Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller. – Ibn Battuta
Hey there, wholesome reader!
It’s been a long while, how have you been? I apologize for not being able to post this soon as I had too much to do at work. Anyway, this is the next part of my Baguio travel blog and in case you have not read the first part yet, you can read it here.
Picking up from where we last left off, let’s take a look at the itinerary for today’s adventure!
Waking up super early in Baguio makes you want to skip your daily shower, but starting the day without it just doesn’t feel right. Or is it just me? At as early as 5:30 AM, with the city’s cold embrace, I gathered all my courage to take a bath, lol. Thanks to the hot running water though, I somehow survived.
Our adventure started at Igorot Stone Kingdom, which was just a short distance from where we were staying. It was 7:00 AM and the sun was just starting to grace us with its warmth but the queue outside the place was already long.
Igorot Stone Kingdom is a new theme park in Baguio that intends to showcase the way of life and culture, architecture, values and beliefs, and other significant traditions of the indigenous people in the Cordillera region. The park was opened to the public in 2021 and there was still an ongoing construction inside the place, as of writing.
Next off the list is another spooky place - the Diplomat Hotel! This infamous ruin was originally the Dominican Hill Retreat House.
With the outbreak of World War II, it became a camp for refugees escaping the Japanese army, but was eventually invaded. The Japanese secret police, the Kempeitai, committed terrible acts of brutality, massacring, raping, and torturing many of the inhabitants, and even decapitating nuns and priests.
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According to Kuya Rowell (our tour guide), the hotel used to be open to public but due to some cracks on the second floor, the building was closed for repairs and rehabilitation. However, we were able to take a glimpse of what’s inside through its windows. Whether you find it eerie or not, it’s for you to judge through a few photos I took!
Although the place was a bit scary, there was a part where you can forget about all the spookiness and simply appreciate nature. See photos to understand what I’m saying. (And oh, we also filmed a shameless TikTok dance here, haha!)
Right after we visited the Diplomat Hotel, we headed to SM Baguio to have our lunch. The design of the mall is very cost-efficient in terms of energy consumption as it has open spaces where natural light can enter and at the same time for the cool breeze of the city to come in. The establishment is also considered a green mall as many potted plants can be seen inside and outside the mall.
After we had lunch, we decided to inform Kuya Rowell to fetch us and drive us to our next destination. However, Kuya Rowell had an emergency as one of his guests got ran over a horse, so he had to rush her to the hospital. While waiting for Kuya Rowell, we walked to Session Road. Yes, SM Baguio and Session Road are just a 5-minute walk away from each other.
My new friend, Abegail, suggested that we go to a cake shop in Session Road that is well-known for its strawberry shortcake! But I’d rather talk about our food trip experience in Baguio in a different post soon ;)
We were picked up by Kuya Rowell after our “panghimagas” (dessert in English) at Session Road. Then, we drove to the place that makes Baguio, Baguio – Camp John Hay! Some of the notable areas we visited inside the camp are the Totem Pole, Bell House, and the Cemetery of Negativism.
I just discovered that this place is older than Baguio City itself. Historically, Camp John Hay was built for the exclusive use of the U.S. Military. Ironically, it became a concentration camp for American and British soldiers during the World War II and was run by the Japanese.
This 690-hectare property was finally turned over to the Philippines 1991 upon the expiration of the R.P.-U.S. Bases Agreement. From 1991 to 1997, Filipinos ran the former U.S. Air Force recreational facility for the first time as a resort, operating all the popular and familiar spots as close to the originals as possible.
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It was past 6:00 PM when we headed out of Camp John Hay and decided to eat dinner. After we had meal, we tried shopping at Baguio’s Night Market. However, it seemed like the day had drained all our energies and the crowd inside the area was too overwhelming. We already got too tired so we decided to just walk through the place until we reached the exit.
The way home was another adventure itself as we have learned that the only available transportation at night in Baguio was through a taxicab. Considering that the place was very crowded at that moment, it was very hard to hail one. After almost an hour of walking and waiting, we were finally able to go home before 12:00 MN.
Our third and last day in Baguio was bittersweet. Bitter because we’re leaving Baguio soon and sweet because I can finally go home! (As I am one who misses her home very quickly, hehe).
We decided to visit first in the morning our most awaited part of being in Baguio. Can you guess what it is? Strawberry picking at La Trinidad’s Strawberry Farm! Although, technically speaking, the farm is already part of La Trinidad, the province next to Baguio City.
We also got to try a very unique food experience, Baguio's very own strawberry taho! I honestly did not expect a strawberry fruit sitting on top of my taho. This was one of the things on my to-try list in Baguio. I was very happy I ticked this off my list!
The next place we visited was Bell Church. We did not stay there for too long. Honestly, not much has piqued our interest, plus it was a scorching hot day. However, I was stunned to see these lotus blooms in front of the church. They were too beautiful!
We only took a few photos and then left off to BenCab Museum.
The museum was an adventure itself, showcasing the masterpieces of Benedicto Reyes Cabrera (also known as BenCab), who is considered as a national artist in the Philippines. His exhibit, BenCab@80, which consists of paintings and metal sculptures, is the artist's way of showing appreciation to the female form.
The Bencab Museum is committed to the promotion of the arts, and the preservation, conservation and protection of the environment, as well as the culture and traditions of the Cordilleras, as an expression of the artist’s gratitude to the country that nurtured and inspired an artistic career that continues to grow, mature and fascinate.
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Next off - Burnham Park! Since it was already lunchtime when we arrived the very famous park in Baguio, we looked for a place where we can order our lunch. I was already very hungry at that time, so I settled with a shawarma rice but, surprisingly, the food did not disappoint me at all! My friends who ate with me would also agree.
Aside from finding the cute café we found online that is also located inside Burnham Park, what is a visit to this park without trying boating in their manmade lagoon? Of course, we quickly hopped in and pedaled our way through the waters.
It was fun until we got off our boats. I think I was too enthusiastic about the whole pedaling thing because as soon as I stood on my feet, it seemed like I can't feel my calves, lol. But the whole experience was fun and worth it!
Our last two destinations for the whole trip were the Christmas Village inside Camp John Hay and the Philippine Military Academy (PMA). Unfortunately, we weren't able to get inside PMA as we were already beyond the visiting hours.
My whole Baguio experience was surely one for the books! Aside from the good company I had, the whole city was beyond my expectations and the people were as cool as the breeze in the city.
And this is where my Baguio trip ends.
I'll take delight in writing for you again soon. See you on my next adventure!
Love,
Sam ♡
Hello, in case you have not read my intro post, my name is Samantha. You may call me Sam for short. I am from Cebu, a beautiful island in the Philippines. I created this space in an attempt to put all the good things in one place, thus, my blog name @wholesamdiaries.
If you wish to show appreciation; an upvote, comment, reblog and/or follow is the way! Thank you once again and see you around! ♡