Cool Baguio

This was just my 4th time. "So what, it's my 1st," quips Kechap, a real/fictitious pet (?) name of one of my companions. Take note that this quote has been modified for literary purposes.

Yes, there are people who actually haven't been to this city of pines, and yes, i can blame them.

How can i? It's a mere 6-hour bus ride with 2 stop-overs (so, u can do your thing, among other things, if u know what i mean). But bring your trusty loperamide, just in case.

You may also bring baon along the way if you're not too keen on bus station food. Our ring leader for this trip brought grilled chicken and spaghetti. How appropriate!

Along the way, there was a little zigging and zagging as we traversed, i was told, Marcos highway. I'm afraid of heights so the darkness served as good cover for the steep (?) peaks. I should've have brought Bonamin too. I settled for my melon-flavored candies and pretended to sleep while whispering a prayer. How come everybody was asleep except me?

By 3:00am, Victory at last--i mean, the bus station. Now, I could really feel the cold.... and it felt cool (also figuratively) and exciting (still). Was it the place or the company i keep? Nonetheless, i was in cool Baguio!

Warm breaths on your palms, snapshots, flashes of lights, etc, etc; conspicuously feeling like "tourists among the purists," hehehe.

Our accomodations were practically just a stone's throw away from the station and we gladly, boisterously walked our way there, never mind the time and the cold--in between snapshots, of course.

The apartelle was called Tulip, just beside a famous complex of music bars/joints called Nevada Square. Hmmm, how convenient! Now i know where to grab my Red Horse come midnight.

We tried to catch some sleep immediately after finishing our baon (or what's left of it). A few hours later, we were at Session Road for brunch. We all had Mongolian eat-all-u-can (at a resto called Gobi, i think). It was like getting a full tank of gas for a whole day's drive (i.e., our itinerary). I had two bowls--a bowl of rice and meat and vegetables and tofu, and a bowl of noodles and meat and vegetables and tofu.... in that order. I have never felt so stuffed in my entire life. It's like fatted cattle being led to slaughter. I think i may have to take something later for dyspepsia. Burp.

From there, we walked to (we had to, after that eat-like-there's-no-tomorrow brunch) SM City Baguio.... a mall.... ta-dah! Since i've always thought of the U.S. as Mickey Mouse country, am i correct in declaring that the Philippines is fast becoming SM country? Notice most Philippine key cities now have SM cities. **Shivers** But i digress.... moving along....

Now what would Baguio be without a visit to Mines View Park? I was feeling familiar already and excited (maybe just a little) as i was entering the park--it was exactly the same "balcony" (i.e., the viewing area) i visited years ago. Indeed, the more things change, the more things stay the same. And that goes for the banana ques as well (being sold by street vendors near the park entrance/exit). They were actually the same banana (pun intended) but somehow, it was fried to perfection in caramelized sugar. Yum! It was the best banana que ever, best thing since sliced bread.

From one park to the next--we then went to Burnham Park! Time for corn--king corn, i called them. I thought they were huge, and a little hard on the teeth. How about some strawberry taho on the side? And being at Burnham park, u either get a boat ride, a bike ride, or both. Naturally and quite sensibly, i didn't want anything but my picture taken. **Poses**

It has been very cold all throughout the day, and our itinerary was marred by intermittent rains. Turns out there was a storm brewing and Baguio was under signal no. 1, i think--and so was Metro Manila. That would explain the extreme cold (though i was told i haven't seen nothin' yet) and fog on the streets. "It's not unlike San Francisco," says our well-traveled (?) and uber-cultured (????) ring leader, Jiji (obviously not his real name, hehehe).

So all in all.... the whole day literally had us strolling in the park (2 parks).

But the sad thing is, that was technically our last day in Baguio, as we'd be Manila-bound the following day. Boo-hoo. Yup, it was bitin.... wish we could have stayed longer and seen more (with pics to boot) of Baguio. Despite time catching us flat-footed, it was all worth it. Baguio has always been and will always be about the (bed) weather and the fantastic view from the top. **Plays Kylie Minogue's "I'm So High"**

T'was a cool experience, ring leader. Thanks for the guided tour and footing the cab fare (some of it, anyway). Beautiful resolution on your camera, Kechap. When do we see them goddam pics? The same goes to Lava's camera. Thanks for the prompt pics upload. And to (my) charmed one, Phoebe, thanks for the warm blanket, our little piece of home with its familiar smell of home. Just not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing--the smell, i mean. Hmmm....

Anyway, it was good to finally get away (far) for the week-end! And for the first time in years, i was blowing smoke even without cigarette in hand.