Baguio City 2017 - Day 2

DAY 2

To start off the day, the little monkey woke up early to run around the grounds of St. Patrick Village. He had just finished his oatmeal breakfast, which I was able to cook at the comfort of the house we rented. 

This is the house we stayed in.

Pathway leading to the exit

A modern day Romeo and Juliet scene with the aunt

Just as we were headed up to get ready for another exciting day, the little monkey's ears perked up when he heard a "Ta-hooooo!!!!" entering the village grounds. And boy, was I excited to find out that they offered another unique flavor - ube taho!

What a way to start the day! :) 

Kuya Willie arrived a few minutes past 9am, and off we went to Baguio Botanical Garden.

*Baguio Van Rentals provided their drivers with their own lodging, so Kuya Willie didn't stay with us (even though there was more than enough room; they have a driver's quarters just beside the garage). 

Family picture!

The garden was very beautiful, and the best part - FREE entrance. There were stops that represented different countries - Japan, China, USA, and Canada, to name a few. A part of the garden was under construction when we visited, but we sneaked a peek and saw that Thailand was going to open soon. 

There was also a picture taking station near the garden entrance where you get to wear the traditional Ifugao costumes for a fee. I didn't go there anymore as there were a lot of people in line and the kids were excited to run around already. 

Korea stop

One thing that intrigued us was the Japanese Tunnel, said to have been a hiding place for the Japanese troops during World War II. It was damp inside the tunnel, and it had lots of passageways for you to take - it was like a maze inside. There were hollow parts of the tunnel that were pitch black. I half expected a wolf or a mummy to jump out from those parts of the tunnel. We were only a few meters inside when my husband and  I the kids got really spooked and headed back out. If only I had mustered enough courage, I'm pretty sure the whole trip through the tunnel would have been awesome. 

The tunnel is located just inside the red torii gate

In the China station, the little monkey kept calling the rock lion a dog. 

We then had lunch at Pizza Volante, which was right across Wright Park. I had the porterhouse steak, which was a steal at less than Php 300 for the meal. We ordered a pizza too, as it was their specialty. Safe to say, the pizza was better than the steak. 

Horseback riding was next on the list and MBS was very excited! She insisted to ride by herself and wanted the white horse with pink hair. 

It's a good thing the horses were strong enough to carry me and the little monkey on its back. The little monkey had such a blast that he fell asleep less than 10 minutes into the ride. haha :) 

Horseback riding at Wright Park cost Php 200 for a half hour ride and Php 400 for a 1 hour ride. Some tourists opt to tour Baguio on horseback for a rate of Php 400/hour. Of course, tips are urged and frequently reminded by the person who handles the horse. 

Next stop was Mines View Park - where you can get a bird's eye view of Baguio City. On the way to the view spot, there are lots of stalls that sell herbs (i.e. basil, rosemary, thyme). They also have horses on standby for picture taking purposes. You can buy souvenirs on the way out - there are stalls selling T-shirts, keychains, bags, etc. 

We didn't stay long here due to the amount of people and the scorching heat. 

The next place we went to was a check off my bucket list - the Cemetery of Negativism, which was part of the Bell House compound at Camp John Hay. 

A reminder against procrastination

A reminder to turn ideas into reality

Entrance fee was Php 60/head to take a walk around the Cemetery of Negativism, Bell House, Bell Amphitheater, a garden, and see a totem pole that had the succession of historical figures during the first half of the 20th century sculpted on it. 

I enjoyed the Cemetery of Negativism and the Bell Amphitheater. We didn't go to the garden anymore since we left the kids in the car since they were asleep. 

Last stop for the day was dinner at Chocolate de Batirol, located at Camp John Hay. The food was great. The tsokolate was delightful! It had hints of almond in it, and it tasted divine. Their diniguan is also a must-try! 

I loved the food, but the place was a bit cramped when we went - maybe because it was peak season. We were also seated at a table that had no light (take note that this was around 6pm or so), so we couldn't really see what we were eating. But then again, the food and the tsokolate were really good. 

We were cramped up at the hut beside the restaurant's signage - and the hut had no lights too!

After filling our tummies, it was back to St. Patrick's Village for a good night's rest. :)