DIY Trip to Baguio Day 2

                         It was really nice to sleep in Baguio because of the cool weather but I dragged myself early in the morning to go to Camp John Hay. The place was really awesome, I loved its serenity. I was wondering why there's almost no one around during that time when I realized it's because of the Grand Float Parade happening in front of SM Baguio, I forgot! T.T

                         Ang sarap talaga matulog sa Baguio dahil sa malamig na hangin pero pinilit ko pa din pumuntang Camp John Hay kinaumagahan. Ang ganda ng lugar, sobrang nagustuhan ko din and katahimikan. Nagtataka ko kung bakit halos walang tao nung oras na yun nang maalala kong kasalukuyang dinadaos and Grand Float Parade sa harap ng SM Baguio, nalimutan ko! T.T

                        We rode on a jeepney going to the event right away. I honestly didn't know the exact place but everyone is going to the same direction so I just followed them. In a few steps, I started seeing the flamboyant floats of Panagbenga Festival.

                        Sumakay kami agad ng jeepney papunta sa event. Sa totoo lang, di ko alam ang saktong lugar pero papunta sa iisang direksyon ang mga tao kaya sinundan ko na lang din. Di kalayuan, nakita ko na ang makukulay at magagarbong float ng Panagbenga. 

                         Very nice! Each float has its own theme, they are accompanied by people dressed in different costumes. Some of them are celebrities so they really made the audience go crazy in cheering.

                         Sobrang galing! Bawat isang float ay may sariling tema, meron ding mga kasamang tao na nakasuot ng iba't ibang costume. Yung iba sa kanila mga artista kaya di magkamayaw ang mga tao sa pagsigaw.

                        By the way, the reason behind the start of Panagbenga Festival is to give happiness to many Filipinos especially to Baguio residents who lost their loved ones and properties due to the 1990 Luzon earthquake. True enough, it has been serving its purpose well because of the happiness it brings not just to the residents of Baguio but to the visitors as well.

                       Ang tunay na dahilan baket sinimulan ang Panagbenga Festival ay para magbigay saya sa mga Pinoy lalo na sa mga tiga-Baguio na nawalan ng mga mahal sa buhay at ariarian matapos ang lindol sa Luzon noong 1990. Sadya ngang nagbibigay saya ito hindi lang sa mga resident ng Baguio kundi pati na rin sa mga dumadayong panauhin.

                     
                        Growing up in Manila, it was so unusual for me to see beautiful flowers so everything I saw there was an eye-candy. This roaring-three-headed-lion really caught many people's attention. It was both great and scary!

                        Dahil laki sa Maynila, hindi ako sanay makakita ng magagandang bulaklak (maliban na lang kung pupunta sa Dangwa,haha) kaya ganun na lang ang pagkabighani ko sa mga nakita. Umagaw ng pansin ng maraming tao ang ingay ng lion na ito na may tatlong ulo. Nakakatakot pero napakalupet talaga ng pagkakagawa.

                                                     This tiger was probably the star of the event.

                                                       Ang tigre na ito marahil ang star ng event.

                         Since there were many tourists, police visibility is very obvious anywhere during the festival.

                         Dahil madaming turista, kitangkita din ang mga nagkalat na pulis nung fiesta.

                         After the parade ended, we headed to the Philippines Military Academy (PMA). It was nice to see the uniform clad young soldiers who look so excited to see new faces.

                        Pagkatapos ng parada, nagpunta kami ng PMA. Nakakatuwang makitang ang mga nakaunipormeng batang sundalo na mukhang sabik makakita ng mga bagong mukha.

                        At PMA, visitors enjoy taking pictures with military displays such as that huge canon above and this military tank below.

                       Sa PMA, masayang nagpipiktyur ang mga bisita kasama ng mga gamit ng militar tulad ng kuha ng kanyon sa itaas at tangke sa ibaba.

                         The last place I visited during my stay in Baguio is the strawberry field in La Trinidad (which is actually in another city. It's pretty far and it's quite hard to ride on a jeepney but to anyone who is excited to see a strawberry farm, it's definitely worth to go here.

                         Ang huling lugar na binisita ko sa Baguio ay ang strawberry  field sa La Trinidad (na nasa kabilang city na). Medyo malayo at mahirap sumakay ng jeepney pero ayos lang kung talagang desidido kang makakita ng strawberry farm. 

