Frigorific weather and pleasant locals aside, one thing worth appreciating in Baguio is the slew of enchanting yet frugal places to explore and their proximity to one another. They are practically in walking distance from any given point, and cabs aren’t necessary if you like the scent of pines and traversing cold streets. In the city center alone, you’ll find an SM branch to fill your gastronomic and visual desires, a historic church by a small hill, and so many more practical finds (like two handfuls of brain-draining hot chili for 10 pesos!).

Would you have guessed this cathedral was bombed?

After my seminar, I walked from UB to Casa Vallejo with the group of MassCom juniors who invited me for the workshop. They insisted that we take the cab, but they are students. I hate for them to spend on unnecessary cab fare when we can opt for a short stroll. That and I wanted to pass by Baguio Cathedral. 


The streets are strewn with people and vehicles, you wouldn’t even notice you’re treading up a small hill to the Church. The two pointy spires command from afar, the walls a shade of pale rose. It is a lovely installment in the middle of very busy intersections and even busier townsfolk, some in prayer and some just passing by like us. 



By dusk, we were ready for Baguio’s sunset. But while SM practically fronts our hotel room, the dark paced faster than our feet could get on SM’s Skyline Terrace. A sunset vista would’ve been marvelous from up there, as many city dwellers will surely agree, but well, nature happens.

View from the Skyline Terrace

Still, Baguio’s city skyline at night is a treat for us who live in the flatlands. Orbits of tiny city lights in a canopy of dark magenta fog, a faint shadow of the Cordilleran mountains looming over. There is of course, the loud thumping bass sound and throngs of students whiling time away with booze in several bars on the terrace, but nothing a near middle-aged woman like me can’t handle.

On our way back to the hotel, we stopped by this small eatery a few steps to the left of Casa Vallejo. Its main dish is bulalo, which is superb for the Baguio weather. The husband has had his merienda  there (merienda being rice and a bowl of bulalo) and encouraged me to try it out for dinner. 

The place is your typical neighborhood carinderia. Monoblock chairs, dos por dos tables covered in faux wood vinyl, home-cooked meals in aluminum food displays, plastic plates and bowls. Much of its patrons are students and residents within the area. I’m guessing the bulalo is actually carabao meat, not bovine, but for P30 a bowl, man, was it a steal. Such comfort in the cold night. We had afritada  (P25 per order) as well, and it wasn’t exactly sterling, but it’s not bad either. 

By this last installment of our Baguio trip series, I may have probably conveyed how Baguio now holds a special spot in my mushy heart. Baguio, despite the obvious influence of commercialization, is a city that’s a pleasure to experience a second time around. Even a third or fourth. For cheap bulalo or chili, charming locals, nooks and crannies, there’s always something to keep you from saying goodbye. Just a see you again.


Hill Station, Baguio City: Fine Dining Without Frills
Baguio City Tour: Lourdes Grotto, Good Shepherd, The Mansion, Wright Park and Mines View Park

In Uncategorized

Gretchen is a Best of the Net and Pushcart Prize-nominated poet and essayist from the Philippines, where she embraces life while managing bipolar disorder and ADHD. Her confessional pieces unpack the complexities of grief, healing, motherhood, love, and intersections, garnering recognition from the Greg Grummer Poetry Contest and Navigator's Travel Writing Competition.

83 Comments

  3. Hahaha! I feel you, mommy. My toddler also slammed my GT9 Pump against the floor. Basag yung glass display, but LCD was still in tact at gumagana pa rin. Super durable ang DTC 🙂

    Reply

  6. Thanks, dear! I would opt for the DTC unit too 🙂 But the Clucky's GCs and Good Shepherd Jam are good too! :0

    Reply

  7. I want to win any of prizes above, it's a blessing and free either a DTC, GC or Strawberry it's okay, thanks for giving this opportunity..

