The Northern City

               

               The summer capital of the Philippines lies in Northern Luzon. The reason for this being the significantly cool temperature compared to the other regions of this country with a tropical climate. The cause for this cooler temperature is higher altitude. Because it is found within the Cordillera Central mountain range  It is a highly urbanized city located within Benguet. This city is none other than Baguio.

            Picture a city situated between mountains. Picture that city being urban, but rural as well. Since this city is within a mountain range, picture it having plenty of sloped roads beside forests situated between the mountains as well. Being an urban city, expect to see buildings such as shops, malls, restaurants, and of course, hotels. Since this city is also rural and provincial, expect to see farms, parks, and gardens. There are also historical places to be found.

               This city has plenty of attractions for it to be worth a tourist's time. The parks I have mentioned are Burnham park and Mines View park. We also have Botanical Garden. Another one is the Philippine Military Academy, which often has eye catching exhibitions with the soldiers. Those are the places I have been to, but there are plenty more to discover. There are plenty of churches and other parks. As well as new and old museums.

 

 

               The means of traveling to Baguio are your usual flight or drive. If you live inside Metro Manila like me, the trip can take about three to five hours if traveling by bus or car. But if you choose to take a flight, it takes about an hour. However there aren't many airports in Baguio, making driving a more common option.

               In my two trips to Baguio, I can suggest two different hotels: Pines View and Azalea hotel. The Azalea hotel is a four star hotel, meaning it will cost much at around 3,600 Pesos. While the Pines View hotel costs less at about less than 2,000 Pesos. If you are looking for a cheap deal, There are hotels only costing 1,500 pesos and below, such as the Mountain Lodge and Restaurant.

 

         Baguio city has a very rich history starting from the Spanish period. This is where the Spaniards established a commandancia in the nearby town of La Trinidad. In the American colonial period, this is the place where Camp John Hay was established. In the events of World War II, Baguio became the home of the Philippine Military Academy. One of the well known events is the 1990 Luzon earthquake, which affected plenty of areas in Baguio city.

  

          If you are looking for a place to cool down, to have a mountain retreat or just a regular vacation, Baguio city is still one of the best options here in the Philippines.

- Daryl L. Oliveros