The Baguio Connection (Part 2)

The following morning, after having breakfast, our first agenda in our Baguio road trip was the outside Baguio, the strawberry farm at La Trinidad.  Morning weather was quite nice but unfortunately, there weren’t any strawberries to pick.  We were told by one of the farmers there that it was because of the storm several days back.  There were, however, different types of lettuces planted in some of the farms.  

Those mountain of houses again...

Now entering...

La Trinidad Strawberry Farm

Anyway, at least the kids got to enjoy the wide open spaces and being in the farm with all the greens around. And without the hustle and the noise, there was less information for the brain to process.  Our special one wasn’t quite interested but he did appreciate the open space and that there was less noise (kids in the autism spectrum tend to veer away from cramped spaces and noise).

Lettuce planted in La Trinidad Strawberry Farm

Different varieties of lettuce

We tried the strawberry ice cream and the “organic” (?) nuts that the vendors there were selling but I think they were pretty much overpriced.  When traveling, I wouldn’t usually recommend buying something that you could otherwise buy elsewhere at a much cheaper price but at that time, we had to treat the kids to something because they weren’t able to pick strawberries and we wouldn’t want the trip to the farm to be a waste.  We also bought souvenirs and Baguio shirts from one of the stalls there and the prices were in contrast to that ice cream and nuts we bought, they were cheap.

Finally! a strawberry!

Nice flowers at the entrance of one of the farms

Things kids don't get to do in the city!

Happy feet!

After the strawberry farm, off we went to another Baguio attraction, the Mines View Park.  There were already lots of tourists when we got there but it wasn’t entirely crowded.  The kids were treated to an awesome view at the view deck.  And of course, we had our photo taken with one of the St. Bernard’s.  Although I’m not quite pleased with the photos as they could have been composed a lot better considering that they're charging.  It would be a welcome improvement if the one taking the photo had some knowledge on how to compose nicely.

OTW to Mines View Park

Signage at the park's entrance

Our not so impressive photo with the St. Bernard (could've been composed a lot better)

The kids also had their picture taken with the ponies there and this time, they had nice shots because we were the ones who took the photos.

Pony for our big girl...

...and for our little man

Lastly, we also had our photos taken while wearing Igorot costumes (I guess this is also a not-to-be-missed activity when traveling to Baguio).  We went for the stall being run by the senior citizens’ cooperative and they were very accommodating, trying to assist everyone making sure that everyone looked good.  We had our photo taken by one of the ladies of the stall and I have to say that the photo was better than the one with the St. Bernard.

The "mandatory" Igorot costume photo (difficult to avoid photobombers though haha!)

This view is what it's all about!

After mines view park, we bought again souvenirs from the shops outside the park and as with the souvenir shops at strawberry farm, they too weren’t overpriced.

Pretty cactus plants that my lady couldn't resist

The path to the view deck is lined with plant vendors

What to buy?!

We then went to Good Shepherd Convent (just walking distance from Mines View Park) to buy their famous Ube Jam and other treats.  The place is not just a store but is in itself a place of interest.

A trip to Baguio isn't complete without a visit to...

Plants arranged to spell: "God bless MMTDFI"

Good Shepherd offers the same awesome view!

The Stations of the Cross at Good Shepherd

We had lunch at the one of the eateries around Mines View Park and I think the prices in the eats around the area were quite a rip off.  I was also hoping to dig into something authentic but the food served were not really out of the ordinary.  Lesson learned: have lunch elsewhere.

After lunch, we headed to Botanical Gardens and unfortunately for us, there was a light shower when we got there.  We still got to go around the garden for some snaps but an hour later, the rain was starting to pick up.  We just went back to the hotel to rest a bit and let the rain pass.

We only got to take a photo of The Mansion from the outside

A nice pathway at Baguio Botanical Garden

Refreshing landscape at Baguio Botanical Garden

A sign at the Botanical Garden saying that the city of Vaughan in Ontario, Canada is proud to be its twin city

Another refreshing view at Baguio Botanical Garden

A flower patch at Baguio Botanical Garden

Another flower patch at Baguio Botanical Garden

When the rain stopped, out we went again but this time, to the nearby Burnham Park so that wouldn’t have to bring the car with us.  We rented go karts and bikes for the kids after the stroll.

