Baguio - Part 1

I heard that Baguio is nice and chilly this time of the year. When we were there two weeks ago, but it wasn't too cold. A long-sleeved shirt would suffice. Strawberries were still scarce. Traffic and parking spaces were still difficult for us out-of-towners. Nevertheless, the city wasn't lacking of tourists.

I haven't been to Baguio in 5 years. So much has changed. John Hay now offers numerous nature-related activities. The convention center didn't look as imposing as it did before. There's an Ayala Techno Hub inside John Hay. Well-known establishments from Manila have also taken up room in this area.

As for the rest of Baguio, ukays were no longer in every corner. Huge St. Bernard dogs were the attraction in Mines View Park. It seemed that the view only came in second.

It was also our first Baguio trip with the kids. They were quite excited to ride horses and pick strawberries. We accomplished the first one as you can see. I'd go for riding horses in CJH because the trails are well-shaded by trees.

The second one was difficult because the berries were too small. We got lettuce heads instead.

We brought them to Burnham Park for boating and biking.

Then to the Mansion and Mines View Park. It was nearly noon so the sun's glare was already blinding.

We were able to get a 2-bedroom suite at the Manor. It has 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a dining area and a sala. The small kitchen is equipped with a microwave oven, a mini-bar and electric kettle. It can easily fit 6 people. It could be very economical. We saved a lot by eating breakfast and snacks in here.

The Manor is lovely at this time because of the Christmas decorations at the lobby and gardens.

This is how it looks like at night

If you have time, drive by the old skating rink at the Baguio Country Club. They have Christmas Tree displays made from recycled materials. There's also live entertainment to start off the lighting of the displays.