“When I travel, people say ‘Yet another place in this world’. But I see ‘Another world inside every place I go”
~ Vivek Thangaswamy
Project: Live
Baguio, December 13
The quarter moon brightly illuminated this pitch-dark night sky as I passed through the Welcome Arc of Benguet, guiding my way as I ascended to Baguio once more. I gazed at this bus window beside me as if admiring a portrait painted effortlessly on the heavens - wisps of cirrus clouds spread like beautiful white stains on black canvas, partially hiding bejeweled stars that formed what I thought were the Ursa Major or the Cassiopeia and others twinkling around the brightly lit moon that casted eerie shadows on the mountains' summits.
I have always longed for this - days away from everything in the lowlands and contemplate on things. There is something about escaping that excites and cures me bit by bit at the same time.
The night was still lively as I touched down this city above the clouds at half past eight. And since it was too late to call Kimmy for company, I spent the night alone and took a stroll along Session and Harrison Roads for some late dinner treat and window shopping finds. Oh how chilly Baguio was! Good thing I took some scarves along with me.
Baguio, December 14
Duty called as I woke up 6 in the morning. I took with me some check payments to drop on some hotels in the vicinity and dropped by the office in Irisan.
Shortly afterwards, I had to meet the dearest Ate Donna for a short and serious conversation. I am always grateful for her, and the other ate, for always listening to all the dramas I have had. They have always been my pacifying company.
I was bound to have a meet-up with the best friend Kat and Myk too. I missed the best friend the most. Though we never missed news from each other through social networking, having face-to-face conversations are always different. The irony, that we barely see each other for the longest time despite living in the same town, yet when reunited, the conversations are comfortably endless!
The pictures below are courtesy of Kat and Myk.
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| Kat introduced me to Chil Cheon Gak, a Korean Restaurant along Legarda Road. I was dying to taste Jajjangmyeon as what Kat would often post in her blog, and it was indeed delicious. Also had some Samgyeopsal. |
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| We navigated Camp John Hay from end to end for some of Kat's influential photo ops. |
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| The mochis in the middle are always to-die for! If there was anything Kat influenced me to do, this "JPEG vomit" (as Kat named them) is one of them, haha! |
All that jaunting was exhausting but fun. For the whole day there it was as if I was living in another world, far different from everything in the lowlands.
Baguio, December 15
I called Kimmy very early in the morning to give her the other voucher of two breakfast buffets I availed in the hotel. She could take advantage of them more. She is one darn food machine!
After breakfast, we dared ourselves to walk from Abanao Street to Brent Road to visit the Pink Sisters' Convent as I would often do. That long walk left my knees trembling and breaths short as we reached the convent, but it was worth the walk.
Kimmy and I had to kill time to wait for the lovebirds for lunch. What better way than to have some short walks again! (This time my feet were crying, haha!) Fortunately, we chanced upon a group of musicians in front of Music World inside Porta Vaga's extension building practicing for their recital due last Thursday. We sat at a nearby staircase and jammed along with some Fall Out Boy and Eraserheads pieces. That was fun!
The whole afternoon was ours with the sister who needed a break before their Prelims exams, treating her in the movies and some famous milk tea binging.
Buguias-Sagada, December 16
What's good about my work is that I get the chance to go out sometimes for validations and not confine myself 365 days sitting on my office chair and doing lots of paper works. Disbursements' fieldworks, though I can only count them through my fingers, are always a breath of fresh air as I get to go out of the office at last.
I was scheduled for another validation work this time in the Mt. Province, and though I have been there two years ago, I would love to navigate them again for some new adventure.
The road to Buguias was a mesmerizing sight. The vast mountains of greens and browns are incomparable to the roads to Baguio. I could not take pictures during the ride since I was sitting in the middle seat, but I had some pictures grabbed from two years ago.
Terraces sloping from the mountains' foot to summit were like stairways to heaven, especially the ones with the view where the clouds covered the mountain tops.
After a short drop-by at the dealer in Abatan, we headed straight to Sagada for my validation and spent the night there.
Below are some visuals of the paradise in between rocks that is Sagada.
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| Yoghurt House is a quaint wooden restaurant in the middle of Sagada's little town. Famous not only for its homemade yoghurt treats, but also for its various meals using Sagada's local produce. |
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| We spent the night at Rock Inn & Cafe situated literally in between
rocks and surrounded by a verdant pine forest. This beautiful retreat house is adorned with different kinds of pansies, carnations and lavanders, and some pictures of Sagada living hanging on its walls add up to the charm of its wooden interiors. |
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| If I just had the chance, I would definitely try this Buffet at "The Bodega"! Tempting words they used here, I must say! |
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| The morning we feasted on Rock Inn's oranges. |
Bontoc, December 17
Bontoc's boundary greeted us with these paddy staircases again.
My wanderlust self ended afternoon of the seventeenth. The sun set on the west as we descended, its rays kissing my cheeks as if waking me up from the five-day dream I had wandering the highlands.
I am back to reality. But I will definitely have another wanderlust journey after, say, 89,280 minutes.
Must I learn to speak visayan now?
What an adventure! And Yoghurt House looks like a treat!
ReplyDeleteIndeed Kat ! :)
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