BAGUIO - like an old flame!

While everyone else is busy being mushy and imagining how to make their valentines dates one of a kind. Me and my friends were “grilling” a trip that’s twice as fun! It was suppose to be  2 nights camping and island hopping in Pundakit, Zambales  and a side trip to the lovely Hot air Balloon festival in Clark. Schedule conflicts and dis-accord left only 2 of us on the road and an inevitable change in plan

My friend “anywhere but here”  mantra left me thinking what to do and where to go with our few days free schedule since Hot air balloon festival has been crashed out. So, came, Baguio in picture. As in any trip, I was very excited to experience Baguio and Anawangin. I have seen how picturesque Anawangin is in blogs and friends pictures and I am positive my hungry eyes will be filled. But let me talk about Baguio in this article. What I felt about finally seeing Baguio for the first time is a feeling I would describe as meeting an old flame after so many years.

I couldn’t count with my hands how many times I have seen Baguio in movies and TV growing up.  Being influenced to watch Sharon – Gabby film, admiring Marvin – Jolina tandem as a teenager, I was exposed to Baguio as it has been the plot of a lot of their love stories in the reel.  I have always wanted to live in Baguio.  I was close to fulfilling my want when I passed the UPCAT exam and was suppose to take up Mass communication in UP Baguio. I was poised to do it when some turn of events made my mind change, and the rest is history.

I had a lot of chances to go to Baguio few years back but for one reason or another it didn’t materialize. This time, there was no turning back! And I just had this mix emotion of excitement and fear. Excited to satisfy my thirst to just wander but afraid to see the life I almost but never had.

My first encounter with the zigzag Baguio road made my mind roll into multi-thoughts! It’s so amazing how this civilization came to being, how they were able to create concrete roads literally on the sides of these high rising mountains. How they were able to build buildings and houses that now seem to adorn all of the mountain ranges.  The first time Baguio air blew to me, it was mid afternoon and we just got out of our bus, it sent a sense of euphoria and I couldn’t help but verbalize what my mind was shouting “WOW! Can you feel the cool air? It’s like I’m in an air-conditioned room in the middle of the street in the mid afternoon”, “Wow, I so love the weather”, “wow! “.

As the day grew dark I was endeared to the place even more. The freezing cold temperature I embraced so much and want to hold dearly! The bright city lights enamored me and fueled the hopeless romantic side of me.  The next day, I got the chance to be more intimate with the place as we visited almost all of its popular tourist spots and although the long and sloping walks wasn’t that enticing to me (maybe it just takes some getting use to); The beautiful and the handful parks that the place boost made me imagine myself hanging out in those places just feeling the breeze, enjoying idleness or maybe scribbling a line or two.

 Falling in love with Baguio is like an old flame rekindled, and I just couldn’t help it!  So, I have a confession to make, I vow to come back for a longer visit or maybe to stay for good, sooner or later. 

Baguio Photoblog
To Baguio (ITINERARY)