Boating Lagoon at Burnham Park Baguio with the controversial SM City Baguio in the distance

The bike park at Burnham Park also offers other kinds of vehicles, like these go karts, aside from traditional bicycles

We then headed towards Our Lady of Atonement Cathedral (Baguio Cathedral) after the bike ride.  At the foot of the steep staircase, I spotted a stall selling deep fried Korean goodies so I made a mental note to try some on our way back from the cathedral.  Besides, no travel is complete without trying any local street food around! I got the deep fried glass noodles wrapped in nori which were surprisingly tasty.

Capping the day off with a visit to Baguio Cathedral

But before calling it a day... street food!!!!

After having dinner, we headed back to the hotel to wrap up the day.

The next morning, we went to the market to buy some other pasalubong before going back to Manila.  We found the prices in the public market (or maybe tourists’ market?) just the same, if not a little more expensive, than the prices back at Manila.  But last night’s googling informed us that there is another market nearby so we asked a friendly police officer on where this could be and he gladly pointed the direction.  It’s just near the “tourists’ market”, a little higher up the street.  And there we found vegies sold at cheaper prices.

The "tourists' market" part of Baguio's public market

Further up the street is the part of the market where fresh produce are sold cheaper

Because our Baguio road trip was just roughly planned, we forgot to consider that on our scheduled return to Manila, our car would not be allowed in the metro streets due to the number coding scheme (haha!).  So we had to think of something to make sure that we’ll arrive Manila at 8pm or later.  Anyway, we planned to stop over at Pampanga to have a mandatory meal at Aling Lucing in Angeles so I thought we just kill time at Pampanga.

I was told that Aling Lucing’s signature sisig is what started it all.  And yes, the first time I tried it, I was hooked.  For me, the taste of their sisig is something unique only to them that’s why it’s a must for us to pass by Aling Lucing whenever we have a road trip up North (click here for the Google Map location).

Aling Lucing sisig at Pampanga is a must visit eatery when traveling up North

And this is what it's all about... sisig the original way!

We still had a few hours to consume and we decided to spend the rest of the day at the nearby Marquee Mall where the kids had fun at the trick art museum there.

Mirror, mirror (at a trick art museum in Marquee Mall, Pampanga)

Dragon (at a trick art museum in Marquee Mall, Pampanga)

Lava bridge (at a trick art museum in Marquee Mall, Pampanga)

Overall, the trip was generally a success.  Baguio still never fails to impress.  It is truly a family friendly destination that the kids will truly enjoy.  As for autism families, Baguio has a lot of places that can provide the peace, quiet and refreshing sights for your special ones.  

I know Baguio has a lot more to offer, but our schedule wouldn't allow us to visit them all. I guess this is also why people keep coming back there for more.

Tips

Travel means: Car (sedan) via Marcos highway. We consumed about a full tank and a half for the whole trip, this includes the trip around the region and the side trips we did.  Fuel is much more expensive up there, however to avoid any hassle, it would be better to top up before heading home.

Additional essentials:

• ·         GPS or GPS enabled smartphone.  I usually use just the regular Googlemaps or the Navigator (Android).  Baguio roads are quite tricky because of the one-ways.  Note also that as of this writing, number coding is also observed in certain parts of the city so be sure to check on this before bringing a car.
• ·         Mobile data for googling places & stuff
• ·         Power bank
• ·         Snacks & drinks

Kidsentials and helpful things for autism families:

• ·         Snack & drinks (of course!) are a must
• ·         Bringing headphones and gadgets (tablet, portable gaming console or mobile phone) might be helpful in case of sensory overload or tantrums.  It will also take away the boredom while on the road.
• ·         Toiletries (baby wipes, sanitizer, small first aid kit)
• ·         Even if you have a car, bring a small/light knapsack where you can put these kidsentials.

Other tips:

• ·         If you’re bringing your car, be aware of the number coding scheme which is also being implemented within Baguio city
• ·         Inquire about parking space when choosing an accommodation because a number of hotels, especially those within the city proper, do not have parking spaces.
• ·         Check the location of your chosen accommodation in Google Maps or the internet.
• ·         Eateries around Mines View Park are quite expensive considering that the food offered and their tastes are nothing out of the ordinary.  Consider going back to the city proper, which is just a short distance away
•            Vendors (except for the souvenir stalls) at Strawberry Farm could be tourist traps selling overpriced products.