#KATTRAVELS: BAGUIO, A Place Close to My Heart (PART 1)

I can’t remember when the last trip I took to Baguio with my family was. I went to Baguio last year as a side trip after an out of town work but it was only for a few hours. That was a special trip and will always be my favorite but this recent trip I took with my mom was probably my best and most favorite among all our trips. Although it was short, it was definitely sweet and I had a great time. As I am writing this post, I just feel so emotional because do you ever get the feeling that you want to turn back time and actually return to your favorite moments? Well, I feel that as I am writing this. 

Baguio has always been close to my heart. Ever since I was a kid, my family go up to this beautiful city for the PMA Alumni Homecoming. I remember getting excited every year as my papa announces that we’ll be staying at this place or we’ll go to this site during our yearly vacation. This went on for years until the time came that my papa cannot go up to Baguio anymore because of his health. Until the day that we altogether stopped going to the city.

This year has been the longest time that I was able to visit Baguio again. 3 days and 2 nights! I made a list of where we could go to and I made sure that we’ve never visited the place before. Of course, being the ultimate "planner" person that I am I made sure that everything is as detailed as possible, but guess what? Of course, being with my mom, we never get to follow this itinerary. Just imagine my annoyance (HAHA JOKE). Luckily, we were able to go to most places on my list and my mom got to check out Ben Cab museum. Actually, I’ve spent a good hour of my Baguio day tour last year in this museum so I just took some photos when we got there. 

Anyway, here’s a photo diary of what went on to our Baguio trip:

Before going up to Baguio, I got the chance to meet my Lola Fe again in La Union. Believe it or not, I MISSED HER SO MUCH! She is still the same old Lola Fe that never fails to crack me up but in a more forgetful persona. Haha. No complaints tho. I'm just happy to see her and my Mommy and Daddy and pamangkins and everyone! Too bad I didn't got a decent picture of us in my camera since I was really busy chatting with my lola.

Okay, so in the middle of doing this blog, I remembered we have a family picture in my Ate Rhea's Facebook so I immediately downloaded it. HAHA LEVEL UP BLOGGER NA KO. #Effort CHAR!

Here's our family: (L-R) Kuya Ian, Daddy Rene, Baby Rhexian, Mommy Wilma, 

Uncle Raul, My Mom and Ate Rhea. Those who are sitting: (R-L) Ken, Raynor, Lola Fe, Me
Photo credits to Ate Rhea's FB account

I just have to highlight this ensalada freshly made from Mommy and Daddy's backyard mango trees. I swear they got the best mangoes in the world. And I gotta RAVE HOW GOOD MY MOMMY'S ALAMANG (shrimp paste) IS. I SWEAR IT IS THE BEST OUT THERE. IF YOU WANNA TRY IT, CONTACT ME FOR ORDERS LOL.

PS: Mama, if you're reading this, please return my bottle of alamang. You forgot to give it to me. Along with the green mangos that I actually asked them for. HAHA! 

After our little chit chat and bonding at La Union, we went straight up to Baguio. We arrived at around 7pm and went directly to 50's Diner!

This isn't my first time dining in 50's Diner. I've been here last year and I tried their house specialty burger. It was huge and delicious. Now, I tried their glazed chicken and it was not just huge. IT WAS GIGANTIC. They served 3 pcs. of gigantic chicken on top of I think half of rice cooker kind of rice bowl. I tried eating everything but I just can't. I almost died of food coma but it was delicious!

I tried their hot chocolate because I'm that type of kid who gets cold easily and I wanna loosen up my tensed muscles and bones because I'm also that kid who is not a kid anymore so I ordered some hawt chaclet. Honestly, I dunno if it's because I didn't drink it immediately (I don't like my hot chocolate super hot ANG WEIRD KO) and when I finally decided to take a sip it tasted like water already. Haha!

Anyway, I wouldn't recommend their hot chocolate but I WOULD RECOMMEND THEIR INSANE MILKSHAKE. I tried it last year during lunch time (so di super lamig) and it's like all the boys were brought to the yard (get it? no? kbye.) because it was sooooo good. I should have gotten myself a milkshake that night *sobs*.

During our first full day in Baguio, mom being my mom, ruined my itinerary and forced   asked me to come go strawberry picking (-_-) with her friends at the La Trinidad Strawberry Farm HAHA. I guess, not to be shady or anything, going to a farm, anywhere in the world at noon time is probably one of the worst decision people could ever make. I almost got sunburned but hey no complaints though I got to try the yummy strawberry ice cream of the sorbeteros there. Oh and by the way, THEY PRICED ME WAAAAYYYY BEYOND HOW MUCH A DIRTY ICE CREAM SHOULD BE HERE IN MANILA. Php 30 for a small cone sucks but I enjoyed it since my mom gave me the money to buy it LOL.

Honestly speaking, it was delicious. But I really couldn't justify why it was priced at Php 30 for a small cone. Dirty ice creams in Manila only costs Php 10 - Php 15 and it's the delicious kind too so meh. I'll just think that I'd rather give the money to the ice cream men (all ice cream vendors sell their ice creams for Php 30 and above) working decently than to those beggars who choose to do bad things to earn some #kachings (siguro dapat di ko pinabaliktad sa knya ung ice cream niya. Baka may extra charge pala yon).

