Re-discovering the City of Pines....

BAGUIO STRAWBERRIES!

Baguio City has long been considered the summer capital of the Philippines. Many a childhood summer memory is reminisced with carefree days in Baguio, taking in the cool air and pine fragrance that permeates the place. Who would not remember going "boating" and biking in Burnham park or horseback riding in Wright park, and visiting mines view park? But unfortunately, due to the development of other tourist destinations and overdevelopment, the city has slowly lost its standing as the country's summer capital. Or so i thought.

Session rd. after an afternoon downpour, cleansing

Got a chance to go up to the mountains recently to do some soul searching and came back with much more than my soul. To truly appreciate Baguio, one has to lose sense of time, to think of carefree days and appreciate the laid back pace of the place. When going up, think of Zen, of breakfasts at 1 pm or coffee at 1 am. Forget about the beer (it will only make you pee) and think about the wine or much stronger spirits.

piping hot sinigang na bagnet served with steaming rice

Session road is the lifeline of the city. While the development of SM  Baguio shifted much of the commercial activity there, Session still perseveres and its nook and crannies still offers pleasant surprises. It boasts of a wide array of restaurants that contributes to a unique experience. During a stroll, me and my honey chanced upon a restaurant with a unique name, Solibao Restaurant. The menu had a lot of sizzling choices but one dish caught our eye instantly. We ordered it without hesitation and found it be as good as we hoped it to be. We found Solibao's sinigang na bagnet perfect food during a chilly and rainy Baguio afternoon. Other establishments abound that is unique to the place and is as much as an institution there that Session would not be  the same without it.

Pizza Volante going head to head with an industry giant. 

yummy pizza!

Going up Session, a fairly new landmark has created an impact on the city, SM Baguio is unique as it is the only SM mall that does not use airconditioning but instead blend an architectural design to fully maximize the strengths of its environment. Its viewdeck offers a spectacular panorama of the city.

Baguio cathedral as seen from SM

                                      

My Honey and I opted to forgo the usual tourist thing and decided to explore the city by foot and by jeep. Off we went to Baguio market to have a feel of the city. It's vegetable and flower sections are truly amazing and affords one a vibrant feel and unique perspective of upland life.

going up Baguio market

whatta beans!?

Vegetables galore!

Baguio brooms

This trip not only provided a refreshing break but also provided a unique perspective on the city of Pines. It may have lost its standing as the summer capital to bora.  but to Me and my Honey,  Baguio offers a truly relaxing respite from the hustle and bustle of city life and will always be our sanctuary. We will surely come back.

How to  get there: Victory liner cubao offers hourly trips from Cubao station to Baguio. Once there, taxis abound so its easy to get around. Most of the drivers are honest and charge only by the meter. Accomodations  is also not a problem as there are many choices available ranging from Five star accomodations to transient houses.