Destination 5 of 10: Benguet

I stayed in Baguio because of work for a year. I have been to tourist trails and unfamiliar ones that are worth going to. I will show you what I love about Baguio, and a few that I don't. 

Think organic. Healthy. A simple restaurant with a view. The place is called Master's Garden, a family owned resto of one of my students at La Trinidad, Benguet(map to follow). It's around 20-30 min drive from the city. They have an organic farm just below their resto. For P350, you get a complete meal, an appetizer, main course, dessert and drinks. All tasted great. You need to reserve though before dining here.

Appetizer. Green salad with crushed peanut spread on a slice of wheat bread

Interior of Master's Garden.

Outside terrace view of the resto

The house of the owner, with the resto at the left most side

Strawberry farm. La Trinidad, Benguet. Of course, Baguio wouldn't be Baguio without strawberries. Here, strawberries are cheaper, plus you can choose to pick your strawberries and fill your baskets.

Strawberry Taho

Good Shepherd Convent. You can buy pasalubong here too. The jams and biscuits are all made by their nuns. Their crushed strawberry jam is one of their best buys.

Crushed strawberry jam

Grotto outside the Good Shepherd

Camp John Hay. John Hay is i think the only remaining place in Baguio where pines trees are still luscious.

   

Look for Starbucks at John Hay. It's quiet and has that country feel.

Chocolate cake

When strolling at John Hay, visit the Cemetery of Negativism. It is a reminder to make your life worthwhile because you may die anytime.

A few of the tombs

Choco-late de Batirol. Another good spot at John Hay, this artsy resto/hang out place offers rich tsokolate batirol and other meryenda to go with their drink. A true Filipino food.

L: Their logo  R: The entrance

BenCab Museum. The famous artist Ben Cabrera built his own museum just a few meters from his house, to show his paintings and sculptures as well as some of the works of several Cordilleran artists. It also houses the antique and traditional utilitarian furniture of the Cordillera people.

BenCab's famous "Sabel" painting on ceramic tiles

Various bulol statues. Bulol is the rice god of the Cordlillera which signifies fertility.

L: Close up of a bulol figure   R:  An Igorot sculpture

Overlooking the terrace of the museum

  Mines View Park. Of all the parks in Baguio, Mines View is the most crowded. In essence, it's not really a park anymore where you could relax and sit down. Souvenir stalls and kiosks are everywhere, prices aren't friendly; I would suggest the market as the best place to buy pasalubong.

One of the highlights of Mines View are the colored horses. For people who don't want to ride a horse around, at least pose with it.

I love...

weekends at Burnham Park

...family bonding with kids.

...not SM, but the view from up there.