My Vacation At The Summer Capital Of The Philippines

I was fourteen years old when I first went to this place. That instant, I fell in love with this place. This place is the summer capital of the Philippines, the home of Philippines strawberries, and the famous Panagbenga Festival. This is Baguio City and also  called "Pines City."

Me in traditional Igorot costume

Baguio is on the Philippines' Luzon Island, a mountain town of resorts and prestigious universities. Many people coming here during summer because of the unusually cool weather. This time, I want to relate my story about my holiday in Baguio with my husband.

a faded photo with my very close friend, taken at PMA Baguio

a warm stay here

my Dutch husband feeling so cold in Baguio :)

I also went to Baguio many years ago with my sister, cousin, and friends. We stayed at a friend's house for free. There was also a time that I went there alone, trying to find myself, attempting to find any true love, but what I found was, flowers, trees, and fog.
Me and my husband have a holiday in Baguio. We stayed at Tiptop Baguio Vacation Homes. The owners became our good friends up to this day.

Lunch at Sizzling Plate

street parade, Panagbenga

Baguio's points of interest are: The Burnham Park, The Mines View Park, Camp John Hay, and the Botanical Garden. The Burnham park has gardens and a lake where visitors can rent a boat and paddle around. I think among these places, I love Camp John Hay the most. The Burnham Park is now very crowded. In Camp John Hay, I relished the wide open space, the park, the garden, and the pine trees.

in traditional costume, Panagbenga

Panagbenga

It was a month of February when we have our holiday there. Just on time for the Panagbenga Festival. Panagbenga is a month long annual festival in Baguio. From what I read on the news at InterAksyon.com, Panagbenga draws more than one million people. When we were there, I have seen that it is true. I have never seen that crowd coming to the top of the mountain to attend a festival. The visitors coming from all over the Philippines.
It was like a chaos for us. All restaurants are full, all public transports are occupied, I got an aching feet because we walked long back to the hotel.

my husband, Mines View

one of my captured, Botanical Garden

Swan boat, Burnham Park

Mines View 

When you are in Baguio, the Session Road is the main thoroughfare. The street where you can have an access to shops, restaurants, and entertainments. I have seen how time changed Baguio. One of the changes is, Baguio is also now famous because of its extensive range of ukay-ukay. Ukay-ukay is a Filipino term for second hand items. When we went there, there is a big building, selling all second hand items. Many people even from far places like Manila, go in Baguio for branded or not branded ukay-ukay.

Panagbenga is only one of some festivals in Baguio to rediscover the culture and customs of indigenous people. Until now, you can see many Igorots in Baguio wearing their traditional clothes. You can have a souvenir photo wearing their traditional clothes, I think for 200 or 300 pesos.

where we stayed, Tiptop Baguio Vacation Homes

at The Mansion

at the festival

We enjoyed our stayed there. My husband who was born in a cold country felt how cold the climate at that place. We found lifetime friends during our stay there, although I did not find a chance to see again some of my old friends there.

goodbye for now, Baguio.

We are planning to visit Baguio on our upcoming holiday in the Philippines. Maybe we will extend our trip up to the famous Banaue Rice Terraces. For now, I have again some photos to share closing my blog recommending the Tiptop Baguio Vacation Homes. The home of a good friend.