    Reply

  19. I want to win the DTC GT5S, i want to surprise my mom with a brand new phone her phone is about to retire 😀

    Reply

  30. Congrats on your anniversary! Thank you for this giveaway, of course i want to win all of it because they are nice but i want to win the most is the DTC GT5S Junior 🙂 i have been using the same old phone for over a year and this is a good chance to replace it 🙂

    Reply

  31. What do you want to win and why? Winning the DTC Junior will be timely as it will be my early gift for my graduating elementary child who will love it surely.

    Reply

  32. I want to win DTC Junior because I need it. Mother Shepherd's ube jam is my fave but would love to try their strawberry too :). Im also excited to try Clucky's, the pictures are enticing and I also want to try them all 🙂

    Reply

  34. Nice giveaway..I want to win DTC gt5s junior to give it to my mother as a gift for all her effort and show here as my appreciation because her phone is already giving up. and I also love the jam its my favorite..

    Reply

  35. I Want to Win The DTC Junior because i want to give this to my family so that they can communicate to me everywhere i go.

    Reply

  38. Im Hoping to win coz my phone is about to retire i need to have new one and hope its DTC Phone…I like the reviews about DTC mobile..

    Reply

  43. I want to win the DTC junior and I will give it to my dad. He wants to have an android phone since then and I know that he will be happy if I will win in this giveaway!

    Reply

  44. I want to win the DTC Junior because I don't have smartphones eversince and I badly craving for them! <3

    Reply

  45. I want to win the DTC Junior because I don't have smartphones eversince and I badly craving for them! <3

    Reply

  54. I want to win because I want to replace my old phone which is almost a decade older. Also I wanted to try to dine in a Bulgogi Rice and Kimchi Rice on Cluckys

    Reply

  56. i want to win DTC mobile phone because i want to give it to my mom because she dont have celphone.thanks

    Reply

  58. I want to win the DTC Junior, because i dont have an updated phone. all i have is those phone with the "snake" games…. please.. let me win…. thanks

    Reply

  59. I want to win the DTC Junior cause I will give it to my brother, who was away from our family, so that we can contact each other thru video calling.

    Reply

  60. I want to win the DTC Junior, because i want to be part of DTC technology and this is great for my everyday life being techie girl

    Reply

  61. I wanna twist my luck for the DTC Mobile. I will give it to my Dad. He's asking for a new phone from me but I still don't have the budget to give him one so I am trying a little piece of my luck on here which might make his wish granted. Who knows. 🙂 God bless you and Happy Anniversar on your blog! 🙂

    Reply

  67. I want to win the DTC phone because it's cheap, it's simple yet powerful and reflects really well in my personality. I'm a simple person and I am contented to what God gave me. Cheers 🙂

    Reply

  68. I've been to Baguio 14 years ago. It's my first and hopefully not the last. Of all the places mentioned above, sa Good Shepherd Convent lang kami hindi nakapunta. The whole family is planning a trip to Baguio, probably sa 2016. The photos above made me more excited for the trip. Thanks!

    Reply

  71. I want to win the DTC phone because I need a new phone. My old phone isn't working properly anymore. And I know that DTC phone has great functions.

    Reply

  73. A lot has changed actually. Busier streets, more infrastructure, a fainter scent of pines. But Baguio is Baguio 🙂 You have to go to Good Shepherd! Super sarap ng jams and treats! I do hope you get to visit soon! Share stories 🙂

    Reply

  74. Hello! Thanks for this article! Been planning to see the turtles at this place but your write up gave me some light. I also thought I'd get to carry and get as close to them as possible! Maybe I have to look for some place else. ^_^

    Reply

  75. same here. this tragedy has taught me to be much more proud of being a Filipino. we should all just do our part to help. this isn't just their story, it's ours too

    Reply

  77. Agree. As a race, we have always been incredibly resilient, and as Ivan Watson said nga, nowhere can you find someone sitting in his ransacked, torn down house after a tragedy, smiling and joking despite of everything. As a nation, we have that strong sense of family, kaya when this happened, we were broken too even if we didn't suffer the same casualties. You're right, it's our story too, because as Filipinos, we are all a family.

    Reply

  78. Aww, thanks gurl! And hope I can come up with my own list. Haha. Traveling in 2 days! Weee! *mwah mwah*

    Reply

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