Baguio

Spending my birthday in Baguio City (where I was born) on route to Sagada further up north was quite a treat. First of all, at approximately 1,600 m, the weather was about 10 degrees Celcius lower than in Manila. Also, in spite of all the pollution from taxis and jeepneys, there still are a lot of trees, and many more green spaces than in other towns across the country.

We stayed at Camp John Hay which is a former recreation area for the US military and is covered in pine trees and grassy hills. Thanks to my jet-lag, I was able to catch the sunrise. From the little balcony of the hotel room I had a view on a pine forest, with in the background the mountains and the simmering reflection of the first sun rays over the tin roofs of the city. Among the pine trees were two white horses, a bit of a surreal apparition, so incongruous in this tropical land better known for its beaches and coconut trees.

Another thing visitors enjoy in Baguio is the amazingly fresh produce you can find. There is a huge wet market in the center of town where you can find anything from artifacts to civet coffee. The produce comes straight from the fields all over this part of the country, and it is so fresh in fact that I found a little critter in my salad...

We had some nice meals in our short time there, but my highlight was the strawberry and cinnamon cream dessert at Forest House, made with local-grown strawberries.