First Trip to Baguio

Nov. 1, 2007 Thursday
All Saint's Day

Most of us would visit their deceased loved ones on this day. Not our family. Our deceased were in Bataan and Bicol. So we went to Baguio. (????)
Our second-hand Hi-Lander was filled with food for the trip. At around 7:30AM, we left Meycauayan.

NLEX. Pampanga. Tarlac.Pangasinan...

We went to Our Lady of Manaog Shrine where we ate our packed lunch (fried chicken and cold rice) and bought really inexpensive bracelt and necklaces. I bought two necklaces for Marc and for myself. Mine was made of pink plastic flower beads. His was made of some sort of lustrous black metal beads. Both had crucifixes dangling from the necklaces.

La Union. Marcos Highway.
It was such a winding trip "up in the sky"!
The clouds seemed to caress the mountains.
Then after this long overpass at the side of the mountains, we finally saw a city civilization: Baguio.
So we drove on, not knowing where we were going...it was because it was OUR FIRST TIME TO ASCEND there. Mother had been there ONCE. And she wasn't familiar with the place. Father tried that steep narrow road down down...
I felt "It was wrong...."
Then my hunch was confirmed.
I saw that street sign: KENNON ROAD.
Oh God we were going back to Manila!
(False alarm: Going back to Manila via Kennon Road!)

We were able to go back to the heart of the city.
Father parked the Hi-Lander somewhere inside the Burnham Park. And we had a boat ride for only P100 (boat rentec for 40 min.+rower) at the 3-feet man-made lake.

Later, we checked in at the Ina Mansion Condo. 1st Floor. Unit 10.
It was claustrophobic. Kitchenette and dining area in one, a typical bathroom, a small T.V. area (just 1/4 of our living room at home), and three small bedrooms. Two had glass doors. I loved glass doors but not in this situation. I was spooked by those. I chose to be with my two sisters in one bedroom and sleep in a mattress on the floor than sleep on that room. My brother had that spooky room all for himself.
The water from the faucet was even colder than the water inside the ref!
And it was really cold...no electric fans or aircon.

FRIDAY
Itinerary:
Camp John Hay.
We were not able to ride horses.
The garden Amphitheater.
Nice garden THAT LOOKED LIKE AN AMPHITHEATER just beside the Bell House. Our voices boomed and echoed as my brother and I spoke inside the small pavillion at the heart of the garden. We were also the first visitors of the Bell House, the house of the American generals who took vacations in Baguio.
Outside we saw the wooden Totem Pole carved with the heads of important American officers during the American Occupation in the Philippines.
We trekked down and up the History Trail and saw the Secret Garden.
We also loved reading the tombstones at the Cemetery of Negativism.
An example of those was this (It's WHAT was REALLY WRITTEN THERE)

Its Not Pessible

Still Not Born

Mine View Park. A scenic view of the mountains!

Picture taking with a large St. Benard.

Bought my longest dangling earrings ever.

Bought jars of strawberry preserves and lots of brooms.

WE saw The Mansion and parked beside the Wright Park. Kuya took a picture of The Mansion and of the long pool-like fountain beside the Wright Park.

I bought cheaper earrings out of pity to the vendor girl.

Lunh at the aircon-less SM City Baguio.

Ate at Greenwich.

Watched Hide and Seek at the third floor.

Panoramic scenery when viewed from the mall's veranda/balcony.

I was curious about the umbrella-like roofing of the mall. It was out of the ordinary.

Too tired to dine outside the condo.

SATURDAY

Morning: Bought mini-roses and poinsettia at Burnham's Orchidarium.

Unable to buy inexpensive silver.....

LATE MORNING: WE started to descend via Marcos H-way. again... I saw the Naguillan Road. Took a long less traveled road to avoid traffic. "Raced" with new branded vehicles at NLEX, trash-talking about their slowness. Reached home at 4PM.