeing roving vendors only in marketplaces but Burnham’s different. You simply have to stay in a spot and vendors would stop by to offer you food, souvenirs, fruits, hats, sterling silver jewelries, even knives and toothbrushes! I was craving for grilled corn with butter but found only boiled ones.

I walked with Ms. Rina and Ms. Mhel by the boating lake. My last visit prior this was roughly 10 years ago; there were just regular roofed boats then. Now I noticed that there are big swan and croc boats already.

We got back to the bus and trailed behind our guide’s cab to the apartel. Our “all-knowing” driver made a stupid mistake of deviating from our guide hence we had to turn back at some part of the road.

5PM. After unloading our stuff and settling in our respective rooms, we got set for the market to buy ingredients for the night and the morrow’s meals. I was lying on bed having a headache but convinced myself that there’ll be no better chance to have a quick lesson of getting around especially that we are going on our own the following day. A Paracetamol tablet gave me the extra charge for the next 2 hours.

Eleven of us packed ourselves in a taxi; a few had gone ahead of us. I caught sight of our driver discreetly laughing with our jokes. Most of the people we saw rushing in the streets wear sweaters and jackets and we’re amused with the thought that we wrongly presumed that the residents are tolerant of the cool air. Some of us joked, “Hindi natin inakala, uso pala dito yung jacket no?” (We never thought jacket is a trend here)

Baguio is a busy metropolis especially with the presence of more big buildings (including the mall) which had been erected throughout the years. It is comparable to Manila minus the pollution and scorching heat.

We didn’t have a hard time making our way through the crowded marketplace. Our first buys are veggies for which Baguio is also famous. I just bought a few because I’m sure I’ll be buying many other pasalubong (take-home treats) in the duration of our stay. Then I started purchasing delicacies: chocolate crinkles, lengua de gato (thin milk-butter cookies), strawberry pastillas (chewy milk candies), and choco/milk-coated pinipig bars/flakes (pounded rice grains with a mild aroma). These could be bought at 3-5 packs/jars for a hundred. We were back in the apartel by 7:00.

The next morning, a group set early to the strawberry farm in La Trinidad Mountains which is less than an hour commute from the city while some others went back to the market. I joined neither of these because I was to meet Dennis (the champ featured in my previous blog, “Where Speaking Brought Me”. Since this full-fledged scholar said he still has classes, we agreed to meet by 10:30 at SM Baguio since their school is just nearby.

I was the last to leave the apartel. I took a taxi to the Botanical Garden which is not very far from there and I was among the earliest tourists for the garden wasn’t busy yet when I arrived. Of course you have a precise idea of what I found there so I’ll just mention a few highlights. There was a small art gallery where the works of Baguio Art Guild artists are displayed and most are for sale. By the pond are balanced rock forms where a narrow tip of a smaller rock is balanced vertically on a larger rock. Within the area are giant Ifugao statues portraying different life sets of these native people of the region. Sadly, I don’t own a digicam hence was not able to take pictures. *Calling kindhearted donors…*

In the early 90’s, there were 3 averaged-sized statues in the garden placed beside each other and one of it is headless . My uncle had to carry me to have my picture taken with my head on top of the headless statue. I can’t help but smile when I still found it there although one statue is missing and the other is now headless too.

Another taxi ride brought me to SM Baguio. I was there a few minutes before 10. The mall isn’t open yet so I just stood at the entrance. Ms. Rina had contacted me telling that they are checking out the apartel and the bus is about to leave. I got scared but more of disappointed (Note: We were originally told that I have until 12NN, then changed to 11AM). Fortunately, I had packed my things and bunched my bags together on our bed before I left. I texted Dennis to apologize for the last minute cancellation then flagged down a taxi to take me to Good Shepherd’s Convent where my officemates were heading to. “Series of Unfortunate Events” really, Dennis’ reply came just as I had locked the cab’s door. It said that their class was dismissed early and he’s on his way. It was similar to scenes from movies and TV series where a character had just left (usually for the airport) when the other came except of course, Den did not and need not chase after me! *lol*

On my way, I caught a glimpse of Wright Park and The Mansion. Another message from my officemates came in saying that they are in Mines View Park. It wasn’t long before I got reunited with them. There were a lot of stalls in the park. I did some more shopping and got wooden butterfly wall decors, knitted vests, and few more delicacies. I noticed that most Baguio vendors, even those in the downtown marketplace, are warm and good conversationalists. They know how to offer their goods and get along with customers’ jokes.

Mine’s View is also the place for gardening enthusiasts. A wide variety of garden plants and flowers are for sale at reasonable prices. There were colorful flowers and dainty dish gardens. Nomer had a shopping-spree of potted cacti! There are also booths for photo ops - one lends native Ifugao head dresses. Somewhere else, you could pose beside a big St. Bernard looking gentle and cute with its tongue sticking out and sleepy eyes.

Legs tired and pockets almost empty, we started our way home by almost lunchtime feeling a bit frustrated for being shortchanged of liberty to visit more places and do more activities but still, we’re glad for the break from our routine.

EPILOGUE

The fittest survivors reported for work the following day although we found it hard to actually work. A week after the trip, we still find ourselves laughing on our adventures but we have a unified vow of going back especially to Baguio to satisfy our longing for more fun.

I’m planning to go by myself soon and maybe try riding a horse in Wright Park or see what interesting finds I could get from the ukay-ukay (bargain sale).

[SEE OTHER PHOTOS]

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The SBMA Administrator, for being the major sponsor a.k.a. financier …

Sir Jeff for the great bonding and the generous giveaways…

Doth, Jing and Jhong, Travel Planners and Reservation Coordinators…

Nomer, Kuya Jo and Kuya Mike, Official Photographers…

Manang Myrna and Manang Rosy, our diligent chefs, for the delicious meals and for being so-concerned of my being a vegetarian…

Glenn, for keeping us entertained with the out-of-this-world laugh...

Transportation Department, for finally settling a credible agreement but please have a ten-wheeler truck roll over the drivers; we failed to knock them unconscious and hurl them over Mine’s View Park – believe us, they’re monsters!

Puerto de San Juan and Medrano’s Apartel, for the outstanding customer service…

And for the bright coconut that conceived the idea of inventing the water heater!