Next on the list was the St. Joseph Church, near the Wright Park. Yes, my cousin and I were getting hungrier and hungrier by the minute, but because this church was the last stop near the area, we decided to check the church first and hold our hunger longer. Well, we did see a food kiosk that sold Halo-Halo, and it filled our tummy enough to get through this visit.

As of the most church entries I’ve had, I wasn’t able to get some information about the church - other than the local celebrities Aga Muhlach and Charlene Gonzales had their wedding in this chuch, so I will just share some pictures:

The facade, with the image of Saint Joseph.

The look inside the church.

The altar, up close.

A shot taken by the altar.

The St. Joseph Church is located in Pacdal Circle. On weekdays, they host novena for Our Lady of Perpetual Help on Wednesdays, a repartation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Fridays, and consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and devotion to St. Joseph on Saturdays. Every Sundays, there are masses at 6:15, 7:30, 9:00, and 10:30 in the morning; 12 noon, and 5:00 in the afternoon.

*** Jenn ***

Taken from Wikipedia, “The majestic and palatial Mansion House was built in 1908 as the official summer residence for the U.S. Governors-Generals. It was badly damaged during the Second World War and was rebuilt in 1947. Since then, it has served as the holiday home and working office for each President of the Philippines during his or her visits to Baguio. The name is derived from the summer cottage in New England of Governor-General William Cameron Forbes during whose administration the original Mansion House was built.”

While in Mines View Park, my cousin and I were feeling really tired and hungry, and would like to eat lunch in the area, but we cannot find a food place that we can eat at. Well, there were a lot of food houses near the park, only that my cousin and I pretty much preferred to eat at Jollibee. We planned of taking a taxi to the mall, but checking the list of places I still have to visit, we decided to postpone lunch first and continue with the place hopping since the next few stops were basically right next to each other. We did eat a corn on a cob to give our tummy a quick fix.

Right in front of the Mansion is the Wright Park. Just like Burnham and Mines View, this park is one of the most visited parks in Baguio City.

Also known as “pool of pines,” the Wright Park is a park that allows tourists to enjoy a quiet stay while enjoying Mother Nature’s beauty. Aside from the pine trees sorrounding the park, there are also many flowering plants that add more beauty to the park. Tourists also enjoy horse back riding in the park. Kids and adults can ride the horses, but of course, kids have to be supervised by an adult.

My cousin and I didn’t really stay long in both places, we still had one stop before we could eat lunch, and we had to continue walking.

*** Jenn ***

Hosted by Cecily and Sports Mama

According to Go Baguio! website, “Baguio City started out as an American mining town in the early 20th Century, and one of its lasting attractions is Mines View Park. A ridge located at the extreme northeast side of the city, past The Mansion and Wright Park, Mines View Park boasts of a spectacular view of Benguet’s gold and copper mines and the Cordillera mountains.”

From Burnham Park (see post below), my cousin and I took the jeepney to the Mines View Park. This park wasn’t as near to the heart of the city, but whenever I can, I really visit this park beacuse I wanted to see and have a picture with that St. Bernard dog, which (I heard) was popular among tourists. Well, I wasn’t able to see the dog, but I was able to take these pictures:

A big wooden statue by the entrance of the park.

Panoramic view of the mountains, shot by the ridge using my Sony Ericsson K800i cell phone.

Tourists can rent traditional Igorot costumes for 10 pesos - a great way to look like the locals even for just a short time. Well, cameras can freeze the moments, anyway. =)

Apart from the spectacular view, tourists love visiting the park because it has so many kiosks where they can shop. Souvenirs ranging from home decors, shirts, woven clothes, plants, accessories, and foods can be bought here.

My only regret was not being able to take that much pictures because both of us were already tired and hungry. Before this park, we already visited different Baguio City landmarks on foot, and we wanted to eat and rest already. Should I get back here, I’d take more pictures, for sure!

*** Jenn ***

Burnham Park is an urban park located at the heart of the City of Baguio. It was named after the American architect and urban planner, Daniel Hudson Burnham who laid the plans for the city. It is a scenic park overlooking Mount Kabuyao, the tallest mountain in the Baguio region. The park retains much of Daniel Burnham’s original design and layout a century ago, with a few features added, in true Filipino fashion, to make it a vibrant center of activity for everyone to enjoy.

A statue of Daniel Burnham being cleaned by some students.

The lagoon (taken March 2008).

People can rent bikes to roam around the park.

The park is filled with different flowers… the daisy is just one of those.

Children enjoy a fun time at the park.

Wall carvings.

Burnham Park has 12 cluster areas: the man-made lake with rowboats for hire that folks refer to as the Burnham Lagoon, the Children’s Playground, the Skating Rink, the Rose Garden, the Orchidarium, Igorot Garden, Melvin Jones Grandstand, the Athletic Bowl, a Picnic Grove, the Japanese Peace Tower, Pine Trees of the World and Sunshine Park. I still have to explore this park… maybe the next time I get back there.

