A Day in Baguio

“Please be a traveler, not a tourist. Try new things, meet new people, and look beyond what’s right in front of you. Those are the keys to understanding this amazing world we live in.” - Andrew Zimmern

We arrived in Baguio around 8 in the evening coming from our Bakun trip and after having dinner, we drop by at the night market.  While the rest went back to Manila, the three of us stayed to have a tour of the city the following day.

The first place we went to is the Saint Joseph The Worker Parish Church located in Pacdal Circle. It's where celebrity couple Aga Muhlach and Charlene Gonzales had their wedding. What I admire about this church is how neat and simple it looks which makes it very welcoming.

Located east of the Baguio downtown area is the Igorot Village, otherwise known as The Botanical Garden. Here you can feast your eyes on the different array of flora while taking an amble. Before we leave, my friend decided to have a photo with an Igorot dressed in his authentic clothes with a matching ''kawaii'' pose.

A few steps from the Botanical Garden is the Teachers Camp where teachers and school staff from all over the Philippines would stay when they come to Baguio in the summertime and enroll in special courses related to education. This is also where conferences, seminars, summer camps and various social functions are held.

Our next destination is the Laperal White House, where a Bamboo Art Exhibit is taking place. Built in 1920, this house is also known for being ''haunted'' where tales of mystery and paranormal became synonymous to its name. We went inside and wandered freely, but haven't seen any ghosts or anything creepy during our visit.

We got hungry, so I took them to SM Baguio to grab a bite, chill and enjoy the view on the balcony.

We then headed to Burnham Park, where we indulged ourselves over a foot massage. It features a man-made lake in the center where you can rent a boat and paddle your way back to Manila (just kiddin'!). It's also an ideal place to unwind because of its relaxing atmosphere. There are other activities too such as biking, skating and food trippin'.

We passed by The Mansion along the way. Literally.  I mean we didn't get off the cab, we were still inside the car and we just asked the driver to stop so we can shoot some photos.

Our last stop, the Mines View Park. Overlooking the abandoned mines of gold and copper, it is one of the popular attractions where you can go to an observation deck and have an impressive view of the Amburayan Valley. You may also have your photos taken with a St. Bernard dog named ''Douglas'', or with a pink-hair white horse, or while wearing an Igorot costume (for a fee, of course). Outside, there are many shops where you can buy souvenirs and ''pasalubong''.

It's getting dark, so we took a cab, packed our things and headed to the bus station. On our way to Manila, I told my friends that a day in Baguio is not enough as there are lots of other attractive places to see. Since Phuc has to go back to Vietnam the next morning, we couldn't stay much longer. Still, we're quite pleased with the tour and plan to explore the city again someday.  I also have another write up - Best Buddies in Baguio, where you'll find that my best friends and I also dropped by at the same places. My friends and colleagues from Oman had a tour of the city too! You might wanna check out It's More Fun in the Philippines.

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