Up Up and Away! (Baguio City)

This year, I’ve been to Baguio City twice – first was last January, then last June. Baguio has been my 2nd home and I don’t know why. But since 2005 (when I first went to here), I see to it that I’ll visit the place for at least once a year. Perhaps, there are lots of memories I have here and also, because of the place itself.

The name Baguio conjures, for both the international and domestic traveler, a highland retreat in the Grand Cordillera in Northern Luzon, with pine trees, crisp cold breezes and low verdant knolls and hillocks. Through the numerous decades Baguio has morphed from what was once a grassy marshland into one of the cleanest and greenest, most highly urbanized cities in the country. It has made its mark as a premiere tourist destination in the Northern part of the Philippines with its cool climate, foggy hills, panoramic views and lovely flowers. Being the ideal convergence zone of neighboring highland places, Baguio is the melting pot of different peoples and cultures and has boosted its ability to provide a center for education for its neighbors. Its rich culture and countless resources have lured numerous investments and business opportunities to the city.

Baguio City is approximately 250 kilometers north of Manila, situated in the Province of Benguet. The area of the city is 49 square kilometers enclosed in the perimeter of 30 kilometers. The developed portion of the city corresponds to the plateau that rises to an elevation of 1,400 meters. Most of it lies in the northern half of the city. The City is landlocked within the province of Benguet, thus bounding it on all sides by its different municipalities; on the North by the capital town of La Trinidad, on the East by Itogon and to the South and West by Tuba. With City Hall as reference point, it extends 8.2 kilometers from East to West and 7.2 kilometers from North to South. It has a perimeter of 30.98 kilometers. The City has twenty administrative districts among which its barangays are divided.

Baguio is 8 degrees cooler on the average than any place in lowlands. When Manila sweats at 35 degrees centigrade or above, Baguio seldom exceeds 26 degrees centigrade at its warmest. Baguio is very wet during the Philippine rainy season, which is from June to October. It gets the biggest amount of rainfall in the country, twice the volume of rainfall in the country as compared to Manila. However from November to May, Baguio becomes a tropical paradise, a refreshing break from the hot and humid Philippine climate. Christmas season is when Baguio glows with the nippy winter air. In the summer month of March, April, May, Baguio lives up to its title as the “”Summer Capital of the Philippines when thousands of visitors from the lowlands and Manila take their annual exodus to the city to cool off.

I had a chance to capture Baguio at night!

January 16-18, 2010

As I celebrated my 2nd year in Convergys, my team planned a 3 day vacation to get out of the metro. So, together with Aisah, Len, Jaja, Jhay, and Toni, we conquered the City of Pines. We stayed at Bloomfield Hotel (just infront of SM Baguio). It was an oasis where you can escape the hectic pace of travel and think more clearly, work more productively, rest more refreshingly. An environment that doesn't just shelter you, but inspire and reenergizes you. Situated at the heart of the exciting city of Baguio, Bloomfield offers fully air-conditioned rooms and showcases the most modern amenities.

June 18-20, 2010

Together with my transition team and, TL Diana and my partner QSPi Joy, we had the first team building in Baguio. This team is one of the best!

Team DIANAsoars with TL Jana, QSPis Joy and PJ, Bon, Carlos, Morris, Avel, Gee, Cycel, Fed, Kate and Shen at the Strawberry Farm.

What to see in Baguio?

The Strawberry Fields

On top of my list of what to see in Baguio are the strawberry fields. A trip to Baguio will always include a lovely stroll along the strawberry fields just outside the city proper. This seems to be one of the must do activities and places to go when tourists visit. You go ask anyone who's ever been to Baguio and most likely they've been here. It is only a jeepney ride away and you get to pick the strawberries you want to eat. Picking strawberries and taking pictures turns out among the top things in anyone's what to do list.

Here, you can pick your strawberries fresh from the farm!

Pizza Volante

Situated at 82 Session Road within the very attractive City of Baguio, Pizza Volante Restaurant offers customers and guests a taste of authentic Italian dishes, specifically pizzas and pastas. With a budget of 300 to 500 pesos, people can already enjoy loads of super tasty and delectable dishes at this Italian-inspired restaurant. Aside from the food, many people really love the efficiency of the restaurant staff, which regularly receives praises for their friendliness and quickness. Oh I love the fresh tomatoes on both pizzas and pastas!

Ice in her alluring pasta pose.

Caffee Klatsch

 If you want a not-so-ordinary night out in Baguio - here's the top of my list! Totally cozy yet the ambiance was so great. Located at Sagittarian Unique Bldg. 39 City Camp Rd., Baguio City.

Toni live in Baguio! Yes, her first solo concert at Caffee Klatsch

Coffee, cozy ambiance plus acoustic band - very relaxing indeed!

Mines View Park

From its deck area we view the mining sites of Benguet Corporation plus the mountain ranges that sprawl as far as the eyes could see. Mines View Park is doubtless a favorite among visitors who take the trouble to trek up Baguio just to see this site again though seen a countless times before.

Standing 1,500 meters above sea level, Mines View Park is among the coolest parts of the Pines City. It is part of the vast range of the Cordillera Mountains. If we just look hard enough we’d see part of Camp John Hay across from it. But the majestic mountains are just among interesting things the site can offer. Just look around our immediate milieu and we’d see other features.

Another tourist spot in Baguio. No, not Jhay, it's Mines View Park.

Another thing that visitors are beginning to discover and really love is the freshly baked creamy and tasty ube jam home-made by nuns of the Good Shepherd Seminary within walking distance from Mines View Park. The pies there are also super. And don’t to forget to try their special Bulalo! Yum Yum!

Oh My Gulay!