Anyway, I am not really a green thumb-ed kind of person (not a green minded kind too just in case you're wondering) so I opt not to pick those poor strawberries since I'm scared I might do something horrible to the plant haha!

What I liked about the farm though are the SUNFLOWERS! Well, there are just few sunflowers but it already brighten my day! Sunflowers seriously gives sunshine to anyone who sees them. Sometimes, I honestly think that I wish I am a sunflower so I can easily brighten up anyone's day HAHA!

If I am a terrible farmer, I think no one is more terrible than my mom. She actually bluntly excused herself from picking the strawberries on her own because she told everyone in the farm that HINDI SIYA MAKAYUKO. I wanna laugh my throat off but I don't wanna get in trouble so I decided to keep my mouth shut. But honestly tho, her plants usually die. She have these really below the low maintenance kind of plants in her room so she can keep them alive. She literally just asked the supposed "strawberry guides" in the farm to pick the strawberries for her. So I guess, strawberry picking is not for everyone huh?

Here are my mom's friends. I think she's the only one who didn't pick her own strawberries. Haha! Her friends are cool though I must say. (HI TITAs!)

We got to visit Mines View Park for the reason that I'm still thinking about today (what am I doing here kind of contemplation) but we just had a quick lunch and some of her friends bought some pasalubong so maybe that's why we were there. I've been to Mines View Park a thousand of times so I pretty much just sat and felt like the ultimate tita the whole time we were there... Also, I didn't got a lot of photos because of tourists being well, tourists.

I hate myself for not getting that adorable owl back pack that I was eyeing before coming with my mom to the parking lot (I was afraid to get lost). I got to ask for a "tawad" to Ateng Tindera that time but being the overthinker and kuripot person that I am, I decided not to get it at FIRST... then realizing that the bag I wanted was not sold anywhere else in Baguio except at Mines View Park. YEY ME! (huhuhuhu)

After our trip to Mines View Park, we decided to go back to our hotel then had a snack/late lunch/dinner at HillStation.

HillStation was kinda pricey for Baguio but it's like their version of Italianni's and Breakfast at Antonio's combined. I really love this afternoon because I got to date my mom (although it's her treat, it was still a fun meal) at one of the most beautiful restos in Baguio. It was not over the top pricey mind you, but it just cannot compete to the affordability of other Baguio's food places. The service and taste of food was worth the price though (I love the Dark Chocolate cake--- you can check it out in my Facebook). Everything was good and the serving was generous. I ate my whole plate of Bolognese which I think could be shared by two people hehe. I love how they perfectly got my kind of Bolognese.

The ambiance is really romantic too. Each table has a single fresh red rose (that I want to take home hehe) and a complimentary basket of bread and oil.

My mom never fail to mesmerize me. She has this timeless beauty that can put 30 to 40 year old mothers to shame. Sometimes, I wonder how could she keep her youthful glow. She may be putting a lot of stuff on her face BUT GUYS, SHE NEVER WEARS MAKE UP. Not even a lipstick sometimes and it's freakin weird how can she have no pores at all and everything. She's probably not a human. So perhaps she's a goddess... meaning, I may be a demi-god. 

My mom loved her coffee. She told me it was so strong. I guess, it's perfect for the dark chocolate cake.

I dunno though. I don't drink coffee lol.

My favorite place among all the places we've been to during this trip is Mt. Cloud Bookshop. It was simply a bookshop but it's simplicity is what captivated me. I love how they have a wide range of Filipino books. I think they don't have other books except Filipino published books. It was awesome to see a bookshop FINALLY PRIORITIZING and emphasizing our culture.

Going to Mt. Cloud Bookshop is kinda tricky. I just asked the people from Hillstation where is it and they pointed me to the place. It was a little bit hidden so thank goodness, it wasn't crowded and the place maintained its charm and mystery.

I love their old-school and vibrant interiors. I swear, this is my kind of aesthetic. People know how old-school and vintage my tastes are. I love everything that screams "classic" and raw.

I will definitely be back in this place and honestly, when I was inside, I can't help but think about my boyfriend. He reminded me so much of the books everywhere! I guess he'll jump up and down with joy when he finally visits this place (I hope it's with me though so we can both fangirl/boy over the books). Also, I know he'll love all the books inside and probably spend an entire day oogling all the titles.

And that's it for the part 1 of my Baguio blog!!! I really enjoyed the Mt. Cloud Bookshop and being the selfish girl that I am, please, don't visit the bookshop if you just want to take "Instagrammable" photos. This bookshop doesn't deserve to only be photographed and go unappreciated. If you decided to visit this place, at least look at the books, observe everything you'll see and simply live in the moment. I'm not saying that you should not take photos at all. It's just that... I fell in love to this place and I don't want it to be crowded with people who just want to show off in their social media accounts. This place for me is special and sacred so let's respect it. Also, avoid being rowdy when you're inside. It's okay to have fun but just don't ruin Mt. Cloud's peaceful ambiance.

Baguio will be a place that is forever sketched in my mind. I can’t wait to post here my PMA blog entry and of course, my Ben Cab museum photo diary. Thanks for reading and feel free to message me on your favorite memories of Baguio!

xoxo,

KAT ❤