Baguio, The Place For Everyone

BAGUIO. The perfect place for every season. No matter what season it is, you can always enjoy it.

Baguio City is known as the summer capital of the Philippines because when it is hot elsewhere, it is cold in Baguio. It is located in the northern Luzon area,  in the province of Benguet. It took us approximately six hours to drive from Manila to Baguio.

I went there with my family and relatives, not to escape Manila's heat but to spend time bonding in its cool crisp almost winter air. We all stayed in my aunt's house at Monterazza so it felt like camping.

Baguio means views of hills and mountains, trees and gardens and  huge space where I played tag and cops and robbers. My cousins got to go 'sledding' down the hill on a tarpaulin. It was nice to wake up in the morning in a quiet, cool and green environment. It gave me a  break from the noise and pollution in the city. It let me listen to the birds chirping, the leaves rustling and the wind blowing. I got to breathe fresh, clean and cool air.

One night, we grilled marshmallows and hotdogs outdoor. My older cousins set up a tent at the backyard and we had so much fun eating, chatting and playing together. It was like a cozy scene from a movie!

Horseback riding was also fun. I got to experience the thrill of riding along a  steep and rough path while it was raining. When I reached the top of the trail, I felt an even cooler breeze while I enjoyed the feeling of being in a forest.

I did this in Camp John Hay. It used to be a US Base Camp established in the early 1900's as a recreational camp for American soldiers. Now, it has been privatized and has a hotel called the Manor  which is notable for its raisin bread. There are many cabins and log houses, too. Camp John Hay is beautiful for its many pine trees and lush grounds. But now, I think commercial buildings have occupied some of these green spaces.. Anyway, this place is still great for kids like me who love running around. There are a lot of activities to do there like golf, paintball, hiking and mini-golf.  I was able to do the zipline and rappelling there when I was five years old. Too bad we did not have time to do any of them now. There are many restaurants and duty-free shops and bazaars in The Mile-Hi Center where we enjoyed going around too.

We had breakfast at Cafe de Batirol, known for its native hot chocolate. The restaurant gave a cottage-comfy. It has wooden benches and tables and vines hanging all over the place. Its hot chocolate tasted like 99.9% chocola-te indeed! I ordered Tocino Pork with egg and rice. It was okay but the bummer was - the food took soooooo long to arrive and it was all because they ran out of eggs and we had to wait for their staff to come back from the market. WHAT!?!?!?!

We also stopped by the Mansion House. It is where the President Of the Philippines stays when he goes there. It is huge and royal-looking from a distance. It is secured with all the high gates and security guards. If I were the  President, I would want to live there, too. The mansion was built in 1908 to serve as the official residence of the US Governor-Generals over summer. An added feature was the life-size "belen" (a traditional Christmas symbol in the Philippines that depicts the nativity scene).

On our way home, we took the famous Kennon Road. It is famous but dangerous! It is very dangerous especially during rainy days and I think at nighttime because I did not notice any street lights. The zigzag and winding roads are the best and worst part because while I got to see the lush green forests, waterfalls, rivers, hills and mountains, the drive included lots of turnings and swervings. I enjoyed the ride because it was going downhill and the road was well paved.

Even though my short trip to Baguio meant less computer and tv time, and not much time to see the other tourist spots,  I  really enjoyed what nature and the company of family can offer. I look forward to going there every year.

So, what are you waiting for? Jump in your car and head north to the City of Pines!