Oh My Gulay is one attraction in Baguio that had eluded my attention. It’s exhillirating being in the midst of the artworks, the twists and turns, the eclectic, the absence of structure, the patch-art-work, the journey, the ever-changing. Some parts of the gallery look like a scene from a Dr. Seuss book with un-straight lines and un-perpendicular corners. Take a tour around the place, view the artworks, arouse your curiousity and find out what surprises await you around the next corner.  They also have generous servings of vegetarian pasta dishes. 

Dinner at Dampa sa Baguio. Pig-out it is!

Camp John Hay

Camp John Hay was an American military facility when the Philippines was under US control. It was primarily used for rest and recreation by US personnel. Today, since it's turnover in 1991, the place has its own golf course and campsite. Part of the action of the Fil-Am Golf Tournament takes its course here annually. Visitors can also see if they have a knack for horseback riding.

Can we forget Milo Van's pose? 

Session Road

A Baguio City tour is never complete without a stroll along Session Road. A lot of sights in Baguio come and go but Session Road has been there since the very beginning.

Baguio, being the summer capital of the country, was made official during the first session of the Philippine Commission in the summer of 1904, April to June. There was a lone road that led up the Baden Powell building where the session was held. Hence, the road has been called Session Road since then.

 

Traditionally, Session Road is often the first stop of a Baguio Tour. It mirrors the progress that the city has so far achieved. Moreover, sentimental visitors stop by the road awhile and ponder at the fact that their predecessors had also once trekked the olden lane and had done the same.

 

 

Baguio City remains one of the best places you can visit in the Philippines. The cool weather and the wonderful scenery are persuasive invitations to see and explore the different colors and flavors of Baguio City. It is truly a mountain resort that exudes a fine escape from the summer heat of the Philippines.

Of Love and Latte

Could the recipe for true love be as simple as brewing the perfect latte?

One hopelessly romantic barista serves up some answers.

I’ve been asked to write an article about love. About finding it, losing it, and maybe finding it again. Bet you’re wondering what qualifies me to do such. Unfortunately, I am no love doctor with a Ph.D. in Romance Physics nor an M.A. in Relationship Chemistry. I have had my heart broken not just once, so technically I still do not qualify as an expert by virtue of my vast experiences.

What do I know?

Well, let me tell you that I have an uncle that can mix you a mean cafe latte. He is a barista in Star Cruises. In all summers I’ve logged in at my tito's house, learning how to make cappucinos and espressos, I have also learned a thing or two about that thing called love. Just like coffee, both require a certain amount of care to ensure it is brewed to perfection. You will need the following:

-Water, purified of all fear of ‘what if she leaves me?’ or ‘what if she’s not Miss Right?’

-A certain measure of diversity-be it in the form of coffee beans or unique personalities-combined in an airtight container that will allow pressure to build up.

-A man and a woman, preferably hot for each other (or with the potential of warming up to at least the prospect of friendship).

Now bring to a boil. in barista-speak, this is the moment when water and ground coffee first make contact, the former extracting flavors from the latter, in a manner that will drip and percolate for you an aromatic cup of espresso.

In courtship terms, this is when boy-meets-girl, when the first blush of infatuation floats up to the surface. This can take anywhere from 22 seconds to 22 months, depending on the temperature set on your machine. Agitate the coffee further with Saturday night movie dates, text-messages embellished with smiley faces and animated teddy bears, cute phone calls at 1 a.m. involving favorite colors, movie-defining-moments and soul mates, and stolen first kisses. (That last one is my personal favorite.)

Now top with the velvety-smooth froth of friendship, sweeten with promises kept, and you’ve got yourself the perfect cafe latte. Right? Well, not exactly.

In my experience, I know that no matter how you faithfully follow a recipe to the letter, you don’t always get the perfect cup of joe each time. Love-that other four-letter word I know-is much harder to concoct than coffee.

At some point, you’ll learn that no matter how hard you play by the rules, make all the right moves and try to be Mr. Perfect In Every Way, you don’t always get the results you hoped for.

Or the girl you pined for, for that matter. Because when reality rears its disappointing, pink-bubble-bursting head, you’ll realize Life doesn’t always play out the way you wished it would.

The girl who once adored your lattes can snap out of it and proclaim you’re no longer her cup of cappucino. Just. Like. That.

Suddenly, you find that all that’s left is a mug half-filled with day-old coffee that’s cold and stale and depressing. So you cry, you curse, you deny, you blame, you rewind, you wish, and pray a novena to every saint you know that things go back to exactly the way they were. And no matter how often you kneel in Baclaran or how many candles you light at morning mass, your instant replay never happens.

So what do you do? You wipe away your tears, take your cup and empty it of all its contents. rinse it under a running tap, making sure all traces of stains along the rim and down its side as well as leftover grounds at the bottom are washed away.

Then, you start over. First, scoop yourself a generous batch of mountain-grown roasts, finely ground so that every granule is bursting with prospect of a new adventures, experiences and relationships. Pour water purified of all your bitterness, rejection and self-pity.

Now press ‘brew’. As you hear the machine whir, gurgle and sputter to life, close your eyes. Revel in the heady aroma of fresh coffee in the throes of being born. You may not see it yet, but by just inhaling its sweetness, you hold the promise of good things to come in your heart the way you would a silent prayer. You dream of a cup so wonderful, so richly golden brown, encircled by a lush ring of cream so perfect you can already taste it.

And the moment you hear it streaming into your cup you realize why you had to give up the last brew. Something much better was on its way to you.

And you’ll be thankful you waited. Because you know in your bones, in your heart of hearts, that this one’s going to be a keeper. And you wonder why it took so long for you to realize that.

But then again, better latte than never.. .

"There is no remedy for love but to love more." ~ Thoreau