White Shoes and Blue Jeans: Brrr Birthday Baguio

I always thought the trip to Baguio will be a challenge. I have no idea why a six-hour ride was holding me back while I have braved multiple times 8-hour (turned 10-hour) bus rides to Bagasbas, Camarines Norte.

Luckily, Gela, my college bestfriend and Baguio travel buddy, introduced me to the joy of Joy Bus riding. It's the deluxe transport from Genesis Bus Company with lazy boys, a toilet, blankets and complimentary snacks which travels direct from Pasay or Cubao to Baguio with no stops, estimating travel time from 5 to 6 hours.

We stayed at Hotel 45 on the first night. Their room was among the cheapest hotel rooms we can find at P1100/night. We found a hotel near the bus terminals at P800/night but that was quite dingy so we opted for Hotel 45.

We checked out after the first night and moved to a homestay in Asin Road, Brgy San Luis. We stayed at a 2 bedroom house and rented one room at 600/night with a shared bathroom. The other room was unoccupied so we had the house to ourselves. The place had a kitchen, tv, sofa... whatever. It was a house. The best amenity is this view:

As though the world greeted you "Good Morning."

The first thing we noticed about Baguio was the road etiquette. Near the pedestrian lanes, signs say: Mandatory 5 second stop. Motorists give way to pedestrians.

There is no need for jaywalking because there are pedestrian lanes everywhere.

I was quite surprised with how silent session road was considering the traffic. Noone honks. We asked the cab driver if it was not permitted. He said it is, but if you do, other drivers will look at you. (Pagtitinginan ka.) It's taboo.

I always thought Session Road will be home to many bars with bands, artists, and reggae singers... It seems, I was at the wrong place in Baguio.

There was one place though. A simple drinking place that featured a lot of great voices. It was the place right under Oh My Gulay in Azotea. I couldn't remember the name of the place, forgive me. I was tired from work the night before and didn't get much sleep from a pretty quick bus ride. And all other inexcusable excuses. I will be back there, take lots of photos, get a couple of drinks and listen to the music.

Baguio is a location for so many good eats.

Commercial food places like KFC, McDonald's, Starbucks, Jollibee, Yellow Cab etcetera swarms the place but i vowed not to be tempted by the familiar!

So many local places to eat at! I think you can stay for two weeks without at eating at the same place twice!

Kiwi Cakes and Pastry Shop near Mines View Park

Rumah Sate @ Ketchup Community near Wright Park

Good Taste between Burnham Park and Session Road

Cafe at 2nd level, SM Baguio

Vegetarian Pizza from Pizza Volante at Session Road

Breakfast at Pizza Volante, Session Road

Pizza Volante also has branches in Camp John Hay and near Ketchup Community and Wright Park

Pasta at Pizza Volante

Breakfast at Cafe by the Ruins, near Baguio City Hall

Strawberry Taho =)

I loved all the places we ate at.

All were inexpensive, except, I'm sorry, Cafe by the Ruins. Most of the places will get you a meal from P100 to P150. Cafe by the Ruins is on a different price range true to its being a cafe. Prices similar to CBTL.

The food was great. Pizza, pasta, cakes, rice and viand, noodles. Love em all :)

Of course, why go to Baguio without going to the famous spots eh?

And so we heard mass at the Baguio Cathedral, went for a stroll in Burnham Park, pretended to be members of the Philippine Rowing Team on one of the swans in the man-made lake, took a photo of the Baguio City Hall just because, got ourselves amazed with the artworks at Tam-awan and Arko ni Apo, walked from the Camp John Hay Technohub up to the Bell House Secret Garden and had our customary photo at the Mines View Park viewing deck, in front of the Mansion and at Wright park with the pine trees as back drop.

Of all the places we visited, I loved Tam-awan Village the best. I loved the paintings, and there are so many of them.

There was a small room there which was the Bugnay Gallery that I was initially discouraged to enter because it seemed small from the outside and I'm not really a fan of small space. For the heck of it, I entered it just the same and was pleasantly surprised to see a full wall of artwork that I loved.

You know how, in a gallery, you usually like one or two paintings on a wall? Well, this wall, I liked everything. The whole Bugnay Gallery does not appeal to me, I'm not into modern abstract art with smiley stickers, but this wall, definitely.

Tam-awan Village will be among the places I'll return for as I will want to stare longer at the paintings.

We couldn't go strawberry picking as it was off-season so that's something in store for the next trip as well -same as an Oh My Gulay breakfast, lunch and dinner at the other restaurants in Ketchup Community and a night out at Bohemian on Session Road.

There's definitely a lot to come back for. So, see you again, Baguio ;)