Rekindlling my Love to the City of Pines

There is no doubt that Baguio is one of the most famous tourist destinations in the Philippines. It may be a common destination for some but for me, Baguio has a distinct charm that is somewhat very homey and relaxing. This Yuletide break, my husband and I spent our 5th wedding anniversary visiting the Summer Capital of the Philippines. This was my third time in Baguio and since it's my husband’s first time (after 32 years, for Pete sake!), he was the most excited! I was also excited because we road-tripped from Manila to Baguio together with our kids and my husband's nephew and niece using our car for the first time. If your'e a first timer (just like my husband), you may consider adding to your itinerary some of  the destinations that we've visited during our quick getaway in the City of Pines.

LION'S HEAD

My husband, who is so fascinated with lion (his name is Leo after all), insisted that we should stop at the Lion's Head monument and took some selfies first before heading off to the city proper.This 40-foot limestone head is a famous landmark along Kennon Road that you don't wanna miss out.   Alongside the monument were souvenir shops where you can buy stuffs like "I love Baguio" T-shirt, bonnet and scarf that you could wear during your Baguio tour.

TEACHER'S CAMP

My husband's mom and sister were in Baguio three days before our arrival and we had to meet them up at Teacher's Camp before their departure back to Manila. We also reserved a room at Teacher's Camp since rates for hotels and pension houses is way costly during holidays. We're lucky to get a room that is good for 4 adults and two kids. Since I am a public school teacher, they gave me a 10% discount so we had to pay a minimal fee of Php 720 for an overnight stay! Not bad, eh? Just never mind the ghost stories... =D

BAGUIO BOTANICAL GARDEN

Baguio Botanical Garden is one of my favorite destinations in Baguio. You can do a lot of sight seeing here from the towering pine trees, sculptured statues, themed gardens and of course the Art Gallery of the Baguio Arts Guild. You can take photos with real life Igorots who always graced the entrance gate with a minimal fee (Php  10/ Igorot). 

           

THE MANSION

Say hello to the official summer residence of the Philippine President - the Mansion! 

Did you know that The Mansion's gate is considered to be the most photographed gate in the country? Well, don't forget to say cheese!

WRIGHT PARK

The Pool of Pines

Just across The Mansion's gate is Wright Park, a 27-acre estate devoted for trees (arboretum). It's main feature is the scenic body of water which is called "The Pool of Pines". Some activities that we enjoyed doing here are horse back riding and dressing up like Igorots for picture taking.  

Things to do at Wright Park

Hot strawberry-flavored taho for a cold afternoon. This is the best tasting taho for me so far!

BURNHAM  PARK

Nestled at the heart of Baguio City is a 32.84 hectare urban park named after the American architect and city planner, Daniel Burnham. Burnham Park is the "mother of all park" in the city. It's main feature is a man-made lake situated at the center of the park where tourists can enjoy boating with rented boats. Other attactions include children's playground, skating ring, themed gardens, the Melvin Jones Grandstand and a lot more. This must be the most vibrant and merriest park in Baguio City.

CAMP JOHN HAY 

The beautifully landscaped Camp John Hay is a resort in the mountain. It served as a recreation facility for the US Armed Forces during the American occupation in the Philippines. Today it boasts numerous attractions from its lush pine forest, golf course, museum, shopping centers like the Ayala Techno Park, and several hotels and lodgings like Forest Lodge and The Manor to name a few. It's crisp mountain air and stately pine trees made me feel that I was in the US soil. No wonder it has made Baguio the "Little America" of the Philippines. 

LA TRINIDAD, BENGUET

The best way to end Baguio getaway is to visit La Trinidad Valley in Benguet. Referred as the "Strawberry Capital of the Philippines", La Trinidad has a refreshingly cool climate that is best for vegetable and flower production.  After an unfortunate chance of not being able to pick some fresh strawberries (due to its shortage), we've just toured the farm and my husband was contended in lettuce picking instead. I was solaced on the other hand by buying veggies (leaf lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower to name a few) from variety of stalls within the farm complex. Like many tourists, I opted to buy veggies when in La Trinidad because the price here is lower compare in Manila. As a vegetable lover, this place is a haven for me!

A day or two are not enough when in Baguio City. We wanted to stay even just for an extra day but we have to go back to Manila to prepare things for the coming Holiday. The next time we'll visit Baguio, I'll consider adding some destinations in our itinerary especially Sitio La Presa (Sitio Pungayan) though I'm not a LisQuen fan. =D

~GDA