November 2000
13 years old
I watched in awe as we drove by the majestic mountains,
hairy with the numerous greens rooted on their scalp. And as I gazed up, fog blanketed the
summit. It was Christmas Eve at Baguio
City, a city in Northern Luzon, Benguet Province. Baguio, known as the City of Pines is the
chief mountain resort and the summer capital of the Philippines. The car stopped and I realized that we had
already arrived at our accommodation. As
I stepped out of the car, I could feel needles of cold piercing my skin. Shivering slightly at the coolness of the
atmosphere, I breathe in the beauty of this place, its serenity. As I stepped into one of the finely-built log
cabins, I admired the blooming flowers that exquisitely colored the landscape.
My empty stomach groaned as my eyes drifted on the table
of mouth-watering foods from Baguio.
Normally, I would never eat dishes such as carrots, lettuce and other
vegetables. However, vegetables of
Baguio were different. They tasted
scrumptious. From strawberries to
asparagus to home-made preserves.....these food from Baguio were incredibly
tasty.
Although I could hardly find a mall or a place to shop
in Baguio, I never found myself bored.
Every morning, we trotted along the peaceful street and enjoyed the
zephyr that gusts by. Then, during
mid-afternoon, after horseback riding, we would just drive around the mountains
and pleasure ourselves with the breath-taking landscape. When evening comes, we either warmed
ourselves near the fireplace or sat outside the patio. The fresh atmosphere and clean earth of Baguio
never did fail to amaze me.
