Every year, we go to Baguio; it's an official stay.  I've been there for 2 straight years but I forgot to finish my Baguio adventures last year, so I'll start, again, for the year 2010.

     My memory's quite bad, but I can still remember what we did because of the photos I took.

     We went to the Pink Sisters, prayed inside where we could see the pink sisters praying, too.  I think they take turns and the sisters pray 24 hours.  We also wrote our petitions on a piece of parchment.

     Not surprisingly, I saw a taho vendor selling strawberry-flavored taho and not just the regular one.  It was so sweet but you do get strawberry pieces.

     We tried walking inwards the street where the Pink Sister's convent is located and we passed by some great looking condominiums.  Apparently, Brent School (International) is located there.

     As I have previously blogged, we stayed at the Manor in Camp John Hay.  Since we're staying there, we went to the Bell House and paid a minimal fee to get inside the premises.  According to the Camp John Hay website, he Bell House used to be the vacation quarters of the Commanding General of the Philippines.  It now serves as a modern museum of colonial architecture and lifestyle.  

     

     There's something weird, though, at the Bell House Compound: this totem pole made by  Ernesto Dul-ang.  Kinda creepy.

     In the Bell House compound, another interesting structure lies: the Bell Amphitheater.  Apparently, this structure was designed by and named in honor of General J. Franklin Bell.  Moreover, according to the Camp John Hay website, the Amphitheater serves as an engineering marvel, allowing for good acoustics and is an excellent venue for concerts and other performances.

     If you're at the Bell House, don't forget to stop by at the Cemetery of Negativism, the symbolic burial place of negativism, said to be man's greatest self-imposed infliction, his most limiting factor, and his heaviest burden.

     

     We stayed in Baguio for 3 days and 2 nights, so we had ample time to visit the Philippine Military Academy which is a little far from the city center.  We saw a lot of cadets making their daily run at the PMA.

  

   

     We also dropped by the Mansion, the President's official summer house.

     For pasalubong, we bought the famed raisin bread from our next-door neighbor, the Baguio Country Club.

  

     Of course, we didn't forget to buy goodies like ube jam, strawberry jam and brittle nut from the Good Shepherd convent. Their garden's full of pretty flowers!

     

     I'm at The Manor in Camp John Hay, a neighbor of the Baguio Country Club.  We came here yesterday and we'll be staying until tomorrow.

     I woke up early today; I don't know why my mind told me to get out of bed.  When I opened my eyes, dawn was here!  I got excited and took out my camera and took pictures outside our room's balcony.  I waited for the sunrise and it did not disappoint me.  Sunrise and morning light are awesome!

     We went to Baguio last May.  Suffice it to say that it was work-related, although it was more like a yearly Baguio vacation than work.  Still, our presence was required; we just needed to make sure that we're seen and afterward, we're off to enjoy Baguio on our own.

     For accommodation, we were billeted at the Manor in Camp John Hay because nobody wanted to stay at the old, service house that was provided for us.  For one, it was creepy.  Who knows if ghosts abound.  Ha!  Anyway, it was my second time to stay at the Manor and I was glad to see that it was undergoing a face lift and that the garden at the back was revamped. Besides, if I wanted to "scout" for ghosts, then I'd better do it in style. Heh.  The downside to staying at the Manor, aside from the cost, is its seclusion.  If you don't have a car, then good luck to you.  The good thing?  The Manor promises both rest, relaxation and community with nature.  Plus, if you know how to play golf, you're in luck.  There's a golf course at Camp John Hay.

     Looking back, I realized that we hardly did anything on our first day in Baguio.  We spent the morning resting because we were tired from the four or so hours trip up north.  We had lunch a restaurant a few steps from the Manor, and then we rested, again.  Yup, that happens when you're traveling with a large group.  You end up resting over and over again.

     We had nothing else to do so we decided to go to SM Baguio.  How weird is that?  It's not a tourist spot but we went there.  Funny, really.  That's what happens when girls travel together: they end up in the malls.

     Good thing that one of our peers suggested that we go to a coffee shop called Cafe by the Ruins.  We didn't know where it was, only that it was near Burnham Park but we asked some locals around, including some officers in uniform, for directions. By the time we found the Cafe, it was already dark.  I didn't buy anything from there but I just took pictures inside.  It was quaint, sort of like a cafe with an enclosed outdoor dining area.  According to my companions, the pastries they bought were delicious.  

     Of course, we had to end our day early because we had nothing else to do.  I managed to get out of our room and take pictures at the Manor's back garden.  It was really beautiful and enchanting at night.  It was nice to walk around the garden at night while wistfully hoping for some cute guy to keep me company.  Lol!