I returned to the Philippines yet again in September of 2004 to stay with Gina and we decided this time to go North to the Province of Luzon
and explore this wonderful region, our first stop was Baguio City Situated amidst the mountainous region of Cordillera, 1,500 meters above the sea, 250 kilometers north of Manila, Baguio City is one of the few place in the Philippines blessed with a cool climate.
On average, Baguio is at least eight degrees cooler than any place in the lowlands. Not surprisingly, Baguio has become the "summer capital" of the country. It is gifted with a variety of cultural, historical and scenic attractions which make it an important and interesting destination. As early as March, tourists and locals take the six-hour trek up the zigzagging Kennon Road. Within a mile of the city, the sweet scent of pine trees and flowers already permeate the air.
If you only have a day to spend in Baguio, start your tour with a walk down Session Road.
The city's commercial artery, Session Road is where you get your first bite of the charm and serendipity of Baguio.
Apart from a smattering of one-of-a-kind curio shops and fashion boutiques, Session also features an intersting array of culinary delights. Restaurants specializing in Chinese, Italian American, Japanese and Mongolian can be readily found along Session. From Session, take a cab to any of Baguio's prime attractions. Go horseback riding at Wright Park. Climb up the 252 steps to the Lourdes Grotto.
Play a round of golf at John Hay. Cook a tasty chopsuey with the freshest of veggies from the Baguio City Market. Visit the Mansion.
Stock up on strawberries. Or tuck under a warm blanket with the crackling of burning wood lulling you to sleep. For nighttowls, Baguio is alive with pulsating music and warm spirits. There are a number of bars and discos that swing until the late hours of the morning.
or if this colder climate is not your hearts desire, Point to our
Boracay Vacation thats the beauty of the Philippines there is something for everyone, and what a better way to see it than with your Filipina loved one.
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Places of Interest in Baguio City
Burnham Park - Situated at the heart of the city, Burnham is the traditional venue of the city's numerous festivities. The park is named after the city's master planner Daniel Burnham. Its man-made lagoon is the site of many boating excursions, Bikers, hikers and skaters delight in the park's criss-crossing walkways. And of the romantic, a walk in the rose gardens is an absolute must.
or you may like to take a cab up to Club John Hay - A tour of Baguio is incomplete without a bite of the Club's jumbo-sized burgers and sundaes. Formerly the R & R center of the United States Armed Force personnel in the Phillippines, the Club features hotel type rooms, seven food outlets, an 18-hole golf course, six tennis courts, a six-lane bowling center, basketball and volleyball courts, a heated swimming pool plus more for a definitively sporty weekend.
Baguio Cathedral - Rising above the city skyline are the pinkish hues of the Baguio Cathedral. The cathedral is but one of a number of religious landmarks which dot the city. There is the Bell Temple, north of the city; the Maryhurst Seminary with its brilliant gardens; and Lourdes Grotto with its 252 steps to heaven.
Camp John Hay used to be the rest and recreational facility for employees of the military and Department of Defense of the United States. This 690-hectare property was turned over to the Philippine government in July 1, 1991 and was initially administered by the Philippine Tourism Authority and then turned over to the Bases Conversion Development.
The facility, which was named after U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt's secretary of war, was used by the Japanese as a concentration camp for American and British soldiers during the war. Its name was changed to Club John Hay after it was turned over to the Philippine government. For the first time in its history the facility was open to the public in 1991 and converted into a recreational complex. It used to be off-limits to Filipinos, except for the privileged few who could get entry passes from its former American administrators.
Minesview Park There is no doubt that the Mines View Park is one of the most popular and most visited park in the city. From the observation deck of the park a breathtaking panoramic view of Benguet's gold and copper mines and the surrounding mountains unfolds before you. It is a spectacular sight to behold and should not be missed when visiting Baguio.
The park is usually the next stop taken by most visitors after seeing the Mansion or Wright Park. To reach the observation deck, you need to go down a winding stone-covered stairway which is just close to the parking area. One should be careful when ascending or descending the stairway just after a rain as the steps can be very slippery. There are a few benches at the promontory where you can sit down to rest and enjoy the view. For a few pesos you can rent a binocular and there are also some commercial photographers around just in case you want to have your picture taken. A visit to the park should also be planned earlier during the day as the view may not be visible when the fog starts to move in during the afternoon. However, this occurs only on certain months of the year.
The Ifuago People.