*** Jenn ***

PS - Informing everyone that I will be on the road again… will be traveling to La Union tomorrow and will stay there for about a week. I will try to update this blog as often as I could, but if I can’t, I will just resume blogging when I get back. Have a

After a very tiring climb to the Lourdes Grotto, my cousin Mhai and I went to our next stop, the Saint Vincent Ferrer Church located in Naguilian Rd. It was quite near the Grotto, so we decided to just walk where the church is. It was a long walk, but it was just fine, a good exercise, as what we call it. I wasn’t able to get much information about the church, and there weren’t much information online, so what I can share for now will be pictures.

The Facade.

The aisle leading to the altar.

The church has a mass on weekdays at 6:00AM and 5:30PM. They also have a Saturday evening mass at 5:30PM. Every Sunday, there are masses held at 6:30, 7:30, 8:30, and 9:30 in the morning; 12:00NN, and 5:30PM.

Will update this post once I gather more information.

*** Jenn ***

Hosted by Cecily and Sports Mama

The very first time I went to this landmark in Baguio City, I went hysterical. Well, I think anybody who will have to climb 252 steps to the grotto would let out a little complaint, but back then I was happy I was able to reach the summit. Three years later last March, I went back there again. And that time, I was already determined to get to the top.

252 steps might be a difficult feat, but tourists don’t have to worry much about it because there were little stops and benches on the side. Actually, getting to the top wasn’t really a race, of course anyone can take their own pace. Sooner or later, the top will be reached.

Situated atop the Mirador Hill, the Grotto wasn’t difficult to reach. There were taxis and jeepneys all over the city that could take tourist at the base of the hill. This landmark isn’t just for tourists to see or take pictures of, anybody who reaches the top can also offer their prayers. The feat of successfully reaching the top is rewarding in itself, but at the top, people can also see a different perspective of the City - another reward to the tourists. =)

Somewhere in the middle of the stairs, there’s a also a Station of the Cross, and a place where people can buy souvenirs. My cousin Nanette and I was able to conquer this feat, but our day in Baguio City was just starting.

*** Jenn ***

After hearing mass in Luna Church, I took the bus to San Fernando City just to eat lunch. I didn’t plan anything other than eating lunch and probably checking out the country fair, but as I exit KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), I noticed that they were closing the roads and people have started to gather. I asked what was going on and they said there will be a program, and since my batteries were fully charged, I decided to stay and watched.

Yearly, the last few weeks of February and the first week of March is significant in La Union. On the third week, they celebrate the fiesta of San Fernando City, and they also celebrate the founding anniversary of La Union. Actually, at this time of the year, there were so many programs, but this was the only one I witnessed.

The program was about the Drum and Lyre Competition, something that the elementary students of La Union participated at. Some pictures:

There was a time alloted for the teams to perform their piece. They were required to dance and play tunes of their choice, but they also had to insert the La Union hymn in their piece. There were 14 groups, but I only got to watch 7 teams. It was becoming difficult for me to zoom in and take pictures with people becoming restless. More and more people wanted to get near the performers, and because I am using a point and shoot camera, I am maxing out on the zoom levels of my little camera just to take the pictures. With people trying to get near the performers, sometimes they would hit me and my hand would shake. I decided then to just leave and go home.

*** Jenn ***

Since I decided not to watch to the Grand Fluvial Parade of the Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City, I just decided to hear mass in St. Catherine of Alexandria parish in the town of Luna. The last time I was there was way back in 2006, and it was always a thing for me to check out places I haven’t seen yet whenever I travel, so even though I was alone, I still went. After taking a bus to the town of Balaoan, I took the tricycle to the church. Happy that I arrived just after the last mass - giving me time to take pictures before the next mass commenced.

Some pictures of the church:

The facade.

The aisle leading to the altar.

The altar, up close.

An image of the Patron Saint.

The town’s patron saint is St. Catherine of Alexandria, but this church is well known as the shrine of Our Lady of Namacpacan (Namacpacan was the town’s former name before it was called Luna). According to the Province of La Union’s website, “It was in 1871 when a galleon that came all the eay from Mexico to deliver a statue of the Blessed Virgin to the Immaculate Concepcion Seminary in Vigan, Ilocos sur, stopped by Darigayos to sek cover from the stormy weather. According to traditional accounts, when the storm, is over, the galleon could not proceed to its destination because the sea became rough and unnavigable whenever the crew launched the vessel. They decided to bring the statue to Vigan by land. While making preparations, the statue was brought to the convent. The church at that time was undergoing repairs on the damaged portions brought about by a strong earthquake.

The following morning when the trip to Vigan was commenced, the men could not move the statue from the place where it stood. Fray Camilo Naves, an Augustinian priest, interpreted this as a message that the Blessed Virgin wanted her statue to remain in the parish. Negotiations were made with Church authorities who ordered the statue from Spain. It was agreed that the Catholics from Namacpacan would reimburse all expenses incurred and the parishioners contributed joyously and generously to the extent of selling portions of their fields to raise the amounts. An altar at the northern portio side of the church was constructed to house the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Namacpacan.”

