Summer's heat would certainly make one
want to escape to beautiful beaches, to bury one's feet in the sand, take a dip
in the cool waters and have a relaxing massage by the beach. In my case, summer brings to mind my
memorable vacation in Baguio, which without doubt is one of the perfect places
to be in during this hot season. I traveled with the tourism officers of Iloilo and let me share with you our grand experience
in the summer capital of the country as we toured the different tourist
destinations that the city is proud of.
CAMP JOHN
HAY
We arrived
late in the afternoon so we had to go straight to Mile Hi Inn, a simple yet
clean and functional hotel at Camp John Hay where we stayed overnight. Just like in any other hotel in Baguio, our
room has no air condition, yet we slept with our blankets wrapped tightly around us since the night was so chilly.
The next
day, we woke up early to experience the city’s foggy morning which is
quite a marvel. After a full breakfast,
we were all full of energy and excitement as we headed out to start our tour. On our way out of Camp John Hay, we were
quite charmed by the pine tree-lined roads, beautiful landscaping and wide open
spaces. The place used to be the rest
and recreation facility for American soldiers but it now features a world-class
golf course, hotels, shopping centers and convention center. It is one of the “must-see” places in the
city.
LOURDES
GROTTO
Our first
stop was the Lourdes Grotto, one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in Baguio,
and was constructed to commemorate the visions of the Virgin Mary by a French
girl named Bernadette Soubirous in 1858.
Located in Mirador Hill, we had to climb more than 250 steps to
reach the grotto. It may be a place of prayer, but don’t expect to get some peace and
quiet as many locals and tourists visit the place. It was a bustling place but still we had to say our prayers for a safe trip. Next came the challenge of the climb down. God knows I
need the exercise.
THE MANSION
We visited The
Mansion which is the official summer residence of the President of the
Philippines. Formerly called the Mansion
House, this imposing white edifice is located along C.P. Romulo Drive, and
is right across Wright Park, one of the leisure parks in the city. It was built in 1908 as the summer house of
American governor-generals and was destroyed during the battle for the
liberation of the country in 1945. It
was later rebuilt and used by the different presidents of the Philippines from
then on. Today, it is one of Baguio’s
famous and most photographed landmarks.
PHILIPPINE
MILITARY ACADEMY
Located at
Fort Gregorio del Pilar on Loakan Road is the Philippine Military Academy, the
country’s best military school and training ground for future officers of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines. We
explored the beautifully landscaped grounds and saw vintage tanks and military
weapons on display in the manicured lawns.
As we roamed around, we can’t help but admire the perfect posture of
cadets who passed us by. My friend,
Conchita, was lucky enough to have her picture taken flanked by two cadets who
looked very dashing in their uniforms. We
also went to see the museum where different military artifacts are on display,
and souvenir items such as shirts, mugs and caps are sold. After the tour, we had a rare chance of
seeing cadets performing their drills as our bus headed out of the facility.
 |
| Conchita with two of the future defenders of our country. |
MINES VIEW
PARK
Mines View
Park is among the coolest parts of the City of Pines as it is located 1,500
above sea level.
From its view deck, we were awed by the breathtaking
mountain ranges. What made the place more interesting are the Igorot boys who effortlessly run up and down
the steep wall of granite below the viewing deck, convincing the visitors to
throw coins for them to catch. We also
had our picture taken with an Igorot for a fee.
There was a horse where one can sit on and have one's picture taken, also
for a fee. However, we decided to forgo
it because, for starters, the horse looks so grungy, and secondly we were
already excited to start our shopping spree as pasalubong centers are just a walking
distance away. Of course, I bought bottles
and bottles of my favorite strawberry jam. Nobody should go home without this very
sweet and yummy stuff.
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| At the Mines View Park |
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