#baguiodiaries

Looking back, my last night in Baguio was the perfect mix of random and intense. Nag-decide ako pumunta sa SM Baguio just to see what’s new. Nabalitaan ko kasi na MMFF season na, so I checked the movie schedules.

Exactly 1 minute before the screening started, impulse buy agad ako ng ticket for Shake, Rattle & Roll. Zero idea sa story, zero idea kung sino ang cast… as in blind buy talaga. It turned out it was Carla Abellana! I actually liked the first segment. Honestly, I’m so amazed na ang ganda na ng special effects ng Pinoy horror ngayon.

After the movie, I had dinner along Session Road and capped off the night at the Night Market. Guys, yung dami ng tourist, nakakaloka! 🤯 Tapos yung lamig? It felt like someone suddenly opened the door of a huge refrigerator and I was just standing there in the middle of it! 🥶 Muntik na akong maging frozen delight sa gitna ng Session Road. Despite the freezer vibes, go pa rin sa pag-ukay2x priority ang aesthetic kahit nanginginig na! Charot! Pero wala talaga akong nabili.

Then came Day 5. Pumunta ako sa terminal originally looking for a bus to Pangasinan. But in a split second, my mind shifted… Why not Aurora? Sabi ko na nga ba, may sariling isip ang paa ko. I’ve always wanted to go there and since may direct route via Baler from Baguio, sabi ko, G! Move over, Pangasinan, may bagong bida sa itinerary.

Habang nasa bus, may pumasok pang vendor offering fresh Baguio Strawberries. Siyempre, di ako kumuha hahaha… may nabili na kasi akong strawberry jams…pabaon ni Baguio bago ako lumipat sa dagat.

The ride was so therapeutic. Crossing a bridge somewhere in Nueva Ecija, I saw these massive mounds of gravel and sand under a bright blue sky. Bye-bye refrigerator weather, hello sunshine! Feeling ko pati yung balat ko nag-celebrate sa init.

Around 4:00 PM, nag-stopover kami sa Cordillera Restaurant and Pasalubong Center sa Nueva Ecija. That was my official late lunch and early dinner combined… Linner 😭or Dunch? 🤣 Bahala na basta busog!

I even checked out some good items being sold by local vendors… ang daming sawsawan at sibuyas! Akala ko mapapa-grocery ako sa gitna ng biyahe.

I finally arrived in Baler at exactly 5:59 PM and by 6:00 PM, nasa accommodation na ako. One minute difference! Ganun dapat kabilis ang galawan. Charot lang! I ended my night buying some pasalubong near the area and luckily, may 7-Eleven na malapit for quick supplies. Ang tunay na travel savior… ang 7-Eleven sa tabi-tabi.

After kong magpost nung 2:16 AM, hindi pa rin ako dinalaw ng antok. So, naghilamos muna ako and then lumabas para i-inhale yung cold, fresh air outside the room.

Guys, tignan niyo yung view sa likod ng room ko… everything is so peaceful. Sa wakas, walang crowds, walang mahabang pila at walang maingay na buzzers. Just the cold breeze and the quiet city lights. This is actually my favorite time of the day. Dito ko na-clear yung mind ko and realized na, ang dami ko palang thoughts. Hahaha! Everything feels so much clearer now kung paano ko i-handle ang mga bagay-bagay. Peak healing moment!

Around 4:00 AM, I decided na kailangan ko na talagang matulog. Now, I don't really drink pero sabi ko, Maybe a low percent alcohol drink can help maintain my body temperature! 😂 Kailangan ng pampainit, ‘di ba?

May nakita akong isang bote ng Smirnoff dito. Tinry ko inumin but hindi ko kinaya yung bitterness! 😝 Hahaha! Akala ko ba masarap ‘to? Sabi nila masarap daw inumin ‘to pag super lamig, eh wala naman akong ice. Though may ref outside the room, hindi ko mailagay yung bote sa loob kasi bawal ang alcohol drinks sa place. Siyempre, respect the rules pa rin tayo (kahit bumili pa rin ako, ‘di ba? Pasaway na traveler lol). Ending? Kalahati lang ang nainom ko. Sayang, pero hindi talaga keri ng palate ko yung pait! 😂

Woke up again around 8:00 AM. Bagong gising pero productivity mode agad! I decided na mag-laundry na ng clothes. Good thing nasa baba lang yung laundry shop, literal na katabi lang ng place ko. Sobrang convenient!

Habang naghihintay, I finally got my fix of Taho! Hindi siya yung strawberry one but the classic one na may maraming latik. Solid! Then for breakfast, I had the perfect meal…complete fried rice with malasado style egg yolk (yung malasado is the type of egg I like so much!) Sobrang nag-complement siya sa Adobong Atay ng Manok. Very Pinoy breakfast, very homey.

