After my grandma’s funeral, which was attended by many who loved and appreciated her throughout her lifetime, I got to spend some time with my family and close relatives. We went on a 3D2N trip to the summer capital of the Philippines, Baguio. Also known as the City of Pines, it lies 1,470 meters above mean sea level and has a very cool climate relative to the rest of the country. My parents had already visited the highland city a couple of years ago, but they didn’t mind going back. It was my first time in Baguio and I was actually excited, thinking that the road would be zigzaggish and dangerous. However, the trip went smoothly and mostly flat.

As we had two small kids in the party, we had to be flexible with the itinerary. I booked through J&J Transport Services based in Pasig, and they catered to our needs, including pick-up and drop off at our place of residence. I paid 32,600 for 8 pax (2023 rate). We left at 11pm and arrived in Baguio at around 4-5 am. It seemed like the driver really knew the road. We had a couple of stopovers, and had breakfast before ascending towards Baguio.

Our first stop was the Cathedral, or formally, Our Lady of the Atonement Cathedral. It is a Catholic church built in Romanesque Revival architectural style in 1936, adorned with colorful glass mosaic windows and has two towers on its frontal facade. The church served as a refuge during the World Wars. It was nice to start there, so we could give thanks to the heavens for the safe arrival.

Next to the church was a lookout, where one could see the sparkling city lights at night.

There was a Mass at 5 am, so people started pouring in a few moments later. We then moved on to the next stop, the Botanical Garden. It was only 6 or 7 am, and it doesn’t open until 8am, so we decided to move on the the next attraction. Before doing so, we checked out the souvenir stalls and bought bonnets and toys. The Botanical garden seemed okay, with big butterfly and flower installations – it must be a nice place to visit if you have kids.

Still groggy from the long drive, we arrived at the Mansion House, the official summer residence of the Philippine president. It was allowed to take pictures from the gate. It was December, so I guess, the house was vacant.

After that, we crossed the street and strolled along a small avenue, which leads to the Wright Park, named after the American Governor-General Luke Wright. He served in the Philippines from 1904-1905. The kids and kids-at-heart had fun here, running around and taking pictures. There were group exercises, and lots of souvenir stalls.

I hope the horses and ponies are being treated nicely – they seemed really nice and used to children. But I didn’t like that the pink one was just standing there, probably the entire day. Tourists took turns riding her and having their pictures taken. There were also big dogs used for the same purpose.

Before lunch, we checked out the Mines View Park. I wondered why it was called Mines View – and later learned that it was because of the overlook towards old gold and copper mines. Visitors can rent traditional costumes in the park for 50 pesos per pax. I thought it was fun, so we changed to the colorful dresses, pretending to be natives as we gazed upon the beautiful views from the platform. Plants were also sold in the park.

We had late lunch in the food court of SM Baguio, and checked in at a transient house, which was included in the price. Our family accommodation was on the 3rd, or 4th?, floor, and had an amazing view from the balcony.

We managed to nap before going out again, visiting the Christmas Village. I didn’t like it very much, to be honest. It was just a small park, where visitors can have their photos taken with organizers in costumes. There was also a huge enclosed playground with tiny balls for children, and mini-towers spewting soap bubbles – the ground was slippery with detergent soap. The people liked it though, making believe that it was snow. I also didn’t like that the toilets were outside the park, so we had to go back to the entrance to go in again.

Or maybe, I was hard to please because my nap was too short.

Anyway, we decided to skip the night market. Our guide recommended a very popular restaurant for dinner. I forgot its name, but there was a long line and we waited more than half an hour to be seated. Baguio is a very nice city, and it gave the impression of being a friendly tourist destination – with lots of sights and attractions to visit. We had a good night’s rest, making up for the little sleep the night before because of the bumpy ride. More of Baguio in the next entry! ALL PHOTOS AND VIDEOS ON THIS BLOG ARE MINE. Cheers! 🙂 #spreadloveandpositivevibes