You may not have heard of the Ifugao people of the Banaue area of the Phillipinnes, but you have quite likely seen their handiwork. For over a period spanning thousands of years, the Ifugao have labored to transform the precipitous mountain sides of their homeland into an amazing series of stepped rice terraces. In fact the rice terraces here are so plentiful that if they were placed end to end it has been estimated that they would stretch half way around the earth. Thousands of tourists come to visit rice terraces every year, yet few bother to learn about the Ifugao people who are responsible for their construction. These people occupy an area of about 900 square miles in the province of Ifugao. The Ifugao are part of a larger group that includes the Bontok and Kalinga peoples.
The Ifugao are made up of a number of sub group tribes. The most populace of these groups areas follows:
The Bunhian and
The Mayoyao, both of the Northeast
The Halipan of the Southeast
The Kiangan of the Southwest
The Banue of the Northwest
Kiangian is the name most frequently used by neighboring peoples to refer to the Ifugao in general.
The Ifugao have a language that changes from village to village. It is of Malayo-Polynesian derivation. Dialect and change of pronunciation can make it a real challenge to sustain a conversation between neighboring villagers. However, an official language dictionary has been produced.
The population of the Ifugao has been estimated at between sixty and one hundred thousand, with no recent census figures available. Villages are no more than small clusters of huts spaced between large areas of rice terraces. Travel between the villages is by foot, along the narrow footpaths along the edges of the terraces. Huts in the villages are on stilts four or five feet high. Strange looking discs are placed toward the top of each set of stilts. The purpose of these discs is to prevent rodents and other pests from getting up into the hut. The home has no window and a single room and doorway. To get into the house you must climb a ladder, which is pulled up at night.
The Ifugao have some customs and rituals that seem rather strange to the Western observer. In some areas, for instance they do not bury the dead. Instead they wrap them in cloth and hang them in trees where they drip during decomposition. Once the body has been reduced to a skeleton it is wrapped in what is called a death blanket and kept under the eaves of the hut.
Customs of the Ifugao People
The Ifugao people also engage in elaborate rituals to appease their dead ancestors. Priests plead on behalf of the people to request the dead not to come back for their relatives. Animal sacrifices are also offered to appease these dead ones.
The Ifugao are a very industrious and friendly people. They are extremely courteous to visitors. The women will rise from their hard work in the rice paddies to greet newcomers. At the village they will present visitors with rice wine in a communal cup as a symbol of friendship. Many of the villagers have travelled and know about the outside world.
The main food eaten by the people comes from fishing, hunting and the collecting of insects. The people are not large eaters of wild plants. Nor do they indulge in the flesh of monkeys, although they do hunt this animal.
The economy of the Ifugao is sustained predominantly from agriculture. In fact 84 percent of the income is derived from this source. The remaining sixteen percent comes from the cultivation of aquatic fauna in the rice fields as well as fishing for such things as fish, eels, frogs and water clams. Hunting of deer, wild buffalo, pigs and snakes supplements the income. In previous generations the accepted method of exchange was barter. In more recent times, however, this has been replaced with rice and money. Main imports of the Ifugao are livestock, cotton, brass wire, crude steel and Chinese decorative items.
The Ifugao people generally practice a monogamous marriage relationship. Polygamy is, however, practiced among the wealthy in certain tribal groups. In these cases the first wife has higher status than her co-wives.
The photo to the left is The Banaue Rice Terraces
Why are the Banaue Rice Terraces so special ? The mountainous rice terraces of Banaue and vicinity in the Philippines are mankind's grandest scaled engineering feat. The vertical distance between bottom and top rows exceeds the height of the world's tallest building. If the terraces were laid end to end, they would stretch half way around the world.
The Banaue Rice Terraces were carved over a 2,000 year span with primitive handtools by the ancestors of the current farmers, the Ifugao tribesmen.
The region has other worth-visiting rice terraces, including those of Batad. Its terraces line a breathtaking amphitheater-shaped slope.
Avoid visiting the Banaue Rice Terraces in the rainy season (summer and fall) when low lying clouds can disappointingly mask the views. Winter is the ideal sightseeing season.
Summary: Gina and I had a great time visiting Baguio City, and the Cordillera region
we were in Baguio City for 3 days however a one day tour can be arranged, take a look at our Baguio Recommended tour package if you would like to no more about this, we can point you to
and excellent accomodation and van tour.We flew to Baguio City aboard a 19 Seater Asian Spirit twin prop Dash 7 aircraft, the airport at
Baguio is one of the nicest airports in the Philippines, taxis are plentiful and cheap, we hope you enjoy your trip to Baguio City.
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