north to baguio

'Baguio is a Philippine hill-station, a cool, piney retreat from the heat and humidity of the plain. Up here at five thousand feet the edge seems to have been rubbed off the demonstrative brashness of Manila and replaced by American small-town orderliness. Fire trees and native three-needle pines fringe well-kept parks and picnic areas aglow with poinsettias. The grass is green and healthy and the city signs are sponsored by Macdonalds.'

Michael Palin

I arrived in Baguio (eight hours north of Manila) yesterday afternoon, following a delightful bus journey up. I left Manila at 10.30am, having arrived, by chance, at the bus station at the exact time the bus was leaving. Once out of the city the bus drove for several hours through flat countryside until, around lunchtime, we began to ascend the Cordillera Mountains and the views became stunning. Around 6pm I looked out of the bus window and saw the sun setting over the mountain range, and could just make out on the horizon the Philippine coastline and the South China Sea. The view was sublime; I can't think that I've seen many more beautiful sights in my life, nor that I ever will.

We arrived a little after 6pm, and I've been here a day and a night now. I like Baguio a lot. It's quite a big place, the people seem friendly, and there are lots of lovely houses and views to admire, but the mountain top location is what really makes it so wonderful. For many years Baguio has been a popular summer retreat, and escape from the heat, for the rich and illustrious of Manila, so it's a pretty prosperous and affluent place. There are lots of pretty houses, all hanging to hillsides, many designed in a pastiche Swiss chalet style.

I've spent most of the day wandering up and down the winding narrow streets of the city, taking in the large chalets, and cooler temperatures. I've also had a stroll through Burnham Park (which is in the very centre of the city), and I've mounted the steps up to Baguio Cathedral and City Hall. Also hit the Central Market (I bought an apple) which was well worth going to, and the Central Mall next to St Louis University.

I'm glad to see the well developed sense of humour I observed in Manila seems to be here too. For example, last night I found out there are a chain of burger stands up here which are cheekily called 'McRonalds.' My taxi driver from the bus station drove past a branch and said, 'McRonalds. Funny, isn't it.'

Nice though Baguio is, there isn't much else for me to do here other than continue to wander around, so I'm catching the bus further north tomorrow morning to Sagada. That should take another seven hours, and will take me to the most northerly point I will visit whilst in the archipeligo.

Check Baguio out for yourself if you have time:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baguio