Pictures of Our Lady of Namacpacan:

I wasn’t able to get the schedule of the masses in this church, but for tourists who cannot understand the Ilocano dialect, there’s a mass in english at 10AM. There’s also an adoration chapel outside the main church, and a souvenir shop, if you want to buy some religious stuffs.

*** Jenn ***

After the parade, I met up with my shutterbug friend Ferj to eat lunch at Zola Restaurant. While there, I texted another shutterbug friend Mike, and since he was also in Baguio City to watch the Panagbenga Festival grand street parade, we asked him if he could meet us up. When he got to the restaurant, there were chit-chats, of course, then Mike asked where we will go next. Ferj and I didn’t have anything planned, so Mike suggested we go to Tam-Awan Village. Ferj and I still haven’t seen the place, so we took his suggestion. There was a blooper while Mike was giving us directions how to get to the village, but in the end, we did find our way. Mike didn’t come with us anymore because he was with his parents and they were already waiting for him.

Taken from the website GoBaguio.Com, “Tam-awan in the local idiom means “vantage point,” an apt name for a colony of Cordillera Huts that sit on a hillside that affords visitors a magnificent view of the South China Sea on a clear day.

The Chanum Foundation, Inc., started reconstructing Ifugao houses in Baguio with the intention of recreating a native village accessible to those who have not had the opportunity to explore the different parts of the vast Cordillera region in the Philippines, laying the houses out just like a traditional Cordillera village.

A natural haven for the creative natives, Tam-awan Village became well-known as the headquarters of the famous Filipino national Artist Ben Cabrera, who is always referred to as BenCab, and become the home-base of popular local artists such as Jordan Mangosan, John Frank Sabado and Ged Alangui.

Tam-awan Village is also a venue for art exhibits, workshops and other activities that showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Cordillera people.”

Other pictures I took:

The locals treat the visitors with some entertainment, and the tourists can actually go and dance with them if they want to.

The traditional Ifugao house.

The Ugnayan Bridge. “Ugnay” means “to unite” or “to connect”.

A wood carving at the end of a small stairwell and some tourist taking pictures of the locals as they dance on the background.

Entrance fee for the village is priced at: 50 pesos (a little over 1USD) for adults, 30 pesos for Senior Citizens and students, and 20 pesos for kids (12 years below). The village is open from 8:00AM to 6:00PM. Aside from these attractions, people can also visit the galleries, and eat at a cafe. There are artists who can draw your picture right there and then, which is a great keepsake to take home.

My batteries died on me while in the village, so when Ferj was done with his pictures, we decided to go back to the city proper and just relax at Burnham Park. Because his camera has this very great lens, he was able to take great pictures of people at the park. At around 5PM, I decided to bid goodbye. I took the bus going to La Union, and I met my aunt Julie and cousin Nanette at the Viron Transit sub-station where I got my luggage.

The fluvial parade for the Panagbenga Festival was held the day after (01 March), but I decided not to watch it anymore and just stay in La Union.

*** Jenn ***

ps - This will be my last post for the week, I will be traveling to Coron, Palawan with my friends tomorrow. Regular blogging will resume on Monday or Tuesday next week.

The Panagbenga Festival, formerly called the Baguio Flower Festival is an annual festival held in the Summer Capital of the Philippines every February. It was formed in 1995 as a way to rise up from the devastation of the 1990 earthquake and as a way to give tribute to one of Baguio City’s produce: flowers. In 1996, the festival’s name was changed to “Panagbenga,” a Kankanaey term which means, “a season of blossoming, a time for flowering.”

It is a month-long festivity, with different programs held every weekend. The highlight of the festival, is of course, the grand street parade and the fluvial parade (which is the local version of the Pasadena Tournament of the Roses), held on the last weekend of the festival. I have wanted to witness this festival ever since I have heard of it, but time and financial constraints have always hindered me to do so.

This year, even though I was still tired from my trip, I decided to still go to Baguio City to witness the grand street parade. Timing was just right, and I didn’t see any reason why I shouldn’t go. After visiting the Baguio Cathedral, I stayed at the sidewalks of Session Road to wait for the parade to start. Sadly, I positioned myself in a wrong part of the road, as the paraders only walk in front of me. Had I stayed near the intersection, I could’ve taken much better pictures as each group would perform as well.

Anyway, here are just some of the pictures I took from the parade:

Pretty faces all!

As colorful as the flowers.

The soft broom - which is a by product of a grass grown in this part of the country is used as part of the costumes.

This is the traditional costume of the Igorots, the ethnic tribe living in this part of the country.

My favorite shot.

My batteries have been acting up even while I was in Cebu and Negros Oriental, but because I wasn’t able to charge up my batteries, not only did I have problems taking pictures because of the military people blocking the way, I also had to cope up with my draining batteries. Thankful that I was able to take pictures despite the endless zoom, but I also realized that I really did find it difficult to take pictures of moving people. Still, it was a great training ground for me, and now I can already say I’ve been to a Panagbenga Festival!

*** Jenn ***