Baguio – Shainne Hostalero

2015 Year-End Ramble: Baguio

Last touch for the year! Wooohooo! Sorry, couldn’t get over the excitement my short travel brought. Looking back, I have started this year with a travel – to Baguio – and eventually ended it in… Baguio.

Baguio has been that good serene place for me to explore but it is just recent that I got to explore lots of places there. Though I have not explored the place in its entirety still, I guess this has been a great start and a good spree to find the chance and the time to go back and traverse the place more next time.

My good friend and former housemate (parang PBB lang) Emily hosted me for the past 3 days and 2 nights of my stay. She religiously heading back to Baguio whenever there’s a long vacation because her relatives reside there. Lucky me that I got to stroll around the city with a local and a good friend, oh but of course.

I went to Victory Liner in Cubao, Quezon City on a Christmas day to buy tickets in advance for the next-week travel. I left the bus station around 6:00AM and set foot in Baguio around 2:00PM. The travel time was that looooong due to the volume of vehicles going up North for the holidays.

And so, the fun times have reigned:

Day 1

T-Bone Steak
Sizzling Plate, Baguio City

Travel time was kind of lengthy and I got two stopovers only. Since I wasn’t able to have my breakfast before the travel, the result of all these was inevitable: HUNGER

We went to Sizzling Plate – the one located in Carino Street, along the corner of Abanao Street and Kisad Road – and ordered some heavy late-lunch.

Oh My Gulay located at the Top Floor La Azotea Building along Session Road

Since my first day was still young, we explored some good places we could think of around the city. I must admit that the volume of tourist visiting the place this year-end was and still is tremendous. It was very unlikely during my 2015 New Year visit.

We couldn’t believe how this beautiful restaurant came out and set up at the top floor of a building. It was really commendable. The place was not crowded when we visited and everything seemed picture-perfect.

The place has a nice ark feature where people can enjoy a Baguio over-looking view and watch the sun as its set

Some goodies at the back of the Madame who was having her day-off

Baguio Sunset

Baguio’s temperature went all the way down to 16 degrees that night – though it was not the coldest being recorded but still it was really cold. We decided to break down some frozenness and looked a cozy place where we can have coffee. We wanted to make sure that it won’t be a usual coffee place we are used to go to in Quezon City.

Under The Tree Book Cafe
26 Baden Powell Inn, General Pack Road

We discovered a good (and warm) cafe with books! And post-it walls! And feelings! The messages we were able to read were really cute and mostly love-confessing. Umibig tayong lahat ng lubos! Push natin yan!

Can you read some of the ‘Uwi ka na. Hindi na ako galit’ messages? Hahaha!
Awesome wall!

Promptly took a bite because I can’t resist

If you will get the chance to drop by Under The Tree Book Cafe and would like to know what to try, I suggest you taste this combination – Strawberry Cheesecake + Cafe Mocha – comes in a very affordable price. This might be the best coffee-cheesecake combination I’ve ever tasted. The best Strawberry Cheesecake and Cafe Mocha sa balat ng lahat ng coffee shop na napuntahan ko!

Day 2

I woke up to a very very cold (understatement) Baguio. Taking a bath was a serious struggle but I have managed to survive anyway. Whatta lifetime achievement! Chos! A loooong good day was sure to come next.

I planned (even long before) and eventually fulfill and have made it to Baguio because I want to visit the BenCab Museum. I’ve been in various museums ever since – and thus, became my favorite place to chill out because… ~Art~

With that being said, I promised myself that I will not leave Baguio City (and/or Benguet, for that matter) without visiting the museum.

BenCab Museum
Km. 6, Asin Road, Tadiangan, Tuba, Benguet

Starting by January 2016, their Museum Entrace Fee will increase to, if I’m not mistaken, 20%
And please excuse my hand because it was thaaaaaaat cooooooold!

At the entrance

Sabel

BenCab Museum View

Truth be told, I couldn’t get enough of that amazing view. And even I, can’t believe my own eyes. I’ve been with various places where nature was at its peak and its the ultimate star – and so, this could be one of those treasured places I will keep in my gazillion-size memory storage of a lifetime (and even beyond that).

Strawberry fields forever at the BenCab Museum

Some of my favorite artworks from the museum:

Screaming Bulol (2015) by Leonard Aguinaldo
in Rubber Print

Meditation on White and Yellow Against Black (2015) an oil on canvass work of Marina Cruz

Bahala na si Batman (2015) an oil in canvass work of Azor Pazcoguin

This one is really incredible! A work of Yao Sampana
Beautiful Decay (20150
Oil on Canvass

Cordillera Gallery
This gallery showcases tribal artifacts and indigenous crafts of the Northern Philippine highlands

Basic (2005)
Oil on Canvass by Ronald Ventura

Spin Doctors
2008, Oil on Canvass
Joel Welbart Bartolome

Wow!
Mindscape: A Breeze of Expectancy II
2008, Oil on Canvass
by Justin Nuyda

Surreal

Emily and I enjoyed a brunch at BenCab Museum’s Cafe Sabel after the tour.