And now? Here I am, just lying on bed, listening to Spotify, and chill lang. Honestly, hindi ko pa alam kung anong gagawin today. I’m not thinking much. Should I watch a movie? Or maybe wait for the sun to go down and head to the Night Market?

Woke up at 7:00 AM but let’s be real… sobrang lamig pa rin talaga here sa Baguio, so officially lumabas ako sa kumot around 9:00 AM. Typical me, coffee muna bago diretso ligo. Ready to explore something new today!

Caught the free shuttle exactly 11:25 AM. But man, the 1 hour travel time was a test of patience. Walang AC and ang daming passengers, may mga standing pa! Ang bintana nasa driver side at sa likod lang, so yung hangin sa gitna? Non-existent. 😵‍💫 I felt so dizzy and oxygen-deprived yung feeling na kulob na kulob inside. Safe to say, I was just holding my breath (literally) until we arrived.

I survived the ride and finally reached Mt. Camisong! Paid the adult entrance fee and went through the briefing. Good thing I didn't bring my drone! Bawal pala siya inside and kailangan i-surrender sa staff. Imagine the struggle of carrying that dala-dala while feeling dizzy? Hahaha!

First stop is the famous Glass Walk … Tadaan! True to be true, ang haba ng pila! Many people were waiting for their turn. I just took a few shots from afar using my phone and decided to make it my last stop instead. Ayaw kong ma-consume ang buong day ko sa isang pila lang.

By 1:00 PM, di naman ako gutom. Found a restaurant area with a killer view of mountains full of pines. Ang ganda, pero yung service? Medyo nakaka-dismaya. Since super daming tao, most of the menu was unavailable. I ordered Longganiza with sunny side up egg and was given Buzzer Number 6.

Wait, here’s the frustrating part… Habang naghihintay ako, napansin ko yung mga kakadating lang at may Buzzer Number 14 above, nakuha na agad yung orders nila! 🤯 Like, hello? Nasaan ang first come, first serve? It seems like they do it by batch and hindi organized yung queueing system nila. I had to follow-up twice and it took over an hour before my food landed on the table. 😩

After eating, I did the eco-trail sa Samyu and Kahilom areas. The vicinity map was my best friend. From the Tree Walk to the Giant Chess Set, ang dami kong nalibot.

But since the area starts high and you roam going down, kailangan mong mag-hike pabalik.

My social battery was officially at 0%. Late lunch + dizzy shuttle ride + hiking = I'm done. Hahaha! Ending the tour, I spotted an e-bike service. Priority nila seniors and kids but I asked the staff if I could ride going up to the exit area since wala na talaga akong energy. Fortunately, they permitted me! Kung hindi, baka doon na ako natulog sa trail.

After the tour, bumalik ako sa drop-off area para sumakay pabalik sa place ko. Akala ko tapos na ang paghihirap ko hahahaha! pero doon pa ako sinubok! I saw around 6 to 7 vacant taxis roaming around pero kahit anong para ko, hindi sila tumitigil! Ito na siguro yung kinocomplain ng iba sa social media … yung feeling na pinipili ang pasahero or hindi ka pinapansin. Sobrang hirap sumakay, lalo na’t pagod na pagod ka na.

Attempted to go to Camp John Hay after but it was late afternoon na. Sabi ko, Wag na siguro, hindi ko na ma-eenjoy yung scenery. Better to enjoy the day without rushing. Dinner was just Chicken and Liempo to-go… perfect way to end a tiring day.

If yesterday was all about settling in with mangoes and the cold breeze, today was about actually seeing where the road leads.

Woke up and did my morning ritual… wash face, coffee and head straight to the roofdeck. There’s something about the Baguio sun hitting those hills while you’re on a swing… it just makes everything feel a bit lighter.

Finally, finally made it back to BenCab Museum. The last time I was here, it was closed and I can’t even remember why. But I guess may 2nd time around talaga para sa lahat ng bagay or maybe not everything but definitely for this. Hahaha! Sobrang worth it seeing the galleries again. The RE:VIEW 2025 exhibit was a highlight but honestly, even just the view from Cafe while having pasta and Baguio brew is art in itself. Ang calming lang tingnan nung garden and the mountains in front of you. Just pure green everywhere.

After the museum, chased the fog over at Dragon Treasure Castle. It’s this massive stone castle in Upper Irisan. Feeling ko nasa Game of Thrones ako with the mist rolling in and the stone turrets. It’s one of those new spots that makes you realize Baguio and Benguet still have so many secrets to share.

To end the day, back to reality sa city center. From Session Road to SM, then back to Session again. Just lots and lots of walking. Nakakapagod but seeing the parols hanging from the trees and the slippery when wet energy of Session Road makes it feel so festive.

So much more happened today that I can’t even put into words but one thing is for sure… this is exactly how I wanted to spend my 2nd day here. Sobrang siksik, sobrang pagod, but sobrang saya.