Destination: Baguio

Lil and I woke up early to check out all the tourist sites before we had to checkout at noon. Red Lion Inn provides free breakfast of any "-silogs" you want (which was great for us penny pinchers).

After asking for directions from a Red Lion staff, we hailed a jeepney to go to Mines View Park (Php7.50). Compared to the last time I was there, I didn't have to fight my way to get a decent picture taken. We were early enough that we beat tourists to the area. However, just like my last trip, I really don't find Mines View Park spectacular. After all, where the hell are the mines that I was supposed to view? I saw more mines on our way up here from La Union.

The usual Php10 horse photo-op was there, but we didn't give in. Instead, we opted for the Mines View sign and the sunflowers background.

Next stop was The Mansion (Php7.50). The jeep was not supposed to go there directly, but I guess since we were the only passengers at that time, the driver decided to go on that route instead so we were able to get dropped off right in front of The Mansion. Woot. Again, it was early enough that we were the only tourists there. Woot woot.

We walked across to Wright Park where we had to be imaginative of what to take pictures of. It's all about coming up with right poses. HaHa!

We saw the ponies and their pony boys after walking down the flight of stairs. I'm sorry, but that place stinks, literally. It's a good thing that the ponies with the pink mane aren't maarte (I do wonder though if they are girls) and aren't throwing a fit about the smelliness of the place.

Saving one jeepney ride, we trooped down to the Baguio Botanical Garden to take a picture of...the sign. We knew the place was nothing spectacular so we just decided to take a picture with the sign outside. Can you say turista? This is where an Igorot woman was feeling artista and wanted to get in the picture with me. I kept telling her no, but she wouldn't stop. Afterwards, she kept insisting that we took a picture of her anyway. Uh, Ma'am, if you looked like Christian Bautista, may chance pa na mangyari yun. ;P

One of the places that I've never been to in Baguio was the Philippine Military Academy. After getting clear instructions from a passerby (Baguio-enos, or whatever you call people from Baguio, are the most helpful with directions), we rode a jeepney (Php7.50) to Burnham Park where we rode another jeepney to go to PMA (Php14.50).

I left my ID in Red Lion so I thought I wouldn't be able to get in, but it turned out that you only need one person in your party to leave his/her ID at the gate. Score! The jeepney dropped us off at the heart of PMA, in front of Melchor Hall.

When I got there, I told Lil, "If the government can make all our streets looking like the ones in PMA, our country would look great!" The PMA grounds can compete with the Fort Ilocandia Resort grounds in aesthetic appeal.

I found the PMA Museum weird with its Caucasian mannequins (couldn't we find Filipino-looking ones?). Then, I thought about if the U.S. and the Philippines went to war, the Philippines would lose hands down since everything that the Philippines knows, they learned from the Americans. Lil then reminded me, "And that's why we try to avoid starting a war with them."

I saw the sign for the "Chivalry Battalion" which got me smiling. I'd like to meet the soldiers from that battalion, please. HaHa!

I posed "at rest" in front of a building and two soldiers passed by and said that I should be saluting instead. I took that opportunity to ask them for a photo-op. I told them that they had to salute, too, but I guess that was pushing it. If I had a choice, though, I had wanted a picture with the "hiking" soldiers, the ones with backpacks on them that I saw hiking on the side streets on our way to the PMA. Rawr. HaHa!

When I saw the PMA Information Center, I got excited thinking that they had a map to provide, but all they had were t-shirts. I gave in and bought one (Now I have a UP shirt, a PMA shirt, and still no Ateneo shirt).

While riding the jeepney on our way to Melchor Hall, we saw a couple of landmarks and Lilian and I decided to walk back towards those...which eventually led us back to the front gate. When we got to the Gregorio del Pilar statue near the entrance, an army jeep passed us by and told us to go around to the other side--we were walking on the wrong side of the road. I kept my mouth shut and just did what I was told. I wouldn't want to start any wars, you know. Hence, I didn't get to read the plaque located in front of the statue. Dammit!

By the time we got back to Burnham Park, it was nearing 12PM already so we had to go back to Red Lion to checkout. I still have not been to the Grotto of 262 steps! Grr! I had also wanted to go to Natividad to check out the strawberry fields, but I guess it's not meant to be this time around.

After checking out, we went back to SM Baguio, by way of taxi. We had been wondering how much the base rate was and to satisfy our curiosity, we rode one to the top of the hill. It turned out that the base fare was Php25; Php5 less than in Manila.

We checked out Baguio Cathedral after lunch since it was just a stone's throw away from SM. Then, we headed for the bus terminal. When we got there, a bus leaving for Cubao was pulling out so we hopped on board. I didn't get to buy any Choco flakes or cavity-inducing peanut brittle, but I guess my body will thank me later.

The Dagupan Bus terminal in Cubao was full of people when we got there at 9PM. It was a zoo! It's one thing to see the news reports of crowds on TV, but it was another to be around the mayhem. I wouldn't want to be in Baguio during Holy Week!

And that's the end of my Northern Luzon trip--No rice terraces, no Igorots, no mummies. HuHuHu. I'm still trying to scheme something though for right after my S.E. Asia trip and before I leave for Seattle. Anyone want to come with me to the Cordilleras?