Home-made Longganisa at Cafe Sabel

From Tuba, Benguet, we headed back to the main city and decided to go to the next stop at Camp John Hay: the Bell House Museum.

One PINE day at Camp John Hay. Once a troll, always a troll.

Emily and the Bell Amphitheater

Since 1903

And if you’re feeling a little negative, burn it and leave it in 2015. The Cemetery of Negativism might be a good suggestion.

The weather was working well and we decided to stroll more around Camp John Hay. We also headed to The Manor after.

The Manor

Day 3

The past 2 days were really a blast. My third and last day came and it was slowly sinking in. I wanted to stay a little longer but I also needed to be in time for the New Year’s celebration at home with my folks. So before I head back to Manila, we dined in at Cafe By The Ruins for a more Baguio vibes.

Cafe By The Ruins
located at 25 Shuntug Road, Baguio City

Morning coffee with that sugar

Tapa for breakfast

And before finally heading back to Manila. One last glimpse:

Burnham Park

2015 is coming to an end whether we like it or not. We don’t know how 2016 will work but hopes are high! And we must make the new year fun, happy, and in content. Yahoooooo!

Happy New Year, everyone! Manalig!

Baguio 2015

Our family went to Baguio last January 1st and I must say that this was our first for this year (or in such a long time.)

Often times these days, families get together when someone’s sick or worst, someone faced death. It happened and perhaps this is our way of making up for the lost and wasted time.

My family, I can say, is crazy. We don’t agree on much of the things like other families but I guess, sticking to it is the secret. Bound by different personalities, choices in life and beliefs, we kept it loud, clear, nonvocal yet true and fun. We were never showy but that does not mean we can never be.

We’ve had way too many photos but these are my faves.

Cousins who used to be babies are soon to be taller than me

Holy Week 2014: Sagada Tour

April 16 – 19, 2014; Banaue – Sagada – Benguet

Now that the year is soon to be over, I finally found time to blog about my 2014 adventures. I know that these might not be glamorous like the others but these adventures made me see myself and how life should be despite of the challenges, sadness and all negativity. Amen!

Banaue – Sagada -Benguet tour could be one of the most unforgettable trip I had in my entire life. I spent it with awesome friends and of course my bestfriend included. This trip was meant to be enjoyed and somehow forget – nature is indeed the best answer and a remedy to cure a broken heart! Hahaha! It made me realized that there was more to life than visions of how things you want them to be. Because somehow, what we want is not always what we need. You just have to take it all in!

We left Quezon City around 6:00 or 7:00PM then on with the road. The travel lasted for 16 hours, stops included. Then the next day, we dropped by in Banaue to see the Rice Terraces. It was kinda foggy because it rained; the weather was so nice though roads were kind of slippery.

Anne, Rara and I (Photo by Carlo)

Right after Banaue, we went straight to Sagada. It was the main destination for the trip and I tell you what, Sagada is really really beautiful. It felt like a dream! The people were nice and very accommodating; the weather was colder than Baguio and everything felt like a scene from a certain movie. We went caving (until our bodies ache), went trekking (more sore came up) and went to see the Hanging Coffins. Sagada is actually rich in tradition, and it was good to know that they still keep those traditions up until today.

What a wonderful way to repent, enjoy and seek adventure last Holy Week.

Day 1:

View from our Hotel! Who wouldn’t love to see that kind of beauty everyday?

Sagada

I remember he asked me if we can have a picture together because he was wearing a Banaue/Sagada traditional wear and followed it through by telling me that he was not charging or looking for a payment. He was nice! He told us that he just want us to have a memorable vacation even if it is just in a photo because he can’t give us anything as a souvenir.

My faith in humanity was restored. That was one of the main reasons why our Sagada tour was so memorable to me. I don’t need any souvenir, His kindness and hospitality were more than enough.

On our way to do some caving. We didn’t know what body soreness was coming up! Hahaha!

To Sumaging Cave

On the way to Sumaging Cave

Coffins inside Sumaging Cave – not us! The ones behind!

The Cave Adventure begins!

Stop over!

Going through holes!

Finally! We spent almost 5 hours to reach the end of the Cave.

All wet and tired but happy! We made it!

Day 2:

Trekking all the way to Bomod-ok Falls with our van mates!

Trekking with out resident tourist guide who seemed to be 50+ years old but treks way better than us!

See that way?

It was 12 noon, the sun was up but it was so cold in Sagada

With the bff!

Glimpse of how the water in Sagada was like. The falls supplies the water in Sagada!

Hanging bridge all the way to the other side of the world! Hahaha!

Happy looking people!

Finally! The Bomod-ok Falls!

Hanging Coffins! Traditionally, they used to bury their their dead loved ones and hang their coffins on the cave. The higher the position of the coffin, the higher their place or rank in the society.