DIY Trip to Baguio .5

                         After two hours of looking at Panagbenga Festival on the internet, I finally decided to go to Baguio.  Straight from work, we went to Victory Liner Pasay bus terminal on a Friday night. I was surprised to see the unbelievable number of people who were waiting for the buses bound to Baguio. We had no choice but to avail the 6am trip tickets but as “chance passengers”, we were able to ride on the bus after about 20 minutes of waiting.  The bus conductors were really strict on time (bravo because that is honestly almost unusual in the Philippines) so late passengers missed their reserved seats. The only downside was chance passengers and late passengers have to pay 10% more. Tickets are 450 pesos for regular buses and 700 pesos for deluxe buses, the latter offers bigger space, wifi access and some snacks but I still chose the former.

                         Matapos kong tignan ng dalawang oras sa internet ang Panagbenga Festival, pinagpasiyahan ko na din pumunta ng Baguio. Diretso galing sa trabaho, nagpunta kami ng Victory Liner Pasay bus terminal ng Biyernes ng gabi. Nagulat ako sa dami ng tao na naghihintay sa mga bus papuntang Baguio. Wala kaming choice kundi bumili ng 6am ticket pero bilang "Chance passengers", nakasakay kami agad sa bus pagkatapos maghintay ng mga 20 minuto. Mahigpit ang mga konduktor pagdating sa oras (bravo dahil hindo ito karaniwan sa Pilipinas) kaya iniwanan na ang mga late na pasahero. Kaya lang kailangan magbayad ng mga chance passengers at late passengers ng 10% na dagdag. 450pesos and tiket para sa regular buses at 700pesos naman sa deluxe buses, mas malaki ang espasyo,may wifi at snacks na rin ang sa deluxe pero mas pinili ko pa din ang regular.

                         At exactly 11pm, we left the terminal and started our 6 hour long trip. We had a short stopover in Tarlac so some passengers bought food and went to the toilet. I was quite exhausted so I slept, I woke up when we were already in Baguio because I started feeling how the bus go through the zigzag roads of the City of Pines. In a few minutes, I stepped down the bus and felt rejuvenated because of the sudden rush of Baguio’s famous cool wind.  This is it! Good morning Summer Capital of the Philippines!

                       Saktong 11 pm nang simulan namin ang 6 na oras na biyahe. Huminto kami saglit sa Tarlac kaya bumili ng pagkaen at nagCR ang iba. Pagod ako kaya natulog ako at nagising na lang nung nasa Baguio na dahil naramdaman ko ang paglikoliko ng bus sa zigzag na daanan ng City of Pines. Matapos ang ilang minuto, bumaba ako ng bus at nabuhayan sa biglang dampi ng kilalalang preskong hangin ng Baguio. This is it! Magandang umaga summer capital of the Philippines!

                        We followed other passengers, we seriously didn't have any idea on where we were heading.  The first thing that we thought of was buying tickets for returning to Manila because I’d be dead if I couldn't go home on Monday morning since I didn't take a leave of absence at work.  On our way to the ticket booths, we saw a couple of taho vendors. Taho is a common hot drink in the morning in the Philippines; it is made of soy beans, arnibal (brown sugar and Vanilla syrup) and tapiocas. To my surprise, Baguio’s taho have something unusual in it. It has strawberries! Yes, they mixed those sweet fruits in the arnibal (melted sugar and water)  and it made Baguio’s taho really delicious, unique and satisfying.  I love taho because I always feel stuffed after drinking it. It’s good enough to warm my stomach so I no longer need a full breakfast.

                        Sumunod lang kami sa ibang pasahero, di talaga namin alam kung san pupunta. Una lang namin naisip ang pagbayad ng tiket pabalik ng Maynila dahil lagot ako kapag di ako nakauwi ng Lunes ng umaga dahil di naman ako nagLOA. Habang naglalakad papunta sa bilihan ng tiket, nakakita ko ng mga nagbebenta ng taho. May kakaiba sa taho sa Baguio, may strawberries! Ansarap, kakaiba at sulit na sulit!

Photo credits to the owner

                         After buying return tickets, we hailed a taxi to Upper Scout Barrio. I was happy that the taxi fare cost 35 pesos only, yeyness! That time I’m sure I was far from Manila, flat rate in Baguio is only 25 pesos, happy me!  The room where we stayed made me happier; it’s nice and comfy, it has its own toilet and we can freely cook outside. Outstanding for 250 pesos per person!


                         Pagkabili ng tiket, tumawag kami ng taxi papuntang Upper Scout Barrio. Natuwa ako sa 35pesos na pamasahe sa taxi! Naramdaman kong malayo talaga ko sa Maynila dahil 25pesos lang ang flat rate sa Baguio. Mas naligayahan pa pala ako sa room na nakuha namin; maayos, komportable, may sariling CR at pwedeng magluto sa labas. Sobrang ok sa 250 pesos kada taong bayad!

Photo taken from the Guesthouse's website